Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine is a six-issue comic book crossover miniseries published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Adam Kubert. The story explores the dynamic between two iconic Marvel superheroes, Spider-Man and Wolverine, as they find themselves flung through time and embroiled in a series of epic adventures.
The comic begins with Spider-Man and Wolverine waking up in the prehistoric era, where they encounter savage dinosaurs and primitive tribes. They soon discover that they have been brought together by mysterious magic time-traveling diamonds.
Throughout their journey, Spider-Man and Wolverine travel to various points in history, including the Wild West, a dystopian future, and each one's own past. The duo must overcome numerous challenges and confront their own personal demons as they attempt to fulfill their mission and find a way back to their own time. The comic also delves into themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the consequences of tampering with the space-time continuum.
This comic series is mostly known for the unique relationship between Spider-Man and Wolverine. For another series with the duo together, see Spider-Man versus Wolverine.
Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine provides examples of:
- Alternate Timeline: Logan just had to teach cavemen survival skills. Welp, now the present day Earth (officially called "Earth-10964") is now overrun by intelligent Neanderthals, a robot version of Devil Dinosaur, and a living planet controlled by Doctor Doom is about to destroy it! Spider-Man owes someone a bid I-told-you-so.
- Back from the Dead: Spidey brings back Wolverine using a cosmic cube.
- Big Bad:
- Mojo.
- Czar and Big Muder.
- Bittersweet Ending: Spider-Man and Wolverine return to the present and now is back to normal. Except Spider-Man, unsurprisingly, doesn't get the girl.
- The Bus Came Back:
- When Logan finally dies, his deceased mother, Elizabeth Howlett, who killed herself in Origin (2001), appears before him. He offers her hand to reunite with him in the afterlife, which he almost gladly accepts.
- Speaking of Origin, no comic reader would have ever imagined that Dog Logan, Wolverine's half-brother and childhood friend would return. Justified since this is just Spider-Man traveling (not by choice) back in time to the 1800s.
- Cain and Abel: Dog Logan is the Cain to Wolverine's Abel, due to the former hunting the latter in revenge for killing their father, [[spolier:Thomas Logan in Origin]].
- Did Not Get the Girl: At the end, Spider-Man and Sara do not end up together.
- God Guise: The cavemen think Spider-Man is the Spider-God.Peter: Yep, that's me... just your friendly neighborhood Spider-God.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Wolverine makes one before Doom the Living Planet destroys the altered Earth.
- Hollywood Prehistory: Spider-Man and Wolverine find themselves stranded together on an unknown island, filled with dinosaurs and cavemen.
- How We Got Here: The miniseries starts off with a full-bearded Peter Parker and a tribal-looking James "Logan" Howlett doing daily routines and activities... in the prehistoric era! How did they get there, you ask? Believe it or not, it all started with the supervillain Orb and his henchmen robbing a bank.
- Oh, Crap!: Spider-Man gives this reaction after finding himself in the wilderness. Covered in meat. In front of a younger, more savage, and very hungry-looking Logan and his pack of wolves. Yeah, who wouldn't react like that?!
- Savage Wolves: Peter encounters some in the 1800s, with a younger Wolverine as the alpha.
- Set Wrong What Was Once Made Right: Accidentally on Wolvie's part,
- Time-Passage Beard: Peter is shown having full facial hair, which implies that he and Wolverine lived in the prehistoric times for quite some time. It could have been months since they were stuck there!
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Spider-Man and Wolverine may both get on each other's nerves, but there is no denying that they make a great team.
