Sad: MIKE WIERINGO PASSES AWAY

[pmpknface]

Per Newsarama: (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=125110)

The comics industry lost a luminary this weekend – Mike Wieringo passed away Sunday of a sudden heart attack. Details are still sketchy as of this time, but according to close sources, the acclaimed artist had chest pains at some point during the day and called 911, but the responders did not make it in time.

Wieringo was 44 years old. He was a vegetarian, and “one of the healthiest ones of us in the bunch,” as his longtime friend and collaborator Todd Dezago described him.

Wieringo worked every day, updating his blog and website with a constant stream of sketches at http://www.mikewieringo.com/. His last sketch was posted on Friday.

I miss him already. :(

[torippu]

This is very sad news. I just checked in on his blog yesterday and was happy to see a couple of Tellos sketches that he had done. Each time that he drew Koj & Jarek gave me hope that we'd see more Tellos some day. What a terrible way to start the day. :(

[Hulkamaniac]

I posted in other threads (so many are popping up on this forum in honor of Mike) but this is such a blow. Just an amazing person and artist. The fans and industry will really miss him. RIP.

[Chadhulhu]

Sad to see a great artist and from what i read a great man. never met him, wished to. my deep hearted feeling out to his family and friends.

[pmpknface]

I was lucky enought to meet him a few times. I got a few Spidey books signed by him.

I just read Spidey / FF #4 at lunch. **sniff, sniff**

[De Carabas]

:(

Patricia and I met him at MegaCon in 2006. I think the crowd was getting to him because he was pretty gruff, but as soon as I told him Augie says "Hi" (who had just called us from the NY Comicon), he brightened up and talked to us for a few minutes. I'm going to treasure those sketches we got just a little more now.

The day that the oversized Tellos hardcover arrives is going to be bittersweet moment.

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Eric - thanks for reminding me of that story. That's typical Mike for you. Every encounter I ever had with him was just like that - bright, friendly. . . But yet just human enough to occasionally want to go back to being the artist locked in the basement behind the art board, you know?

I wrote a little something as soon as I got the news this morning that will be part of Pipeline tomorrow. I plan on doing a full column, though. It might even show up later this week as a bonus column.

But, yes, this is the suckiest Monday in the history of sucky Mondays.

-Augie

[torippu]

Reading through the tributes here in the hotel in Phoenix on a Monday afternoon, I'm still in shock 8 hours later. Is it wrong that the kind words from Mark Waid, Todd Dezago, Karl Kesel, Cully Hamner and Adam Hughes over at newsarama have brought tears to my eyes?

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Trip - nothing wrong with that at all. I started writing to keep myself from doing that, but it didn't work entirely

Ah, for the good old days of the TELLOS message board, where I think half this board originated. =)

-Augie

[drupgyu]

i posted this on Newsarama too but it captures what I feel...

I really enjoyed Mike's work.

Whenever someone like this passes in the industry, I always feel a bit sad for two reasons: one, a great talent in a small industry is gone and two, someone who "gets it" has left so, there are even fewer of us that do.

[torippu]

Trip - nothing wrong with that at all. I started writing to keep myself from doing that, but it didn't work entirely
It's strange to be crying about the death of someone I've never met - guess that's a testament to the impact that Mike had on the comic industry over the past 15~20 years.

The day that the oversized Tellos hardcover arrives is going to be bittersweet moment.
I'm kicking myself for not ordering it when it was first solicited. I read through all of my issues just before the DCBS order was due and decided that I could wait until a later date to pick up the HC to put on my shelf. With Mike's untimely passing yesterday, I'm starting the get the feeling that one of the $25 gift certificate that I have stockpiled from Amazon is going to get earmarked for the Gargantua HC once it is finally released.

Sadly to say, I've never really read all that much of 'Ringo's runs on The Flash and Fantastic Four with Mark Waid. I'm just down the road from an Atomic Comics here and may find myself loitering in their store tomorrow checking out the back issue bins issues and/or TPBs.

[pmpknface]

I've never read the Flash, but I may try a few issues here and there if I see them cheap in a bin.

There was 1 pg of art from Ringo's FF that I wanted, and even though I knew his art dealer I missed out because I guess Mike sold it at last year's Baltimore con. I was thinking I'll be able to get another page some other time. :(

At least I've got 4-5 signed books. I've had one on my wall for years now. That'll make me smile for a long time. ;)

[goman]

I have nothing to add other than the fact that I'm so impressed by what people have said about him. Not one bad thing, and nothing but great stories. it sounds like he left a big hole in a lot of peoples hearts. I wish I had been a fan now. I feel like I missed out on something great.

[pmpknface]

I have nothing to add other than the fact that I'm so impressed by what people have said about him. Not one bad thing, and nothing but great stories. it sounds like he left a big hole in a lot of peoples hearts. I wish I had been a fan now. I feel like I missed out on something great.
Well, at least there is a ton of his work in trades and such. Off the top of my head I'd say try his recent FF work. That was outstanding stuff!

