Initially, from a couple of corroborating reports on the show floor of San Diego Comic Con yesterday… and then all over the bars last night, where no less than eight people took me aside to tell me this top secret news that only they knew…

John Romita Jr, son of the legendary Marvel artist John Romita Sr, and an A-list artist in his own right with critically acclaimed runs on Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, hell, pretty much every Marvel property as well as being the co-creator and co-owner of Kick Ass with Mark Millar, is coming to the end of his Marvel contract.

As well as currently drawing Kick Ass 3 and Captain America for Marvel, he also plays a strong official role in educating and mentoring young artists at Marvel. Now, John Romita Jr has never worked outside of Marvel. Apart from The Gray Area, a creator owned series for Image, he's been a Marvel artist his entire career. He's almost a totem for the publisher.

But I understand that with contract concerns, he may be looking elsewhere. And that DC Comics have offered him the Superman comic, to both write and draw.

If DC were to win him over, that would be one hell of a scalp – far greater than when they grabbed David Finch. But, of course, this may just be a negotiating tactic. It's a pretty good one though.

I wonder what he's going to do?