"Mad" sold well throughout the company's troubles, and Gaines focused exclusively on publishing it in magazine form. This move was done to placate its editor Harvey Kurtzman, who had received an offer to join the magazine "Pageant", but preferred to remain in charge of his own magazine. The switch also removed "Mad" from the auspices of the Comics Code. Kurtzman, regardless, left "Mad" soon afterward when Gaines would not give him 51 percent control of the magazine, and Gaines brought back Al Feldstein as Kurtzman's successor. The magazine enjoyed great success for decades afterward.