Should Marvel have kept Aunt May's death in Amazing Spider-Man #400?

[Jim Thompson]

Thi issue left me cold. I mean nothing wrong with it, but it didnt grab me at all. All it reinforced was that Aunt May is strictly page filler. The art was good though...

While I enjoyed the issue very much, I do agree Aunt May's character has regressed to the point of near uselessness. It's a shame they brought her back from the grave for the way she is being used right now.

[XS23]

Isn't that what they did when they brought her back the first time? Just retcon her death and then barely do anything with her? Psh.

[Karl Cook]

While I enjoyed the issue very much, I do agree Aunt May's character has regressed to the point of near uselessness. It's a shame they brought her back from the grave for the way she is being used right now.

I concur, Jim. If you ask me, Marvel should have let her death in ASM #400 stand, giving her the send-off she deserved.
J.M. DeMatteis gave May Parker the starring role in one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time in my humble opinion. It's the kind of story that only writers like J.M. DeMatteis and Peter David could do justice really, the kind of story that just packs an emotional punch. The kind of story that doesn't come along very often.
I wasn't bothered too much about May prior to ASM #400, I'll admit that, but J.M. DeMatteis actually MADE me care about her. DeMatteis' treatment of her character was her finest hour and is a story that I still re-read on a regular basis because it's just that damned good.

[Jim Thompson]

I concur, Jim. If you ask me, Marvel should have let her death in ASM #400 stand, giving her the send-off she deserved.
J.M. DeMatteis gave May Parker the starring role in one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time in my humble opinion. It's the kind of story that only writers like J.M. DeMatteis and Peter David could do justice really, the kind of story that just packs an emotional punch. The kind of story that doesn't come along very often.
I wasn't bothered too much about May prior to ASM #400, I'll admit that, but J.M. DeMatteis actually MADE me care about her. DeMatteis' treatment of her character was her finest hour and is a story that I still re-read on a regular basis because it's just that damned good.

I think JMS did some very interesting things with the character, enough to justify having her in the book again -- but barring that, I don't think there's been anything done with the character that justifies undoing what was the wonderful story told in ASM #400.

[Mister Mets]

I think JMS did some very interesting things with the character, enough to justify having her in the book again -- but barring that, I don't think there's been anything done with the character that justifies undoing what was the wonderful story told in ASM #400.

ASM #400 was excellent, but it's probably unfair to have such a significant event occur in the middle of a massive and poorly received storyline. It makes ASM #400 difficult to reprint, which makes it difficult for newer readers to become familiar with the story. And the payoff to some of the events in the issue (Peter Parker getting arrested for murder) isn't exactly universally acclaimed.

[Jim Thompson]

ASM #400 was excellent, but it's probably unfair to have such a significant event occur in the middle of a massive and poorly received storyline. It makes ASM #400 difficult to reprint, which makes it difficult for newer readers to become familiar with the story. And the payoff to some of the events in the issue (Peter Parker getting arrested for murder) isn't exactly universally acclaimed.

Never miss an opportunity to try and dump on the Clone Saga, eh?

Having said that, I think your point is probably valid if one is thinking from a purely business perspective (though it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, in that the reason new readers would be confused, at least in part, is because of Marvel's refusal to reprint the Clone Saga). But from an artistic viewpoint, personally I believe the story is one of the better one's in the character's history -- which is why it was sort of discouraging to have the moment watered down by her return. Her current use to my mind does nothing to justify bringing her back, either.

[XS23]

I concur, Jim. If you ask me, Marvel should have let her death in ASM #400 stand, giving her the send-off she deserved.
J.M. DeMatteis gave May Parker the starring role in one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time in my humble opinion. It's the kind of story that only writers like J.M. DeMatteis and Peter David could do justice really, the kind of story that just packs an emotional punch. The kind of story that doesn't come along very often.
I wasn't bothered too much about May prior to ASM #400, I'll admit that, but J.M. DeMatteis actually MADE me care about her. DeMatteis' treatment of her character was her finest hour and is a story that I still re-read on a regular basis because it's just that damned good.

I agree about #400, one of my favorite Spider-Man stories ever. The part that got me was with Peter, MJ and Anna Watson crying by her bedside as she passes away and then it pulls away to reveal Ben, up on the roof alone crying with no one to comfort him. Such a great scene.

[Mister Mets]

Never miss an opportunity to try and dump on the Clone Saga, eh?

Having said that, I think your point is probably valid if one is thinking from a purely business perspective (though it's a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy, in that the reason new readers would be confused, at least in part, is because of Marvel's refusal to reprint the Clone Saga). But from an artistic viewpoint, personally I believe the story is one of the better one's in the character's history -- which is why it was sort of discouraging to have the moment watered down by her return. Her current use to my mind does nothing to justify bringing her back, either.

As Aunt May's death occurred half an year into the Clone Saga, Marvel would have to be reprint the prior six months of material first.

And that material included some really crappy stories IMO (note that my prior post had nothing to do with my subjective opinions), and those stories in turn reference the really crappy stories which preceded the Clone Saga (especially the "Peter Parker No More" subplot, and the Facade storyline.)

Even though I believe ASM #400 was a really good Spider-Man issue, it's not worth making that the official death of one of the best Spider-Man characters, because it was preceded by a lot of crap, and led into even worse material (The Trial of Peter Parker, which led into Maximum Cloneage.)

[Duy]

As Aunt May's death occurred half an year into the Clone Saga, Marvel would have to be reprint the prior six months of material first.

And that material included some really crappy stories IMO (note that my prior post had nothing to do with my subjective opinions), and those stories in turn reference the really crappy stories which preceded the Clone Saga (especially the "Peter Parker No More" subplot, and the Facade storyline.)

Even though I believe ASM #400 was a really good Spider-Man issue, it's not worth making that the official death of one of the best Spider-Man characters, because it was preceded by a lot of crap, and led into even worse material (The Trial of Peter Parker, which led into Maximum Cloneage.)

God, I hated that "Peter Parker No More" bullcrap.

[Jim Thompson]

As Aunt May's death occurred half an year into the Clone Saga, Marvel would have to be reprint the prior six months of material first.

And that material included some really crappy stories IMO (note that my prior post had nothing to do with my subjective opinions), and those stories in turn reference the really crappy stories which preceded the Clone Saga (especially the "Peter Parker No More" subplot, and the Facade storyline.)

Even though I believe ASM #400 was a really good Spider-Man issue, it's not worth making that the official death of one of the best Spider-Man characters, because it was preceded by a lot of crap, and led into even worse material (The Trial of Peter Parker, which led into Maximum Cloneage.)

This is covering old ground, but I still believe there are enough people who liked the Saga out there that reprinting it in some form or fashion would make Marvel some money.

Alas, we may never actually know, since they don't seemed inclined to do it.

[Scott Taylor]

They reprinted House of M, didn't they?

[Jim Thompson]

They reprinted House of M, didn't they?

Yeeeeeeeeessss -- but I'm not tracking what that has to do with the Clone Saga being reprinted.

[Hertz]

Yeeeeeeeeessss -- but I'm not tracking what that has to do with the Clone Saga being reprinted.

I think he's saying that House of M was its own new level of terrible.

[Jim Thompson]

I think he's saying that House of M was its own new level of terrible.

LOL! Well -- wasn't it the first in a continuing series of "events" that had no real resolution?

[Matt Linton]

If anything justifies reprinting the Clone Saga, it's this.

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