Editing Mike Wieringo

{{Short description|Comic book artist (1963–2007)}}
{{Infobox comics creator
| image         = Mike Wieringo.jpg
| caption       = 
| alt           = 
| birth_name    = Michael Lance Wieringo
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1963|6|24}} 
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2007|8|12|1963|6|24}}
| birth_place   = [[Vicenza]], Italy
| death_place   = [[Durham, North Carolina]], U.S.
| nationality   = American
| area          = 
| cartoonist    = 
| write         = y
| art           = 
| pencil        = y
| ink           = y
| edit          = 
| publish       = 
| letter        = 
| color         = 
| alias         = 
| signature     = <!-- very optional -->
| signature_alt = 
| notable works = ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]''<br>''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]''<br>''[[Tellos]]''
| collaborators = 
| awards        = 
| website       = 
}}
'''Michael Lance Wieringo''' ({{IPAc-en|w|ɪ|ˈ|r|ɪ|ŋ|g|oʊ}}; June 24, 1963 – August 12, 2007),<ref name="death">{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=11188|title= Mike Wieringo Passes Away at 44|first= Jonah|last= Weiland|date= August 13, 2007|publisher= [[CBR.com]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121002051833/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=11188|archive-date= October 2, 2012|url-status= live|df=mdy-all|access-date= April 25, 2011}}</ref> who sometimes signed his work under the name '''Ringo''', was an [[Americans|American]] [[comics artist]] best known for his work on [[DC Comics]]' ''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'', [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[Spider-Man]]'' and ''[[Fantastic Four]]'', as well as his own creator-owned series, ''[[Tellos]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/02/03/mike-wieringo-cover-mike-s-miller-cully-hamner/|title= he Mike Wieringo Cover That Wasn't, But Went Up In Flames – With Mike S. Miller and Cully Hamner|first= Rich|last= Johnston|author-link= Rich Johnston|date= February 3, 2019|publisher= [[Bleeding Cool]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190204030442/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/02/03/mike-wieringo-cover-mike-s-miller-cully-hamner/|archive-date= February 4, 2019|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> In 2017, the [[Ringo Awards]] were created in honor of Wieringo. They are presented at the [[Baltimore Comic-Con]] to recognize achievement in the comics industry.

==Early life==
Michael Lance Wieringo was born in [[Vicenza]], Italy, on June 24, 1963 to Cecil E. and Shirley Dean Wieringo, who live in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]]. He had a brother named Matt.<ref name=HeraldSunObiturary>{{cite web |url= http://www.heraldsun.com/obituaries/obit08162007.cfml#49089|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000151/http://www.heraldsun.com/obituaries/obit08162007.cfml|url-status= dead|archive-date= 2007-09-27|title= Obituaries|location= Durham, North Carolina|newspaper=[[The Herald-Sun (Durham, North Carolina)|The Herald-Sun]]|date=August 2007}}</ref>

Wieringo became interested in comics through his father, who was an avid reader. Wieringo began drawing comics when he was 11. He studied [[fashion illustration]] at [[Virginia Commonwealth University]], though he began to consider drawing comics as a profession, and showed his artwork at comics convention during his college years. Soon after graduating, he determined that that field was "dying out". Realizing that he did not possess the fortitude for commercial illustration, he decided to draw comic books.<ref name=Wizard>''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' #41 (January 1995). pp 123-124.</ref>

==Career==
===Early work===
Wieringo's first professionally published work was ''[[Doc Savage]]: Doom Dynasty #1'', published by [[Millennium Publications]] in 1991. Editor [[Mark Ellis (American author)|Mark Ellis]] had to overrule his partner to give the fledgling artist his first assignment.

