How is it misguided to protect the golden goose that repeatedly lays the reason you can exist as a business? We would not have a comic book industry at all if it were not for the LCBS direct market.
As far as I've read, neither Marvel or DC have fired any creatives. For DC, arguably, this could be a great opportunity to get caught up on late books, and get their new creative direction ironed out and staffed. Valiant is the only publisher I've read that has told creators to stop working.
That said, I'm not sure why you think we should only be concerned for the creators PERHAPS losing their jobs, when there are far more retail comic book workers, Diamond workers, printers, and freight drivers who ARE losing their job right now, or are facing exposure to Covid-19.
As far as denying fans, who I think are the most entitled of this group cause they are losing nothing but the ability to be instantly gratified -- I really don't have much sympathy. Not to be a gatekeeper, but if you are fan, you will be back when the comics start coming out again.
It says that the publishers want to have their cake and eat it too.
Digital will not replace the LCBS, because digital can't offer the captive market, with pre-orders and 100% sell through, that LCBS offer.
What you seem to be missing, is that YOU and other comic fans are not Marvel's market. It's the LCBS that are Marvel's market. It's the LCBS that care what comic fans want, because fans are the LCBS' market. Once Marvel sells to the LCBS, they could care less if the stores actually sell their product. They've already made their money. When you buy 20,000 - 200,000+ digital copies of every title the big two publish, year in and year out, then you might have a say equal to the LCBS.
Exactly what horrible penalities are you suffering for not being able to read new comics? Have you lost your life savings? Have you lost your job? Have you had to fire people working for you? Are you risking getting sick and taking the sickness home to your family just to keep your job / store open?
Retailers disagree with your assessment of their continued survival if they are undercut by digital only new books.
Physical stores DO matter more than digital distribution because they make up most of the sales for comic publishers. Again, physical store are the publishers market, not fans. If you are all that concerned for the creators of these comics, then why are you asking for 90% of their sales to disappear? Do you really think creators are going to be paid the same rates, if comic sales drop off the cliff for good with the destruction of their chief market?
And if you think the publishers are the ones capitulating to LCBS demands, you should actually go talk to an owner. Or read Brian Hibbs articles -- they are online. The hoops publishers make LCBS jump through to order just one weeks comics, all for product which is non-returnable -- are ridiculous. No one else in publishing retail has do the same.
Since the shops ARE who these publishers sell their comics to, it is in the best interest of the publishers NOT to sabotage them and make them go out of business. It's pretty hard to keep yourself afloat and have employees, when there's no comparable place to sell what they are making.