Emotional Moments in Spider-Man Comics Pt 3

Aunt May’s “Death” (Amazing Spider-Man #400)

Aunt May had always been a tough old lady, perhaps the toughest old lady in the history of comic books. In Amazing Spider-Man #400 writer J.M. DeMatteis and penciller Mark Bagley seemingly did what writing teams of Spider-Man books had threatened to do for years. They Killed Aunt May.

In the middle of the “Clone Saga” May had been taken to hospital critically ill and on the verge of death. In the land marking 400^th issue it appeared that she had made a miraculous recovery and was allowed home. This issue was also ground breaking in the sense that it also revealed that Aunt May had “apparently” known for years that Peter was secretly Spider-Man.

The true emotional moment in this issue came when May had a relapse and after refusing Peter’s wish to take her back to hospital she told him it was her time. As she lay in her bed Peter bade her farewell by recounting what Aunt May used to say to him at bedtime when he was a small child. Whilst Mary Jane and her Aunt Anna stood by as May appeared to finally pass away.

It was later revealed that this “Aunt May” was an actress paid by Norman Osborn to replace the real Aunt May that he had kidnapped. In order to torment his old foe Peter. But this does not detract or cheapen a quite poignant and emotional moment. 



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