[goman]

Yeah, I definetly want to check something out. I may see if my store has the issues of the Spidey/FF mini or pick up the trade when it comes out. It seemed like he was always on books I either didn't have an interest in (FF, Flash) or was on Spider-man when I wasn't reading it. Perhaps now is the time for DC to put out an Absolute Waid/Ringo Flash or just a Waid Flash Omnibus.

[pmpknface]

Mike's last page is here, in Tom Brevehort's (sp?) blog at marvel.com:

http://www.marvel.com/blogs/Tom%20Brevoort/entry/843?utm_source=blog+feed+-+Tom+Brevoort&utm_medium=rss+link&utm_content=blog+feed+Tom_Brevoort&utm_campaign=rss+feeds

[torippu]

Mike's last page is here, in Tom Brevehort's (sp?) blog at marvel.com:

http://www.marvel.com/blogs/Tom%20Brevoort/entry/843?utm_source=blog+feed+-+Tom+Brevoort&utm_medium=rss+link&utm_content=blog+feed+Tom_Brevoort&utm_campaign=rss+feeds

Thanks.

The Cully Hamner (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=125305) & Scott Kurtz (http://www.pvponline.com/blog/3480/friendly-dolphins) tributes that I read yesterday were incredibly moving.

[pmpknface]

FYI - here's a decent deal on a FF 3 HC. I'm sure they have more.

http://cgi.ebay.com/FANTASTIC-FOUR-VOL-3-HC_W0QQitemZ6582292585QQihZ012QQcategoryZ35784QQss PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

My special Mike Wieringo tribute column went up on the front page today.

-Augie

[torippu]

My special Mike Wieringo tribute column went up on the front page today.

-Augie

And a great column it is.

[D'ohboy]

My special Mike Wieringo tribute column went up on the front page today.

-Augie

Terrific job Augie.

I'm lucky enough to have three penciled FF pages and you hit the nail on the head. Many artists can't give away the "everyday life" pages of a story, Mike's are great.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Thanks, guys. I was worried with how it would come out. It's a little scattershot, a little rambling. I didn't want to do a straight-up eulogy or anything, and ended up slamming a bunch of disconnected thoughts together as best as I could in the free time I made to do it.

-Augie

[mattx110]

Thanks, guys. I was worried with how it would come out. It's a little scattershot, a little rambling. I didn't want to do a straight-up eulogy or anything, and ended up slamming a bunch of disconnected thoughts together as best as I could in the free time I made to do it.

-Augie

i've never been this broken up over someone i never met, and it's nice to know he's exactly the kind of person he came off as in his work and writing.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

The weird thing:

I had just discovered Will Eisner's work, as I recall, shortly before his passing. When he died, I dived headlong into his work, ate it all up, wrote a bunch of reviews.

I pulled out the two TELLOS trades tonight. I know the colossal HC is coming out this week, but I couldn't wait anymore. I needed to flip through them, at least, if not read them. But it feels morbid. I almost feel like we need a bit of time and space before we can get back to reading Ringo's stuff again. I'm torn.

I also know which box in my storage unit has his SPIDER-MAN and ROBIN issues in it, but I don't feel right in digging them out right now. It's odd.

On the other hand, once the TELLOS HC book is in my hands, I probably won't be able to stop myself from diving back into it.

Odd. Weird.

-Augie

[pmpknface]

The day I found out that Steven Hughes passes I dove into my CHAOS! box. Sat back w/ a bottle of Captain Morgan and looked at all those great covers he did and flipped through a bunch of the comics.

It's odd, but in some ways - normal too.

[torippu]

I pulled out the two TELLOS trades tonight. I know the colossal HC is coming out this week, but I couldn't wait anymore. I needed to flip through them, at least, if not read them. But it feels morbid. I almost feel like we need a bit of time and space before we can get back to reading Ringo's stuff again. I'm torn.
-Augie

I kind of felt the same way last night while reading Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #1 & 2 to my son. I know that I should be having fun and enjoying the story but I just couldn't get past the sadness knowing that this is the last art we'll ever see from Ringo.

[torippu]

Here's something that I've been thinking about thinking about since Mike passed away. Wouldn't it be cool if the sketches from Mike's blog could be reprinted in a sort of tribute book to benefit his family, ASPCA, Hero Initiative, etc? And if industry pros wanted to donate their time and effort to ink and/or color the pieces, I wouldn't argue with that as well.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Don't worry, Trip. That'll happen. I'm sure there are multiple plans in place. I just hope those who would like to do it would give Mike's friends and family a chance to to grieve first before planning these things. Sadly, that doesn't neessarily seem to be the case.

But I'm sure we'll be seeing more by the end of the year. It makes too much sense not to.

-Augie