Every now and then I see the argument that someone at editorial must be intentionally trying to sabotage the Spider-Man comics.
This does not bear out the facts, but it gets me thinking about how someone would sabotage the Spider-Man comics if they wanted to.
1. Select unreliable writers who would follow your instructions on other stuff.
2. Pick unknown artists with wildly divergent styles. If anyone becomes popular, immediately move them to another book.
3. Tackle hot-button political issues.
4. Stoke divisions in the fan-base. Maybe do some kind of story that suggests Miles Morales is better.
5. Have characters do things that are repulsive. Mary Jane dates Count Nefaria. Jonah lets someone else take the blame for his mistakes. Randy commits a crime to help his wife.
6. Give Peter unpopular and obnoxious opinions on religion, politics, etc. Maybe he should be a militant atheist.
7. Amazing Spider-Man is back to once a month. There are three satellite books. And about a quarter of a third of the issues of all these comics will be crossovers, so you still need to buy all the books to have a good sense of what's going on with Spidey.
I don't think this editor will last long.
What would be your instructions for how to send Spider-Man to the bottom of the sales heap?