Could Amazing Spider-Man #800 be Made Returnable Over Jim Cheung's Absence?

Published Wed, 30 May 2018 07:00:42 -0500

These are the solicited credits for Amazing Spider-Man #800 published today by Marvel Comics.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #800
(W) Dan Slott (A) Stuart Immonen, Humberto Ramos, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jim Cheung (CA) Alex Ross

And here is the credit page for the 80-page story full of blood, bombs and bombast.

They have added artists Nick Bradshaw and Marcos Martin to those heading up separate chapters. But of the solicited Jim Cheung, there was no sign. Cheung is, instead, drawing Justice League for DC Comics and had to wrap up his contribution to Incredible Iron Man #600 early – and it seems did no work for Amazing Spider-Man #800.

Which could be a problem, in that Marvel Comics did not officially inform retailers of the change.

Press release missives regarding the credits were sent out but the Diamond entry remained the same. Creative change announcements are regular activity for Marvel and we often recall such announcements in our Ch-Ch-Changes columns.

And while additional artists, most publishers can get away with, not telling anyone that a solicited artist, especially one as high profile and in demand as Jim Cheung, was not in the comic may trigger Diamond and Marvel's policies and make the $9.99 comic that has been ordered at numbers close to half a million – may qualify for unsold copies to be returned by retailers for a full refund.

It was this kind of triggered return that caused Turok The Dinosaur Hunter #1 to be returnable to Valiant/Acclaim back in the day, and may have doomed the publisher.

What decision will be made? And given that it is a blisteringly good superhero romp, and great value to in the current marketplace, would there be that many copies of Amazing Spider-Man #800 to return anyway? After all, it has already gone to second printing…

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #800
(W) Dan Slott (A) Stuart Immonen, Humberto Ramos, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jim Cheung (CA) Alex Ross
• Dan Slott and Stuart Immonen are joined by many of the artists who made the last 10 years of Spider-Man so Amazing!
• The biggest Peter Parker/Norman Osborn story of all time unfolds over one 80-page story, a scope unmatched in comics!
• Who lives?! Who dies?! And what scars will Spider-Man bear from here on out?!
Rated T In Shops: May 30, 2018
SRP: $9.99

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