Oh, I'd agree that there are too many variables for us to know for sure. But at least a couple of posters on the forum (not you) have advanced the argument, in the last month or two, that if the Finches' numbers go down it would be because Azzarello's fans didn't give the new team a chance. I wanted to point out that by the logic of those posters, it would seem that perhaps Azzarello's fans may have given the new team a chance. There were those poised to blame Azz if the numbers went down, so it seemed only fair that someone, at least, should give him a share of the credit now that the numbers went up. Even if it might conceivably be a little bit of a stretch.
I have a thought about your clay Hippolyta example of "bad hand-off," but my thought is related (in an indirect, non-obvious and speculative way) to the the spoiler for tomorrow that's circulating, so I'd better not talk about it until tomorrow.