The late comic book creator Mike Wieringo has been in the news this week, after Mike S. Miller inked over a Spider-Man cover breakdown of Wieringo’s as the basis for a cover for his creator-owned comic, Lonestar, stating it was to be Wieringo’s final cover and even signing Wieringo’s name on the piece.
This didn’t go down well with anyone. So in an even more tone-deaf move, Miller burnt the cover calling it a ‘final solution’.
He then revealed that he had actually burnt a fake, printed onto bristol board, with the stated aim to troll people. Thus using the late creator’s original work, trampling over any feelings of those who were close to him, monetizing every video and stream discussing this–and now selling the unburnt original.
Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer of Marvel, apropos of Marvel told a story about just how classy Wieringo was.
Sit back kids, I’m going to tell y’all a story.
Years ago, during the early days of my tenure as Marvel’s Editor in Chief, one of our competitors decided to get extremely aggressive about poaching our talent by throwing some serious cash around.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
Now don’t get me wrong, if someone can pay a creator more and lures them away, all’s fair in love and war. But there was a big difference with this particular methodology that I found utterly distasteful and something I’d never seen before in the comics biz.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
It broke what was traditionally an unspoken gentlemen’s agreement that If you offer someone a better deal and they take it, you allow them to finish whatever’s left of their commitment with their current publisher.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
Why? Because as a publisher you wouldn’t want the same done to you but also because freelancers rely on their reputations and keeping commitments is an important part of it, as is talent, timeliness, ability to work with others, etc. You get the picture.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
These “new” offers however came with a unique caveat…
Take it or leave it.
A creator had to leave Marvel right then and there and in most every single case these creators were right in the middle of commitments with us (FYI this was the beginning of the exclusivity wars).
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
Not only was this a totally uncool thing to do but it put creators in a horrible position of having to break their word because it they didn’t take the deal now, it would be gone tomorrow. At least that’s what they were threatened with.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
In each case, knowing the answer (because we were just coming out of bankruptcy), I would go back to our Publisher Bill Jemas and ask if we could counter. We lost a lot of talent at that time because not a single creator said no to those offers…
Except for one.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
This creator received the big offer, it was a lot of money. He called and asked me if we could match it, I checked and called back and told him that it was too rich for us but before I could finish he said he appreciated me trying but not to worry he wasn’t going anywhere.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
Like all the others before he was told that he’d have too quit right then and there, but he happened to be in the middle of a Fantastic Four arc that he needed to finish and told them that if they really wanted him they would wait.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
He had made a commitment to Marvel, his writer and editor which would only take a couple of months to complete at which point he’d be all theirs. They told him no, either now or it’s off the table. He walked away.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
That’s the kind of man Mike Wieringo was.
I don’t resent the other creators who took the deals and had to break their commitments, but I will always remember Ringo as the ONLY creator who kept his.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
The next day I had lunch with Bill and we both agreed, even though we couldn’t match the original offer we gave Mike a raise that day. Mike was so incredibly appreciative but not nearly as much as were we with his loyalty and for continuing to share his amazing talents with us.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
This is just a small piece of Mike’s legacy and why people love and miss him so much. Yes he was one hell of an artist and storyteller, but he was also a class act.
— JoeQuesada (@JoeQuesada) February 5, 2019
A little bit of CrossGen, a little bit of DC Comics there? Other professionals have been using the fuss to share their own favourite works by the man.
With all the talk about Mike Wieringo I thought it’d be nice to look at his art a bit. I’d much rather think about that!
Maybe you guys can post up some of your favorite pieces of his, and talk about his rightly earned legacy! pic.twitter.com/XCM3N2vE3P
— Tom Raney (@TomRaney_art) February 4, 2019
Mike Wieringo was very, very good, eh? pic.twitter.com/pCSmWqFPRS
— Rob Williams (@Robwilliams71) February 4, 2019
I had to give away my Wizard little collection one time that I moved, but I kept three of them, for different reasons. One of them was because of this tutorial on storytelling by Mike Wieringo #MikeWieringo pic.twitter.com/kS7ysy7TX2
— David B. Baldeón (@david_baldeon) February 5, 2019
Mike Wieringo will always be my hero, He was kind, courteous and always friendly to me. He always gave me encouragement and even sometimes helpful critiques of my art. I have the pleasure of owning this original FF pencilled page, I cherish it everyday. #MikeWieringo pic.twitter.com/pmd65VGFQt
— Rich (@RichMolinelli) February 5, 2019
Fantastic Four By Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo – Ultimate Collection – Book Three pg. 061 https://t.co/FwVHEporuE pic.twitter.com/EjzBDJf1fz
— Mark Waid (@MarkWaid) February 5, 2019
Mike Wieringo’s Captain Marvel. Perfection. pic.twitter.com/jqVyFb587M
— Zack Davisson ECCC Y6 (@ZackDavisson) February 5, 2019
And from his brother…
Everyone’s posting their favorite art by Mike. Here’s my sentimental favorite. When he gave it to me I felt like I was 9 years old again. #MikeWieringo pic.twitter.com/1iCoWtcXp7
— Matt Wieringo (@mattwieringo) February 5, 2019
And from Matt’s wife….
Thank you for posting this and celebrating Mike- really appreciate it. They go low, we go high. #MikeWieringo https://t.co/rg4sxnpqgV
— Suzanne Wieringo (@Swieringo) February 5, 2019
We miss you, Mike.
About Rich Johnston
Chief writer and founder of Bleeding Cool. Father of two. Comic book clairvoyant. Political cartoonist.
