John Seavy at MightyGodKing asks the question and raises some interesting points, much of which i agree with (but not all).

But i think the mistake people run into here is that it really doesn't have a lot to do with the quality of the story at all. It's the medium, not the message. People go see movies. They watch TV. They don't read comic books. They play video games. They mess around with their smart phones and tablets. Most people probably don't even know that comics are still being published anymore, but even if they found out, they're not going to start subscribing to them. I actually think comics are written and drawn in a way that is more accessible today than ever before. Not necessarily better, but more modern. Less villain high-speak. Less repeated exposition. More realistic dialogue, flashy, eye-catching art that is also "realistic" in a superficial way.

I think most people that came out of the Avengers movie, if handed a trade of just about any recent Marvel story arc, would read it and go, yeah, that was fun. But that's it. They've got jobs and families. They're going to go see a movie every once in a while on the weekend. They're going to relax in front of the tv at night. Their kids are going to play video games. No one's got time or dedicated interest to keep up with the ongoing Marvel Universe.

I think a lot of comic fans fall into a trap here. They don't like the way modern writers are treating longstanding characters. And they see declining sales. And they put two and two together, but the answer here isn't four. Because there's another variable in the equation, which is the fact that comics, as a medium, have become a niche market kept alive by a dwindling population of long time fans, and there's nothing inherent in the stories that will change that.

Except, someone shouldn't have to invest their time in the Marvel Universe like we and our ilk do. They should be able to pick up any random issue and enjoy a coherent story. And by someone, I mean 6-12 year olds. Not that it should be child like, but that they should be all ages.
It's a niche market because they started chasing guys like you and me as early as the mid seventies.

And, I didn't read the Seavey piece, so that may impact your reading of my rambling comment.

I would argue that nowadays you can pick up any random *trade* and get a coherent story, but my point is that even if they made huge improvements there, it wouldn't result in new reader sales.

what if comics were distributed online in a X times weekly comic strip form ala Penny Arcade? would more people read it then?

ofc, it'd require subscription for them to make money off the comics, which be a problem in itself.

they'd be easier to read than having the full page online like the electronic format currently is. and since we're all on the internet all day long anyway...

I believe Penny Arcade make decent money via ads and merch, but probably not at the Disney/Marvel levels. I'm also not sure the format works for an ongoing super-hero storyline. You've probably read the Spider-Man strip on Comics Curmudgeon. Surely Marvel could do better than that, but i'm not convinced it would work.