Okay, this one was definitely from the Hyatt bar last night in San Diego Comic-Con. Or, rather, the big smoking area outside. A great place to pick up tips, for pro to ask fellow pro about their respective salaries and to plot all manner of remuneration.

And it was in such a conversation that a source learned that a number of the announced artists for the DC Masterclass/Dark Matter comic books already announced (but already slipping back the schedule) have only signed on to their respective books for three issues each. And then that's it, done.

The Dark Matter books are a Dan DiDio-initiative to launch a few new books without the inevitable non-interest that the conservative superhero audience usually reserves for such books, by tieing them into a line-wide event and giving them some of the biggest names in the industry, with artists who move the needle. So The Silencer has John Romita Jr, Sideways has Kenneth Rocafort, The Immortal Men has Jim Lee, Damage has Tony S Daniel, New Challengers has Andy Kubert and the like. Which naturally merited a lot of reaction.

It may be a way to keep the schedules fresh and fast. It may also have been a way to get as big as names as possible on the announcement, without totally depriving the regular DC Rebirth titles of key talent. And of course, creators are free to sign up for another three issues, I'm sure. But from what folks were saying, I wouldn't be expecting long creative runs on these titles…