I’m not normally one to feel sadness over the passing of people that I have never met… in fact, it has become something of a running joke about me with Girl One (and in a slightly more embarassing way, her family).
However, I was incredibly saddened a short while ago to read that Mike Wieringo died over the weekend, at the age of 44. The story is here: http://www.newsarama.com/Chicago_07/Ringo.html
Mike Wieringo (or “Ringo!” as I always knew him by his signature on various comics and gorgeous pieces of art) worked very hard and very impressively as a comic artist on many high profile and more personal titles, and for all his work, was reportedly one of the healthier people you might meet… Having seen him on various art and comic websites and discussion boards, he was also clearly a very generous and modest man.
I always saw his work from a distance… aside from his work on Fantastic Four (on which he was a deal-breaker for me, as I only read it when people I am very impressed by are on it), I didn’t really read any of the characters that he worked on. But I loved seeing his art on his website, which I can recommend heartily for as long as it stays up: www.mikewieringo.com, and in the various sketchbook forums in which he still engaged as if an (extremely gifted) fan artist.
The comic industry has lost a real star this past weekend, and my condolences go out to his family and friends.
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