Marvel and the whole comic industry did that to themselves. When older golden and silver age comics started to demand huge prices as collectibles/investments and comics in general hit an all time high in popularity Marvel and DC were so busy trying to fleece their customers that they cut their own throats and were too stupid to realize it till it was almost too late. When the bottom fell out the comic companies found out that they over extended themselves and in the process they alienated their core customers(many of whom jumped to Japanese manga and anime).