The thing about online petitions is that they (the signers) are hard to verify as legitimate signers unless all of their IPs are checked. The reason behind this is that anyone can sign an online petition, multiple times if they want, so the number of signers isn't accurate, nor is their name, as many people also sign using a screen name. Online Petitions have the potential to work, but they don't currently, and most companies never seriously consider them in their decision making process. The best way to get a signed petition across with your message is still a written one, mailed, with real names.
And no, the X-Men and Spider-Man DVD releases have nothing to do with online petitions. It all comes down to $$$. They were both released on DVDs once their movies were being released. It was a way for the distributor to cash in on the movie franchise, and it is the recent sales from the Marvel DTVs that have also pushed them to finally release X-Men volumes in their proper order. Spider-Man still has to come out. Most releases for Spider-Man have been for individual story arcs, while also tying in with the movies (Doc Ock, Venom Saga, etc).
