This whole book, like the rubbish costumes, is very dated. I dont know if Whedon is attempting to go for a "retro" feel for the book, but it just feels dull and old fasioned. Even Cassidays usually excellent designs feel dated, i.e. the Blackbird jet, Shield , Ord (although his charaters faces are perfect!).

Maybe this is why they went for the "Astonishing" title over "New". But to be perfectly honest, its neither.
There doesnt seem to be one new or astonishing thing about the whole book. It just seems to be one big cover version of something Chris Claremont did twenty or so years ago, but with a bit of Whedon's, i must admit, nice and natural feeling, banter. But thats all it is. By the end of the book not much has happened other than a few arguments and the odd one liner.

This is a terrible follow on to Morrison's whitty, fast-paced and thought-provoking New X-men. By Morrison's third issue he had flipped the X-world on its head, created a classic new Baddie (Cassie Nova), come up with an entirely original take on an old favourite (Wild Sentinal), destroyed the island nation of Genosha, "killed" Magneto and had Xavier pointing a loaded hand-gun at his temples to blow his brains out if anyone should try to take over his mind. Not to mention coming up with a ton of ingenious concepts for the charaters never before thought of (Ruby-Quartz contact lenses, the school actually having students in it and Xavier's staff meeting, in arm-chairs in his mind)...

Im not saying Astonishing is terrible. Its nowhere near as bad as Claremonts current run on Uncanny X-men. But its nowhere near as astonishing as Morrisons 'New X-men' in "E is for Extinction".
Save your money and buy THAT instead.