The Darkest Dino-Timeline – Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine Continues!

Last time on our coverage of Astonishing Wolverine and Spider-Man, our heroes found themselves flung back in time to prehistoric Earth. After coming back, they found themselves on a new, post-apocalyptic Earth. Now check out this video for what happens next, and watch as Logan plans to kill another planet!

In the ruined Earth of a dark future, Peter finds himself still teaching science, though now to a group of sentient ape-people. In his spare time, he’s also been collecting every scrap of superhero technology or artifacts he can get a hold of, in the desperate hope of finding something that could be used to fix the timeline, or at the very least defend himself against what is coming. They even found the Cosmic Cube, but it is depowered and Peter and his ape-friend Mikal have not been able to activate it.

They are alarmed to hear that the one who destroyed the Earth and wiped out all the other humans is coming, and Peter knows he doesn’t have much time left. Once again, without hope, he seeks out Logan, who is now worshipped by the ape-people of this era as a sort of messiah. Wolverine is once again annoyed to see Spider-Man, the latter of whom is using a costume he found in a wax museum. Logan knows what’s coming, too, but also knows that the two of them are not a match alone against something able to wipe out the world, and Peter clearly hasn’t found a useful weapon.

Wolverine at this point has clearly given up, and Spider-Man points out their positions have reverse. In the past, Logan stayed with the ape-people, and taught them to survive, beyond even the humans after they were wiped out, while Peter lived in isolation. The ape-people remembered Logan and took the two in, even after so many years, and it’s the only reason the two survived the tribe’s robotic Devil Dinosaur. Now Peter has embraced living in the community, while Logan sulks in solitude.

It is only now that Logan finally mentions he found someone watching him back in the time of the dinosuars, and agrees to be there when needed for a fight. He insists he is not the religious figure the tribe views him as, though, and refuses to lead them any further. Logan tries to explain how he feels, but a frustrated Peter leaves before the man can offer him a drink.

When Spider-Man takes a moment to think for himself, he is suddenly attacked by the villain that started this whole Mess – the Orb. The villain attacks swiftly, surprised that Spider-Man has no idea what is going on. The Orb seems to have been travelling through time like the heroes, but has been relentlessly pursued and rambles about figures like the Minutemen and the Czar. He demands that Spider-Man give him the diamonds that started all of this, but Peter does no understand. Before the Orb can explain any further, a portal opens and the Orb is captured.

At that moment, Spider-Man is contacted by the tribe – they may have finally found something of use. Peter is taken to a cave riddled with the logo of the X-Men, and a bunker within. Inside that, they find a chest – with a symbol of the Phoenix. Spider-Man doesn’t recognize the chest but he knows the meaning of the logo and is terrified. Nevertheless, he is able to study it and determine that while it can save them – it will cost the user of this chest their life. When Peter goes to explain all this to the elders of the tribe, his Spider-Sense suddenly goes off, and he knows that the world-ending threat is finally here.

The legends say, sending his death was near, he was able to save himself by transferring his mind. Not to another human, but the only being able to contain his ego. It cost everyone on Earth their lives – but Doom, the Living Planet, was born. This enormous being unleashes his Heralds – a mighty army from another dimension called the Annihilation Wave. Peter has the Devil Dinosaur evacuate the tribe, while he goes to retrieve the chest. It turns out to contain a gun with a single bullet containing the world-killing power of the Phoenix. It couldn’t be a better weapon against Doom, but Peter begrudgingly accepts that using the gun will destroy his body.

Of course, Logan figures, if anyone is going to kill a planet… it ought to be him. As he sets out, Wolverine doesn’t realize he is being watched by a gang working on behalf of the Czar. The leader of the gang is ready for a fight… and clad in diamonds.