Mike Wieringo
Encyclopedia
Michael Lance "Mike" Wieringo (June 24, 1963 – August 12, 2007), who sometimes signed his work under the name 'Ringo, was an American
comic book
artist
best known for his work on DC Comics
' The Flash and Marvel Comics
' Fantastic Four
.
Wieringo gained prominence working with writer Mark Waid
on DC Comics' super-speedster series The Flash vol. 2, penciling all but two issues from #80–92 (Early Sept. 1993 – July 1994), plus #0 (Oct. 1994); he additionally penciled covers through #100, #118–124, and 128–129, and for Flash 80-Page Giant
#2 (April 1999). Wieringo co-created, with Waid, the young speedster Bart Allen
, a.k.a. Impulse, in The Flash vol. 2, #91 (cameo) and #92 (first full appearance).
Wieringo followed this with a short run on Robin
, another DC title, with writer Chuck Dixon
, while concurrently penciling Marvel Comics
' Rogue
#1–4 (Jan.–April 1995), a miniseries
starring that X-Men
superheroine. During this period, he also penciled occasional Marvel covers and small miscellaneous jobs for that company.
Other work around this time included, for the publisher Malibu Comics
, penciling the cover and co-penciling (with Rob Haynes) the lead story of Firearm
0 (Nov. 1993) and penciling the back cover and one story in Godwheel
#2 (Feb. 1995). For the small independent publisher Explorer Press, he penciled the cover of Explorers #2 (1995).
After having penciled the Spider-Boy #1 (April 1996) one-shot, which combined Spider-Man
and Superboy
as part of the Marvel Comics
-DC Comics
intercompany crossover
series of one-shots Amalgam Comics
, Wieringo became the regular artist on Marvel's The Sensational Spider-Man
, beginning with issue #8 (Sept. 1996). Teaming with writer Todd Dezago
, Wieringo penciled all but eight issues from #8-31 (Sept.1996 - Oct. 1998), and some covers on issues he did not pencil. Additionally, Wieringo co-plotted several issues and penciled the quirkily numbered flashback
issue, # -1 (July 1997). During his run he signed a two-year contract with Marvel, beginning December 1997.
After Spider-Man, Wieringo's next major project was at Image Comics
, where he reteamed with Dezago on their creator-owned
fantasy series Tellos
. The comic, a coming-of-age adventure set in a magical, piratical world, ran 10 issues (May 1999 – Nov. 2000). The last three issues were released by Gorilla Comics
, a short-lived Image imprint co-founded by Wieringo and several other creators in 2000. Following the demise of the series, Wieringo also penciled one 13-page story in a post-series one-shot, Tellos: Maiden Voyage #1 (March 2001).
Wieringo returned to DC Comics for all but one issue of Adventures of Superman
#592–600 (July 2001 – March 2002), with writer Joe Casey
. He then returned to Marvel and reunited with writer Mark Waid
on Fantastic Four
. Beginning with #51 (March 2002), Wieringo eventually drew 27 issues of Waid's 36 issues, wrapping up their run with #524, by which time the previously relaunched series had returned to its original numbering. The comics-hobbyist webzine Newsarama.com commented that the Waid-Wieringo run "was perhaps best known for fan outcry when Marvel announced that [it was] going to replace the team. Marvel quickly reversed [its] decision, and the two completed their run on the series".
Wieringo penciled the interior art on issues #1–5, #8–10 of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
and was the cover artist of #1–19 (Dec. 2005 – June 2007). He and writer Jeff Parker
began work on the miniseries
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four in April 2007.
at his home in Durham
, North Carolina
, at age 44. He was survived by his parents, Cecil and Shirley Dean Wieringo, and his brother Matt.
Mirage Comics' Tales Of TMNT #40, Image Comics
' Elephantmen
#11 and The Walking Dead
#42, and Marvel Comics
' Spider-Man: Family #7 were dedicated to his memory.
At the time of his death, Wieringo had completed seven pages of a What If? story featuring the temporary "replacement" Fantastic Four of Spider-Man
, Wolverine
, Hulk
, and Ghost Rider
that had originally been assembled in a 1990 three-part Fantastic Four storyline. Marvel Comics donated the script and Wieringo's art to The Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to assisting Golden Age and Silver Age comics creators who retired without pensions or benefits, and required financial assistance. Wieringo's colleagues stepped in to complete the story. The completed 48-page book, What If?—The Fantastic Four Tribute to Mike Wieringo, features, in addition to Wieringo's art, artwork by Arthur Adams
, Paul Renaud
, Stuart Immonen
, Cully Hamner
, Alan Davis
, Brian Stelfreeze
, David Williams, Sanford Greene, Humberto Ramos
, Skottie Young
, Mike Allred, and Barry Kitson
, and was released in June 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
best known for his work on DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' The Flash and Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
.