Wieringo took his samples to the 1992 [[San Diego Comic Con]], where he met [[DC Comics]] group editor of creative services [[Neil Pozner]], who showed Wieringo's art to other DC editors. He was eventually given his first work for DC, a story in ''[[Justice League Quarterly]]'' #11. That was followed by a second ''JLQ'' in issue #12.<ref name=Wizard/>

===The Flash===
[[File:Flash97.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Flash (comics)|The Flash]]'' vol. 2 #97 (Jan. 1995), with Bart Allen (Impulse) second from left. Cover by Wieringo]]
''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' editor [[Brian Augustyn]] asked Wieringo to try out for ''The Flash''. After submitting some sample pages of the Flash running, Wieringo was offered the penciling duties on Volume 2 of that series, on which he was paired with writer [[Mark Waid]], and on which he rose to prominence in the industry, drawing all but two issues from #80–92 (Early Sept. 1993–July 1994), plus #0 (Oct. 1994).<ref name=Wizard/> He additionally penciled covers through #100, #118–124, and 128–129, and for ''The Flash 80-Page Giant'' #2 (April 1999).<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb|type=credit|search=Mike+Wieringo|title=Mike Wieringo}}</ref> Wieringo and Waid co-created the young speedster [[Bart Allen]], a.k.a. Impulse, in ''The Flash'' vol. 2 #91 (cameo) and #92 (first full appearance).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1= Matthew K.|last2=Dolan|first2=Hannah, ed.|chapter= 1990s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 265|quote = The brainchild of writer Mark Waid and artist Mike Wieringo, Impulse burst onto the scene at quite a pace.}}</ref>

Wieringo followed this with a short run on ''[[Robin (comics)|Robin]]'', another DC title, with writer [[Chuck Dixon]], while concurrently penciling [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[Rogue (comics)|Rogue]]'' #1–4 (Jan.–April 1995),<ref name=Wizard/><ref>{{cite book|last1 = Manning|first1 = Matthew K.|last2= Gilbert|first2= Laura, ed.|chapter= 1990s|title = Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2008|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 272|isbn =978-0756641238|quote= Rogue finally starred in her own four-issue miniseries, beginning in January [1995]. Written by Howard Mackie with art by Mike Wieringo.}}</ref> a [[miniseries]] starring that [[X-Men]] superheroine.<ref name="GCD" /> During this period, he also penciled occasional covers and small miscellaneous jobs for Marvel Comics.

Other work around this time included penciling the cover and co-penciling (with [[Rob Haynes]]) the lead story of ''[[Firearm (comics)|Firearm]]'' #0 (Nov. 1993) and penciling the back cover and one story in ''[[Godwheel]]'' #2 (Feb. 1995) for [[Malibu Comics]]. He penciled the cover of ''Explorers'' #2 (1995) for [[Explorer Press]].<ref name="GCD" />

===Marvel and ''Tellos''===
[[File:Tellos2.jpg|thumb|Promotional art for ''[[Tellos]]'' #1 (May 1999), by Wieringo]]
After having penciled the ''[[Spider-Boy (Amalgam Comics)|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-shot (comics)|one-shots]] [[Amalgam Comics]],<ref>Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 279</ref> Wieringo became the regular artist on Marvel's ''[[The Sensational Spider-Man]]'', beginning with issue #8 (September 1996).<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Cowsill|first1 = Alan|last2= Gilbert|first2= Laura, ed.|chapter= 1990s|title = Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging|publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]]|year = 2012|location= London, United Kingdom|page = 228|isbn = 978-0756692360|quote= It seemed that a whole host of bad guys were on a crime spree in this adventure, written by Todd Dezago and illustrated by the series' new regular artist Mike Wieringo.}}</ref> Teaming with writer [[Todd Dezago]], Wieringo penciled all but eight issues from #8–31 (September 1996&nbsp;– October 1998), and some covers on issues he did not pencil. Additionally, Wieringo co-plotted several issues and penciled the quirkily numbered [[Flashback (narrative)|flashback]] issue, #&nbsp;−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 ownership|creator-owned]] fantasy series ''[[Tellos]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/wieringo_mike.htm|title= Mike Wieringo|year= 2013|publisher= [[Lambiek|Lambiek Comiclopedia]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120910035939/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/w/wieringo_mike.htm|archive-date= September 10, 2012|url-status= live|access-date= December 29, 2013}}</ref> The comic, a coming-of-age adventure set in a magical, [[pirate|piratical]] world, ran 10 issues (May 1999–November 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/may00/dezago.shtml |title=Tell Us About ''Tellos'' |first=Jennifer M. |last=Contino |date=May 2000 |publisher=Sequentialtart.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924100542/http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/may00/dezago.shtml |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status=live |access-date=April 25, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.tcj.com/234/n_gorilla.html |title=The Case of the Disappearing Gorilla: The Banana Trust Explains How Not to Start a Comics Line |first=Michael |last=Dean |date=June 8, 2001 |location=Seattle, Washington |work=[[The Comics Journal]] #234 |publisher=[[Fantagraphics Books]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120081000/http://archives.tcj.com/234/n_gorilla.html |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=March 4, 2012 }}</ref> Following the demise of the series, Wieringo also penciled one 13–page story in a post-series [[one-shot (comics)|one-shot]], ''Tellos: Maiden Voyage'' #1 (March 2001).

