Does anyone in the comic world know why the year 2013 is so important? Anyone? Yes, you in the back, the one in the shirt, yes you. Well for most of you that don’t know, which I just found out a little while ago that one of the most profitable comic book characters may actually die for good (at least at D.C./W.B). 2013 is the license end date for D.C./W.B. on Superman and if they don’t sign a new contract with both the Siegels and the Shusters, the families of the creative minds behind the Man of Tomorrow, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, they may lose rights to the Superman property and may not be able to exploit any new Superman works. What does that mean? Well that means comic folk like us, who have been following Superman since the day we were born, might see his face glimmer on the cover of Marvel. Sure this will screw up the entire D.C. Universe, but who needs Superman when you have the Green Arrow,  Martian Manhunter or even better yet Plastic Man. If D.C. is smart they’ll pay whatever the Shusters and Siegels demand for the rights to the Superman property, or everything they had built their company upon will crumble down into ruins.

This knowledge was all released during the legal battle between D.C/W.B. versus  the Siegels and the Shusters over “Sweetheart” deals made between Warner Bros. and D.C. comics. You can read all the boring mumble jumble here from Variety.com, but until then, shed a tear because Superman maybe dead…..for good.