Tom Russell: August 2007 Archives

Mike Wieringo died on Sunday of a sudden heart attack; he was forty-four years old. I met him once-- same time I met Todd DeZago-- and both of them were warm and friendly gents, very enthused about the form and the fans.

When I first started reading Wieringo's work, I didn't "get" it; it seemed-- and this was a common charge-- too "cartoony". But I've gotten smarter with the passing years, and I can honestly say he's one of the greats. His work can be beautiful-- like Tellos-- but it also goes beyond that: he was able to successfully tell stories in the form of comics. His page layouts, his sense of timing from panel-to-panel-- it was impeccable.

There's a book that came out a year or two ago, called "Panel Discussions"-- that featured a lengthy interview with Wieringo, in which he shares his working methods and his thoughts about the comics form. I highly recommend it, and all of the man's work.

Rest in peace, Ringo.