Wieringo returned to DC Comics for all but one issue of ''[[Superman (comic book)|The Adventures of Superman]]'' #592–600 (July 2001&nbsp;– March 2002), with writer [[Joe Casey]].<ref>Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 305: "To celebrate the 600th issue of ''The Adventures of Superman'', the Man of Steel had a super-sized anniversary issue pitting him against Lex Luthor...With a script by Joe Casey and art by Mike Wieringo."</ref> He then returned to Marvel and reunited with writer [[Mark Waid]] on ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]''. Beginning with #60 (October 2002), Wieringo eventually drew 27 issues of Waid's 37 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]] 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".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.newsarama.com/Chicago_07/Ringo.html|title= Mike Wieringo Passes Away|first= Matt|last= Brady|date= n.d.|work= [[Newsarama]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070820232546/http://www.newsarama.com/Chicago_07/Ringo.html|archive-date= August 20, 2007|url-status= dead|access-date= August 13, 2007}}</ref>

Wieringo penciled the interior art on issues #1–5 and #8–10 of ''[[Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man]]''<ref>Cowsill "2000s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 295: "In December [2005], a new regular Spidey series began...Written by Peter David and illustrated by Mike Wieringo."</ref> and was the cover artist of #1–19 (December 2005&nbsp;– June 2007). He and writer [[Jeff Parker (cartoonist)|Jeff Parker]] began work on the [[miniseries]] ''Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four'' in April 2007.<ref>Cowsill "2000s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 305: "Spider-Man teamed up with the Fantastic Four...in this four-part series by writer Jeff Parker and artist Mike Wieringo."</ref>

==Style==
Wieringo explained the philosophy behind his drawing style thus: "I just try to keep things fun. I like to do fun comics. It doesn't have to be realistic to be believable. In fact, I sometimes think that funny [material] might actually add something to certain books." When he began illustrating the ''[[Rogue (comics)|Rogue]]'' miniseries, he was intimidated by the dark tone of that book's story, but once he finished the first issue, the editors decided to lighten up the "grim and gritty" tone of the story.<ref name=Wizard/>

==Personal life, death and legacy==
On August 12, 2007, Wieringo died of an [[aortic dissection]] at his home in [[Durham, North Carolina]], at age 44.<ref name="death" /> He was survived by his parents, Cecil and Shirley Dean Wieringo, and his brother Matt.<ref name=HeraldSunObiturary/><!--if/when this link goes out, the newspaper cite is ''The Herald-Sun'', although the paper's online site did not give a date for when obit was published in the print edition. An obit that confirmed Durham but did not list his family was published August 15, 2007, in ''The News & Observer'' (Raleigh-Durham) at http://www.legacy.com/newsobserver/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=92666980 -->

[[Mirage Comics]]' ''Tales Of TMNT'' #40, [[Image Comics]]' ''[[Elephantmen]]'' #11 and ''[[The Walking Dead (comics)|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 (comics)|What If?]]'' story featuring the temporary [[List of Fantastic Four members#New Fantastic Four|"replacement" Fantastic Four]] of [[Spider-Man]], [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], the [[Hulk]], and the [[Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch)|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 of Comics|Golden Age]] and [[Silver Age of Comics|Silver Age]] comics creators who retired without pensions or benefits and require 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 [[Art Adams|Arthur Adams]], [[Paul Renaud]], [[Stuart Immonen]], [[Cully Hamner]], [[Alan Davis]], David Williams, Sanford Greene, [[Humberto Ramos]], [[Skottie Young]], [[Mike Allred]], and [[Barry Kitson]], and was released in June 2008.<ref>Biggers, Cliff; Rogers, Vaneta; Batty, Ward; ''[[Comic Shop News]]'' #1086; April 2008; Page 3.</ref><ref>Cowsill "2000s" in Gilbert (2012), p. 313: "Talented artist Mike Wieringo's sudden death in August 2007 had stunned the comic community. A total of 12 top artists...joined forces to finish Wieringo's last work, a ''What If?'' story written by Jeff Parker."</ref>

