Anyway, once you read the issue you will be very disappointed. I guess Loeb wanted to do it in a non-cliched way, but…
umm…
there’s so much about it that doesn’t make sense. I wish he would have thought a little harder (I say this as a big, big fan of Loeb’s work).

I’d write more about that here but I’d probably be accused of additional spoilers. Anyway, my point is this: with or without the spoiler, the dramatic tension and resolution really is not at all satisfying in this issue.

As Stan the Man would say: ‘Nuff said.

It’s time for the final round in Wolverine’s decades-long grudge match with Sabretooth, courtesy of superstars Jeph Loeb (Batman: Hush) and Young Guns reloaded artist Simone Bianchi — and this time only one of them is walking away. Get ready for one of the most eye-popping endings in recent Marvel history, True Believer!

Really, does anyone think Marvel would kill off Wolverine in this issue? Sabretooth biting it was pretty much a given, so I’m not sure why the big hub-bub over this cover getting out a few days early (yeah, yeah, I know some people don’t like things spoiled for them and I can respect that, but again, the outcome of this battle was a no-brainer).

kdb

I think that’s what most people say in this kind of situation…

It’s a variant cover, and Marvel’s been holding it back so that the story would indeed hit before people see the variant — warning retailers not to show it, that sort of thing. Making a tease out of it, to goose interest.

Apparently, the retailers who put it up on eBay did so against Marvel’s express wishes — you couldn’t even see the cover unless you went to a password-protected page at Diamond, so nobody who had access was unaware that it was supposed to be a surprise.

One more example of why, when retailers say they need to know the secrets ahead of time, so they can order correctly, the publishers tell them that’d be wonderful, but someone would invariably fuck it up for everyone else. Someone invariably does, after all.

Next time a publisher wants to do something like this, retailers won’t get to see what they’re buying at all, thanks to Wade of Bucks County PA’s need to make those short-term eBay profits.

kdb

(okay. sorry. almost kept a straight face. Nobody really enjoys reading a Loeb story)

But next time maybe put the image after the jump.

I’ve gotta agree with all concerned… it is a pretty great homage but aren’t you the one that gets all grumpy about this sort of thing?

I’ve never really cared about spoilers, so whatevs. I’ll probably still read it.

I sort of knew there’d be a skrull in NEW AVENGERS #31 and still thought it was awesome when I got there, y’know?

Thanks a lot.