What became known as the Levitz Method (because it was formalized by Paul Levitz, writer and subsequent administrator at DC Comics) became prominent in this time: an issue would have an A-plot (or the main plot), a few pages of B-plot (or the subplot), and perhaps even a C-plot (a sub-subplot, given perhaps a page or half-page). The same device would become prominent in television, with each episode having an A-plot and a B-plot, typically a more masculine, action-oriented plot and a more feminine, romantic-oriented plot: thus, the police both investigated a murder and experienced troubles in their relationships. The idea was to appeal to everybody, widening the show's audience. In comics, the Levitz Method worked thusly: a hero would battle his nemesis (the A-plot) while a few pages would be devoted to a mounting alien invasion (the B-plot) and a half-page or so would be devoted to setting up a future plot, say someone's strange behavior. Whenever the A-plot ended, whether after one issue or five, the last page would feature the B-plot raised to the fore; beginning next issue, the B-plot would become the A-plot, the C-plot would become the B-plot, and a new C-plot would (ideally) be introduced. Thus the nemesis is defeated, and the aliens actually attack; while dealing with the alien invasion, it becomes clear that the strange behavior seen for issues is actually the result of mind control run by a new villain -- at the same time, our hero's love interest begins investigating his secret identity. As the alien invasion is defeated, the mind-controlling villain takes center stage and the love interest becomes the B-plot, with a few more pages, while a new C-plot is introduced. Following the defeat of the mind-controlling villain, the love interest confronts our hero about his identity, leading into the next issue, in which the C-plot again becomes the B-plot and a new C-plot is added. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. The idea -- while certainly naïve -- was to replicate real life, with multiple concerns running at the same time.