In June 2017, the [[Baltimore Comic-Con]] announced the creation of the [[Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards]] (the "Ringo Awards"), to be held annually at Baltimore Comic-Con beginning in September 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/06/16/ringo-awards-named-mike-wieringo-replace-harvey-awards-baltimore-comic-con/|title= The Ringo Awards – Named After Mike Wieringo – To Replace Harvey Awards At Baltimore Comic Con|first= Rich|last= Johnston|date= June 16, 2017|publisher= Bleeding Cool|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171203153818/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/06/16/ringo-awards-named-mike-wieringo-replace-harvey-awards-baltimore-comic-con/|archive-date= December 3, 2017|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref>

==Bibliography==

===DC Comics===
*''[[The Adventures of Superman (comic book)|The Adventures of Superman]]'' #592-596, 598, 600 (2001-2002)
*''[[Batman: Gotham Knights]]'' #24 ("[[Batman: Black and White]]" backup story, 2002)
*''[[DC One Million]] 80-Page Giant'' #1 (among other artists, 1999)
*''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' vol. 2 #80-83, 85-88, 90-92, 0 (1993-1994)
*''[[Justice League Quarterly]]'' #11-12 (1993)
*''[[Robin (comic book)|Robin]]'' vol. 2 #19-22, 25-28, 31 (1995-1996)
*''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' vol. 2 #165 (among other artists, 2001)

===Marvel Comics===
*''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #400 (1996)
*''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #500, 509-513, 517-524 (2003-2005)
*''Fantastic Four'' vol. 2 #13 (1997)
*''Fantastic Four'' vol. 3 #60-64, 67-70 (2002-2003)
*''[[Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man]]'' #1-5, 8-10 (2005-2006)
*''[[Carol Danvers|Ms. Marvel]]'' vol. 2 #9-10 (2007)
*''[[Rogue (comics)|Rogue]]'' #1-4 (1995)
*''[[The Sensational Spider-Man]]'' #8-11, 13-17, 21-23, 27-28, 31, -1 (1996-1998)
*''[[Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four]]'' #1-4 (2007)
*''[[Stan Lee Meets...]] the [[Silver Surfer]]'' #1 (2007)
*''[[X-Force]] Annual'' #3 (1994)
*''[[X-Men: Legacy|X-Men]]'' vol. 2 #½ (1998)

===DC Comics and Marvel Comics===
*''[[Amalgam Comics|Spider-Boy]]'' #1 (1996)

===Image Comics===
*''[[Gen13]] Bootleg'' #13 (writer/artist, 1997)
*''[[Tellos]]'' #1-10 (1999-2000)
*''Tellos: Maiden Voyage'' #1 (2001)

===Malibu Comics===
*''Firearm'' #0 (1993)
*''Godwheel'' #2 (1995)

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*Nolen-Weathington, Eric, and Mike Wieringo. ''Modern Masters Volume 9: Mike Wieringo'' ([[TwoMorrows Publishing]], 2006). {{ISBN|1-893905-65-9}}, {{ISBN|978-1-893905-65-8}}.

==External links==
*[http://wieringo.deviantart.com/ Mike Wieringo] at [[deviantArt]]
*[http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/creator.php?creatorid=1865 Mike Wieringo] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
*[http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/namw16.htm#N1122 Mike Wieringo] at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wieringo, Mike}}
[[Category:Mike Wieringo| ]]
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American artists]]
[[Category:American comics artists]]
[[Category:Artists from Richmond, Virginia]]
[[Category:DC Comics people]]
[[Category:Deaths from aortic dissection]]
[[Category:Italian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Marvel Comics people]]
[[Category:People from Vicenza]]
[[Category:Virginia Commonwealth University alumni]]