The Flash
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
on DC Comics' super-speedster series The Flash vol. 2, penciling all but two issues from #80–92 (Early Sept. 1993 – July 1994), plus #0 (Oct. 1994); he additionally penciled covers through #100, #118–124, and 128–129, and for Flash 80-Page Giant
80-Page Giant
80-Page Giant was the name used for a series of comic books published by DC Comics beginning in 1964. The series was named for its unusually high page count. . The cover price was typically 25 cents, while other comics of the day were rarely above 12 cents...
#2 (April 1999). Wieringo co-created, with Waid, the young speedster Bart Allen
Bart Allen
Bartholomew "Bart" Allen is a superhero in the . Allen first appeared as the superhero Impulse. He would later go on to become the second Kid Flash and the fourth Flash. Allen's first cameo appearance was in The Flash #91, while his first full appearance was in issue #92...
, a.k.a. Impulse, in The Flash vol. 2, #91 (cameo) and #92 (first full appearance).
Wieringo followed this with a short run on Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
, another DC title, with writer Chuck Dixon
Chuck Dixon
Charles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
, while concurrently penciling Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
#1–4 (Jan.–April 1995), a miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
starring that X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
superheroine. During this period, he also penciled occasional Marvel covers and small miscellaneous jobs for that company.
Other work around this time included, for the publisher Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
, penciling the cover and co-penciling (with Rob Haynes) the lead story of Firearm
Firearm (comics)
Firearm was a comic book series created by writer James Dale Robinson and artists Howard Chaykin and Cully Hamner for Malibu Comics' Ultraverse imprint, which lasted 18 issues, with an additional 0 issue. The 0 issue included a 35-minute Firearm movie, on VHS...
0 (Nov. 1993) and penciling the back cover and one story in Godwheel
Godwheel
The Godwheel is one of the main concepts of the Malibu Comics Ultraverse. While it lent its name to a 1994/1995 four-issue series, the Godwheel is actually the place of origin of quite a few Ultraverse concepts, characters and significant items that predate that series...
#2 (Feb. 1995). For the small independent publisher Explorer Press, he penciled the cover of Explorers #2 (1995).
Marvel and Tellos
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
and Superboy
Superboy
Superboy is the name of several fictional characters that have been published by DC Comics, most of them youthful incarnations of Superman. These characters have also been the main characters of four ongoing Superboy comic book series published by DC....
as part of the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
-DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
intercompany crossover
Intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
series of one-shots Amalgam Comics
Amalgam Comics
Amalgam Comics was a publishing imprint shared by DC Comics and Marvel Comics, in which the two comic book publishers merged their characters into new ones . These characters first appeared in a series of twelve comic books which were published in 1996, between issues 3 and 4 of the Marvel vs...
, Wieringo became the regular artist on Marvel's The Sensational Spider-Man
The Sensational Spider-Man
The Sensational Spider-Man was first used as the title for a prestige format one-shot special called The Sensational Spider-Man: Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut in 1989 from Marvel Comics which reprinted The Amazing Spider-Man issues #229 and #230 .The Sensational Spider-Man was later also used as...
, beginning with issue #8 (Sept. 1996). Teaming with writer Todd Dezago
Todd DeZago
Todd Dezago is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his collaborations with penciller Mike Wieringo on The Sensational Spider-Man and their creator-owned fantasy series Tellos, which premiered in 1999, as well as for co-creating Young Justice with artist Todd Nauck in the 1998...
, Wieringo penciled all but eight issues from #8-31 (Sept.1996 - Oct. 1998), and some covers on issues he did not pencil. Additionally, Wieringo co-plotted several issues and penciled the quirkily numbered flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
issue, # -1 (July 1997). During his run he signed a two-year contract with Marvel, beginning December 1997.
After Spider-Man, Wieringo's next major project was at Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
, where he reteamed with Dezago on their creator-owned
Creator ownership
Creator ownership is an arrangement in which the creator or creators of a work of fiction retain full ownership of the material, regardless of whether it is self-published or by a corporate publisher. In some fields of publishing, such as fiction writing, creator ownership is a standard arrangement...
fantasy series Tellos
Tellos
Tellos is a comic-book fantasy series created by Todd DeZago and Mike Wieringo and published by Image Comics. Three issues at the end of the initial run were printed through Gorilla Comics, which was co-founded by Wieringo). After that company folded, the book returned to Image as a series of...
. The comic, a coming-of-age adventure set in a magical, piratical world, ran 10 issues (May 1999 – Nov. 2000). The last three issues were released by Gorilla Comics
Gorilla Comics
Gorilla Comics was a short-lived American comic book imprint launched in 2000 by creators Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, Stuart Immonen, Karl Kesel, Barry Kitson, George Pérez, Mark Waid, and Mike Wieringo...
