Mixed response: Reaction at the Newsarama forums regarding yesterday's Epic news has been pretty much as I (and probably everyone else) predicted, with unfocused outrage intermingling with satisfied smugness and occasional longings for the days of Bill Jemas.

What's a little puzzling, though, are the folks rejoicing in the imprint's "downsizing," as if Epic's very existence was a personal affront.

Poster #1: "It always brightens my day to have my predictions affirmated." (Yes, he wrote affirmated.)

Poster #1, in another reply: "Epic was ridiculous in premise and design, and if you read the Marville #7 epic rules (also hosted on Marvel's website", you'd know exactly how severe a problem the initiative was. All Marvel's doing here is trying to politely clean up the mess and sweep it under the rug at the same time. Yeah, they look bad doing it, but thank god they're doing it."

Of course, he doesn't seem to care that each of the Epic titles had a creative team that will be affected by the move.

So, Jason Henderson ("Strange Magic") explains matters to him: "Thank god? Why? That ignores the possibility that these titles-- which no-one has actually read-- might have been worth reading. I can say, sir, with all due respect, that I am proud of my team and their very professional efforts, and the other guys probably feel the same. And we weren't afraid of being judged on the stands. So unafraid that major work got turned down by some of these professionals because of their faith in the project. These guys are not a mess.

"These teams shouldn't be comforted because the suck but tried. These guys are good. And I stand by there work."