Spider-Man versus Wolverine is a one-shot 1986 comic book from Marvel Comics that culminates in a heated fight between the two titular characters. It is written by Christopher Priest and pencilled by Mark Bright.
Peter Parker and Ned Leeds are on assignment from the Daily Bugle to do a report in Europe. Meanwhile, Logan has been called to Europe by his friend, Charlie, a former spy who has gone rogue.
The two meet, and over the course of the story they end up coming to blows. It would end in the death of Ned Leeds (who would later be retconned into being the Hobgoblin, until it was later retconned that he was a patsy for the Hobgoblin's true identity).
Spider-Man versus Wolverine provides examples of:
- Accidental Murder: Knowing that Spider-Man is agitated from pummeling Wolverine, Charlie sneaks up behind him, knowing that he'll believe that she's Logan. Believing he is punching Logan, Spidey uses his full strength, knowing Logan's adamantium bones and Healing Factor will allow him to shrug it off. Charlie is not nearly as durable, and dies instantly. Peter was left traumatized by the incident, as he is one of the heroes who clings ardently to his Thou Shall Not Kill ideology.
- Bilingual Bonus: Peter Parker doesn't speak German, and the German dialogue in Berlin isn't translated to English for readers.
- Blood Knight: Spider-Man notes that when he's fighting Wolverine, the latter is smiling.
- Broad Strokes: Although still canon, Spider-Man versus Wolverine occupies an increasingly awkward place in the Marvel Universe due to its deep ties to the Cold War era. The story is set in Berlin during the time when the city was divided by a Wall and prominently features the KGB, with Charlie working as an American spy. However, the geopolitical landscape rapidly shifted soon after: the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, and the Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991, thus putting a complete end to the Cold War. As the Marvel Universe's sliding timeline has moved further away from the Cold War entirely, this storyline has been subtly recontextualized. While a version of this story is still considered to have happened, the specifics have likely been adjusted to fit a more contemporary setting. It’s improbable that the exact events as originally presented are still entirely canonical today.
- Cheap Costume: Peter Parker doesn't have a costume available so he has to buy a new Spider-Man suit from a Berlin costume shop. Downplayed in that he comments that it's actually pretty well-made and accurate - but it does have "DIE SPINNE" (German for "The Spider") written on the back.
- Commie Land: East Berlin is portrayed as a bleak, lifeless and oppressive regime that serves as a mere geopolitical extension of Moscow itself complete with KGB everywhere, and nothing short of a Crapsack World.
- Darker and Edgier: This story is significantly darker than what Spider-Man usually deals with. It sees him taken to a foreign land, well outside of his comfort zone, where he must venture into a bleak communist regime. There's little hope and optimism in this story, as the divided Berlin is portrayed as a Crapsack World. This also features supporting cast member Ned Leeds being killed. Finally, this is one of the only stories where Spider-Man kills someone — albeit, as an accident (and a Suicide by Cop on Charlie's part), which really messes with Spidey's mind.
- Death Seeker: Charlie. She knows that when the various spy agencies catch up with her, they're going to give her a long, protracted, painful death. That's why she called Logan.
- Fish Out of Water: Peter as an American feels like this in both sides of Berlin, and much is made about how alien he feels in this far off land.
- Headbutting Heroes: Spider-Man's in Berlin because the Daily Bugle sent him there with Ned Leeds, to research a story on Charlemagne. Wolverine's there to protect Charlemagne, his old friend Charlie - he doesn't trust Spider-Man and doesn't want him there. Spider-Man also has a code against killing, whereas Charlie and Wolverine are leaving a trail of bodies behind them. It's no surprise that the two heroes spend most of the story fighting.
- Mercy Kill: What Charlie is seeking from Logan. Logan is willing to oblige, which Spidey neither understands nor condones. Charlie ends up manipulating events so that Spidey delivers the killing blow.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Spider-Man is absolutely mortified that he actually killed someone after Charlie's Suicide by Cop.
- Out-of-Genre Experience: Spider-Man versus Wolverine sees Spider-Man getting whisked away into a bleak, edgy Cold War-themed Spy Fiction thriller in a foreign land that's in stark contrast to his normal wheelhouse of lighthearted action adventure stories set squarely in the Big Applesauce. For Wolverine, however, this story hardly seems out of place.
- Suicide by Cop: Charlie tricks Spider-Man into killing her during his fight with Wolverine, and it works.
- You Wouldn't Shoot Me: Despite beating Wolverine to a bloody pulp, his Unbreakable Bones and Healing Factor mean Spider-Man can't take him down for good without killing him. The moment Peter realizes this, Logan calls him out easily, despite having Spider-Man's hands wrapped around his throat.Wolverine: Uh-uhn. Don't even kid yourself. We both know the only way for you to beat me is for you to use all your strength and snap my neck. Bang. You win. Thing is, I'm bettin' my life you ain't got the guts for that. You don't know how to kill.