Flash #0 Concluded.

It's Friday, and so I conclude my posting of one of my all time favorite comics, Flash #0.
In preparing to post this, I've re-read the issue again several times this week, and it still never fails to spark something inside me.
The last two pages give me goosebumps everytime.







The end.
Maybe I'm a dreamer, but if you didn't enjoy this comic, you are empty inside.

I know some of you that show up here could care less about reading this, or about me being upset that Mike Wieringo is no longer with us, but I felt like I had to do something to honor/remember this man who's been such an inspiration to me since I was 12 or 13 years old.

And honestly, I couldn't care less about what you think. This is important to me.
I think those of you who know me know I'd never begrudge anyone else their grief over losing someone important to them, whether it be someone they were close to or someone they were inspired by.

I actually checked his site Monday morning (as I did every MWF) and saw the picture from Friday was still up and thought to myself, "Oh, he must be running behind today. I'll check back in a little bit."
Then I went to Newsarama and saw the headline, "MIKE WIERINGO PASSES AWAY".
You may think I'm being dramatic, but this is as honest as I can possibly be.
I read his name and then couldn't even comprehend the words that followed it.
I sincerely couldn't make that sentence make sense.
It still doesn't.
I can't believe I'm never going to see all the ideas and stories he was working on or the comics he was planning with Warren Ellis and Mark Waid.
I can't believe I'm never going to get to meet him in person and tell him how much I loved his work.

I think that's all I've got for now.
I wish I was more eloquent in trying to explain my feelings.
I wish I could do more to honor his memory.

Before I was born...

Also, today is the 30th anniversary of Elvis' death.
As I live in Memphis, I believe I'm legally required to mention it on my blog.
I mean, I think I read that they had passed that law somewhere in the paper last week, right?

Flash #0 Continued..

Here's the second installment of pages from Flash #0.
Today it's pages 7-12.





To be continued and concluded tomorrow.

In Memory of Mike Wieringo.

I don't know who made this banner, but I liked it, so here it is.

I imagine the rest of the week at least, any posting I do will just be in tribute/memory of Mike Wieringo.

I decided the best thing I could do would be to share my favorite comic of his with you a few pages at a time over the next few days. He was still a rookie to mainstream comics when this issue came out, and the work he would eventually produce would show him growing above and beyond this by leaps and bounds, but this comic will always hold a special place in my heart.

I had just started reading Flash a few months earlier because Mike's art had caught my eye and had been in the process of trying to find some of the older issues since he had started on the book.
Then this came out amid all the Zero Hour revamps, reboots, restarts and was absolutely magical.
To me at least.

This comic solidified my love for the character and made sure that for me, Wally West will always be THE Flash.

I've been trying to think since yesterday if there's been any other single issue of any comic ever that I've read and re-read more than this, and if there is, I can't think of one.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.





More tomorrow..

Mike Wieringo, 1963-2007

I cannot believe what I've just read.
This is absolutely horrible news.
Mike Wieringo was and will always be one of my absolute favorite artists and his personality and kind-hearted spirit made him an even greater asset to the comics community.
I'll never forget how great it made me feel when he complimented a drawing of Ghost Rider I had posted on the Drawing Board forums a few years ago.
I didn't know the man personally, and had only talked to him over the years via e-mail or on various message boards, but I really feel like we've all lost someone special.
As I was walking down to my car this morning to go to work I said to myself, this feels like one of those days where I'm going to be saying I wish I'd just stayed in bed. I had no idea how true that was going to turn out to be.
I only got a few hours sleep last night, and then on the way to work I hit a big dog full-on.
Then to get to work and hear about this.. this has been a really awful day.
After trying all damn morning to find the cover to Flash #0 (one of my favorite single issues ever) somewhere online and not having any luck, I decided to just post some of my favorite sketches from his site. It's not much a tribute, but it's the best I can do.










UPDATE:

My thanks to Curt for finding this picture for me.
Written by Mark Waid and drawn by Mike Wieringo.
This is one of the finest comics I've ever read.
It's one of those rare gems that showcases how magical and amazing comics can be.