I try to ignore it too (on the principle that anything that looks that ugly can't possibly be canon), but at times it is difficult.

I shouldn't worry, though. Already the wankometers are revving up about the lack of use of Xander in this issue. Apparently, this means that when they talk about saying goodbye to a key character in the next issue, they mean Xander is going to die.

How this logic computes I really do not know.