"How do you account for the (relative) success of Marvel Adventures?"

I didn't say kids don't like comics. I just suggested that the group older is going to have more money and more purcahsing power. And, as was also mentioned, Marvel Adventures exists outside of the direct market.  It has a great subscription rate, but it isn't the 10 year old getting out his checkbook to order, it is the parents. They are in Target stores.  They are in more places. And it is awsome. But, Marvel exists to make money, so they have a responsibility to shareholders to go after groups that will offer the greatest profit.

That is also the largest group I see standing around longest in our stores here, including one I worked at a handful of years ago. Per person, they may not purchase as much as the older customers, but there are still more of them.

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Most of the 16 to 24 year old's who are reading comics, started reading comics between the ages of 5 and 14.

Like I've said before, Disney should use Marvel to publish their vast library of all ages and children's comics in America(everything ever produced in Europe and Latin America under Disney licenses is essentially free inventory (except translation costs) for an American Disney Licensee).  

They should also take a few pointers from Disney Italia, who have produced a lot of new and popular /Non Duck-or-Mouse/ series for all-ages/ Young Adults.

And who also have their own, specially designed education programs to develop and train good artists and writers for their publishing house.  

There's lot of great things that can be done with the properties, but they require editorial vision and leadership.

"Most of the 16 to 24 year old's who are reading comics, started reading comics between the ages of 5 and 14"

Many,I'm  not disputing this at all. But the 8 to 14 year olds don't buy as much as the 16 to 24 group. The 8 to 14 can't but as much as the 16 to 24 demographic. This group has on average annual discretionary spend of $13,000. And this is spread across the year, not just peak seasons.

Someone made the bold statement that Marvel's long term publishing profitability is dead. Ok. But they have had over 10 years of growth profit by going after this group. That is the group that buys into fad and shock value more than any other.