, a short-lived Image imprint co-founded by Wieringo and several other creators in 2000. Following the demise of the series, Wieringo also penciled one 13-page story in a post-series one-shot, Tellos: Maiden Voyage #1 (March 2001).
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
#592–600 (July 2001 – March 2002), with writer Joe Casey
Joe Casey
Joe Casey is an American comic book writer. He has worked on titles such as Wildcats 3.0, Uncanny X-Men, The Intimates, Adventures of Superman, and G.I. Joe: America's Elite, among others.-Biography:...
. He then returned to Marvel and reunited with writer Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...
on Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
. Beginning with #51 (March 2002), Wieringo eventually drew 27 issues of Waid's 36 issues, wrapping up their run with #524, by which time the previously relaunched series had returned to its original numbering. The comics-hobbyist webzine Newsarama.com commented that the Waid-Wieringo run "was perhaps best known for fan outcry when Marvel announced that [it was] going to replace the team. Marvel quickly reversed [its] decision, and the two completed their run on the series".
Wieringo penciled the interior art on issues #1–5, #8–10 of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The title is derived from a trademark self-referential comment often made by Spider-Man , ironic in that Spider-Man is often falsely considered by the general public to be a dangerous vigilante and/or a criminal,...
and was the cover artist of #1–19 (Dec. 2005 – June 2007). He and writer Jeff Parker
Jeff Parker (cartoonist)
Jeff Parker is a Portland, Oregon-based writer and comic book artist. He is a member of Periscope Studio, formerly Mercury Studio.-Biography:Parker's earliest work in comics was Solitaire, published by Malibu Comics...
began work on the miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four in April 2007.
Death and legacy
On August 12, 2007. Wieringo died of an aortic dissectionAortic dissection
Aortic dissection occurs when a tear in the inner wall of the aorta causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and force the layers apart. The dissection typically extends anterograde, but can extend retrograde from the site of the intimal tear. Aortic dissection is a medical...
at his home in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, at age 44. He was survived by his parents, Cecil and Shirley Dean Wieringo, and his brother Matt.
Mirage Comics' Tales Of TMNT #40, Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
' Elephantmen
Elephantmen
Elephantmen is an American ongoing monthly comic book published by Image Comics and written by Richard Starkings with art by Moritat and a number of other artists...
#11 and The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
#42, and Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Spider-Man: Family #7 were dedicated to his memory.
At the time of his death, Wieringo had completed seven pages of a What If? story featuring the temporary "replacement" Fantastic Four of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, and Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
that had originally been assembled in a 1990 three-part Fantastic Four storyline. Marvel Comics donated the script and Wieringo's art to The Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to assisting Golden Age and Silver Age comics creators who retired without pensions or benefits, and required financial assistance. Wieringo's colleagues stepped in to complete the story. The completed 48-page book, What If?—The Fantastic Four Tribute to Mike Wieringo, features, in addition to Wieringo's art, artwork by Arthur Adams
Art Adams
Arthur "Art" Adams is an American comic book artist and writer. He first broke into the American comic book industry with the 1985 Marvel Comics miniseries Longshot...
, Paul Renaud
Paul Renaud
Paul Renaud is a French comic book artist and illustrator, and working for both European and French markets.In 2004 Budd Root's Basement comics published Paul Renaud 's Cavewoman: The Movie comic book starting his production for the USA comics....
, Stuart Immonen
Stuart Immonen
Stuart Immonen is a Canadian comic book artist. He is best known for his work on Nextwave, Ultimate X-Men, The New Avengers and Ultimate Spider-Man...
, Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner
Cully Hamner is an American comic book artist and writer.-Career:Since his 1992 debut on Green Lantern: Mosaic, Hamner has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher, and is chiefly known for such titles as the aforementioned Green Lantern: Mosaic, Blue Beetle, and Red...
, Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
, Brian Stelfreeze
Brian Stelfreeze
Brian Stelfreeze is an American comic book artist. Stelfreeze, an accomplished painter, penciller, inker and colorist, has worked for nearly every major American comic book publisher and is one of the original members of Atlanta's Gaijin Studios, a prominent breeding ground for some of comics' most...
, David Williams, Sanford Greene, Humberto Ramos
Humberto Ramos
Humberto Ramos is a Mexican comic book penciller, best known for his work on American comic books such as Impulse, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and his creator-owned series Crimson.-Career:...
, Skottie Young
Skottie Young
Skottie Young is an American comic book artist and illustrator from Chicago, Ill. who works exclusively for Marvel Comics.-Biography:Skottie Young is the artist on several Marvel titles including New Warriors, Human Torch, Spider-Man Legend of the Spider Clan and New X-Men...
, Mike Allred, and Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson
Barry Kitson is a British comics artist best known as a penciler of major superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC.-Biography:Kitson's first professional work was Spider-Man for Marvel UK...
, and was released in June 2008.