Because there's so much going on in the ENDS OF THE EARTH arc, this one shot will add more to the story before the next issue is out.
The Good
Spider-Man as a leader. That's something you don't see everyday. As the hero that's fought Doctor Octopus the most, he was seen as the leading expert on how to deal with him. Unfortunately for Spider-Man and the Avengers, Doc Ock's plan was more than anyone expected. In the last issue of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, we saw Spidey put out the call to any hero willing to side with him since he's been branded as "public enemy number one." Who answers his call? Union Jack, Big Hero 6, Sabra, Titanium Man and Kangaroo.
For a some of these characters like Big Hero 6 and Sabra, this is the chance to see them in action. It's also adds to Spider-Man being elevated in the eyes of these heroes. Spider-Man usually operates on his own. These characters have answered his call to take on insane odds.
Rob Williams takes on the first story that focuses on Union Jack, Sabra, Kangaroo and Titanium Man. It's great to see how the rest of the world is fairing during this big event. The story is only contained in the pages of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN but because of the enormity of the threat, it's a nice touch to be able to take the time and see how it's playing out from the perspective of others.
The Bad
It feels a little weird that Dan Slott wasn't involved with this one-shot plus the fact that this is a one-shot. Because the story wasn't completely focused on Spider-Man, it wouldn't quite fit into the regular series. It is nice to see these other heroes answer Spider-Man's call but you don't fully get the feeling that it was absolutely necessary to the overall story, unless you're a fan of the characters.
Speaking of the characters involved, I was never won over by Big Hero 6. I tried reading the first couple issues of their series but it didn't "wow" me enough to become invested in them. The second story here is focused just on them.
It's good that we have Thony Silas providing the art in both stories here but his style and depiction of the characters is different from Stefano Caselli's and Humberto Ramos. To me, that takes a little away from the overall enjoyment of the this story as part of the bigger picture.
The Verdict
The Spider-Man story, ENDS OF THE EARTH, is still underway but this one-shot serves to show some of the other heroes that answers Spider-Man's call after the Avengers have been captured and he was branded as an enemy. The two stories focus on some lesser seen characters and provided the chance for them to be explored and developed a little. Unfortunately not everyone is going to make it out unharmed. With the story not written by Dan Slott, it feels a little distant from the actual story issues in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Fans of the characters will want to see them in action but if you're indifferent to them, you could easily give it some consideration. But Rob Williams on Union Jack was a fun read. ENDS OF THE EARTH is almost over and if you're loving it, you'll want to see what develops here. Just be aware there isn't a lot of actual Spider-Man action here.