In a future where super-smart chimps have replaced humans, Spider-Man and Wolverine desperately search for a weapon to defeat the approach of Doom, the Living Planet.

The Good

This issue had delightfully-bizarre concepts like Dr. Doom replacing Ego as a living planet and the Phoenix force getting distilled into a bullet. You read that right - - it's a single bullet with the power to incinerate an entire world. Aaron's clearly having fun finding clever ways to turn these familiar standards of the Marvel Universe on their head. In fact, at times it recalls the kind of things that Grant Morrison was doing in his seminal run on JLA. I've always considered Kubert to be a gold-standard level penciler and his art here lived up to all my expectations. He lavishes detail in such a way that makes every single line look dynamic - - whether it's the appearence of a planet-sized monster or a simple class session with smart chimps.  

The Bad

 This story's so crazy, I'm not sure if it's even appopriate for the characters. It worked for the JLA, but I don't know... maybe the whimsy factor wasn't pushed far enough here? As it was, I couldn't get behind it as brawny superhero story, nor a funny send-up, nor even a imaginative exploration of all these heady concepts. It's just standing awkwardly in the middle. I figure that has a lot to do with Spidey and Wolverine getting shoehorned together as a buddies. Sure, they're the most popular character in the MU, but they aren't really good foils.   

The Verdict - 3.5/5

This is one the few modern comics I've read that felt like it'd fit right in with Scott Shaw's Oddball Comics column, which is both a good and bad thing. It's fun to see these characters in such a wild adventure outside of the restrictions of regular continuity, but it doesn't seem to work cohesively. This felt more like a weird annual or an odd issue of Spider-Man Team-Up instead of what I assume the Astonishing line is trying to do.    

but isn't the point of this book that they don't get along as peole at all?? I'll wait and see what I think once I read this issue. Loved the first

Whether two characters get along doesn't make it interesting; the dynamic does. Wolverine and Cyclops completely don't get along, but they have a good dynamic. Same with Thing and Torch. Spider-Man and Wolverine aren't different enough to have a good rival dynamic. They work fine in a pinch, but they're not very compatible.

i've never even heard of this until now...it sounds kind of stupid really...probably another comic we dont need

Anytime there's a Spider-man Wolverine team up it should be considered.  Back in the day the one shot where they fought each other let people really know just what a bad ass Wolverine was.  The blood being seen splattering over the Berlin wall, Spider-man saying how he was going full out with his punches on Wolverine and the could crush a car and he just keeps coming like he never even got hit, and laughing.  They need to portray Wolverine a little more like that if you ask me.  The fight ended up a stalemate too. 

should be interesting. what does this have to do with astonishing x-men?

THE COVER LOOKS SICK... i hope my brother sees it.