We operate on a very simple underlying philosophical belief. And that is that good, clear, accessible stories will sell better than bad, muddled, inaccessible stories. We have a belief and an understanding that Marvel’s readers are a discerning lot, and will only read and support what they like.

It’s a typical argument to make, that good stuff doesn’t sell, because everybody else isn’t as smart or as insightful or as learned as the person making that evaluation. And it feels great to feel that way about yourself and your tastes.

But given that we are in the business of producing entertainment, the only reliable barometer that I can follow for what the audience actually wants and is interested in is what sells. That is, what attracts the attention and interest and support of sufficient Marvel readers.

And yes, this means that many beloved series are going to fall by the wayside along the way, including books that I love and wish would have gone on longer. But that’s Darwinism, that’s the natural order. You either get and keep an audience’s attention, or you’re toast—simple as that.

If the audience as a whole felt the way some of you do, then stories like ORIGINAL SIN or AXIS or whatever other successful thing you might point at would not consistently perform well. That’s not to say that there aren’t legitimate criticisms that can be levied at those stories—no comic book is perfect, and everybody has different tastes, after all.

But striving to produce comics that only a few people like because some elitist group has decided that they are “good” is just about a surefire way to go out of business.