Mike Wieringo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Wieringo |
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| Born | Michael Lance Wieringo June 24, 1963 Vicenza, Italy |
| Died | August 12, 2007 (aged 44) Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Writer, Penciller, Inker |
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Notable works
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Fantastic Four The Flash Tellos |
Michael Lance Wieringo (June 24, 1963 – August 12, 2007) was an American comics artist. He sometimes signed his work as Ringo. He was best known for his art on popular comic books like DC Comics' The Flash and Marvel Comics' Spider-Man and Fantastic Four. He also created his own comic series called Tellos. In 2017, the Ringo Awards were created to honor him. These awards celebrate great work in the comics world.
Contents
Early Life and Art Dreams
Michael Lance Wieringo was born in Vicenza, Italy, on June 24, 1963. His parents, Cecil and Shirley Dean Wieringo, lived in Lynchburg, Virginia. He also had a brother named Matt.
Mike became interested in comics because his dad loved reading them. He started drawing comics when he was 11 years old. Later, he studied fashion illustration at Virginia Commonwealth University. This is a type of drawing used for clothes and fashion.
While in college, he started thinking about drawing comics for a living. He even showed his artwork at comic conventions. After college, he decided that fashion illustration was not for him. He then chose to focus on drawing comic books.
His Amazing Career
Starting Out in Comics
Mike Wieringo's first professional comic work was Doc Savage: Doom Dynasty #1 in 1991. This comic was published by Millennium Publications. An editor named Mark Ellis gave him his first chance.
In 1992, Mike went to the San Diego Comic Con. There, he met Neil Pozner, an editor from DC Comics. Neil liked Mike's art and showed it to other editors. Soon, Mike got his first job for DC. He drew a story for Justice League Quarterly #11.
Drawing The Flash
The editor of The Flash, Brian Augustyn, asked Mike to try drawing for the series. Mike drew some sample pages of The Flash running. He then got the job to draw Volume 2 of The Flash.
He worked with writer Mark Waid on this series. Mike became very well known for his work on The Flash. He drew most of the issues from #80 to #92. He also drew covers for many other issues.
Mike Wieringo and Mark Waid created a new young speedster character. This character was named Bart Allen, also known as Impulse. Bart Allen first appeared in The Flash vol. 2 #91 and #92.
After The Flash, Mike worked on another DC comic called Robin. He also drew a miniseries for Marvel Comics called Rogue. This series starred the X-Men superheroine Rogue. During this time, he also drew covers and small jobs for Marvel.
Spider-Man and Tellos
Mike Wieringo drew Spider-Boy #1 in 1996. This was a special comic that mixed Spider-Man and Superboy together. After this, Mike became the regular artist for Marvel's The Sensational Spider-Man.
He worked with writer Todd Dezago on Spider-Man. Mike drew most of the issues from #8 to #31. He also helped create the stories for some issues. He signed a two-year contract with Marvel in 1997.
After Spider-Man, Mike started a big new project at Image Comics. He teamed up with Todd Dezago again to create their own fantasy series called Tellos. This comic was an adventure story about growing up. It was set in a magical world with pirates.
Tellos ran for 10 issues. The last few issues were released by Gorilla Comics. This was a short-lived comic company that Mike and other creators started.
Mike then returned to DC Comics. He drew The Adventures of Superman from #592 to #600. He worked with writer Joe Casey on these comics.
After that, he went back to Marvel and worked with writer Mark Waid again. They worked on Fantastic Four. Mike drew 27 issues of this series. Their work on Fantastic Four was very popular with fans.
Mike also drew the inside art for Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man issues #1–5 and #8–10. He drew the covers for issues #1–19. He also started working on a miniseries called Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four with writer Jeff Parker.
His Drawing Style
Mike Wieringo explained his drawing style by saying, "I just try to keep things fun. I like to do fun comics." He believed that comics don't have to be super realistic to be believable. He even thought that adding funny parts could make some comics better.
When he first started drawing the Rogue miniseries, he felt nervous. The story was very serious and dark. But after he finished the first issue, the editors decided to make the story less "grim and gritty" and more lighthearted.
Personal Life and Legacy
Mike Wieringo passed away on August 12, 2007, at his home in Durham, North Carolina. He was 44 years old. He died from an aortic dissection, which is a serious heart condition. His parents, Cecil and Shirley Dean Wieringo, and his brother Matt survived him.
Several comic books were dedicated to Mike's memory. These included Tales Of TMNT #40, Elephantmen #11, The Walking Dead #42, and Spider-Man: Family #7.
When he died, Mike had drawn seven pages of a What If? comic story. This story featured a special team of Fantastic Four members: Spider-Man, Wolverine, the Hulk, and the Ghost Rider. Marvel Comics gave Mike's script and art to The Hero Initiative. This charity helps older comic creators who need financial help.
Many of Mike's friends and fellow artists finished the story for him. The completed comic book, What If?—The Fantastic Four Tribute to Mike Wieringo, was released in June 2008. It included art from many famous artists.
In June 2017, the Baltimore Comic-Con announced the creation of the Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards. These awards, also called the "Ringo Awards," are given out every year at the Baltimore Comic-Con. They celebrate amazing achievements in the comic book industry.
See also
In Spanish: Mike Wieringo para niños
