Bait And Switch, 90s Style!

Aunt May had just died--for reals--a couple of months earlier, yet people were concerned that it was just a plot device.

Example: this excerpt from a letter by Erik Martin of Sutherland Nebraska, in Spider-Man Unlimited #10 (1995):

And the reply? Why, Marvel would NEVER, EVER do that!!

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Suckers!

Three years later, of course, May was back, as it "turns out" that Norman Osborn had merely kidnapped May and replaced her with a dying, genetically-altered actress, and...

Hey!! Forget what we said earlier--that in no way cheapens the "touching" Amazing Spider-Man #400!! It...uh...enhances it!! Yeah, that's the ticket...

Suckers...