Remembering Ed Piskor

Today is Ed Piskor's funeral.

Carol Tyler posted this photo and comment on her Instagram page.

"Out of respect: Today is Ed’s funeral. Please remember our friend in positivity today as his deeply bereft family says goodbye and lays their beloved son and brother to rest. Sort the details of his behavior another day.

"Photo by John Kelly’s friend Kris. At the ToonSeum in Pittsburgh."

Kind words from Ed Piskor’s friend D.J. Coffman.

"Today is the service for Cartoonist Ed Piskor in Pittsburgh. I’m out of town, but I wish I could hug some of my Pittsburgh Art Friends today.

"Love to Ed’s family, friends and fans today. We lost a hell of an artist and a good man.
Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

"I hope my local art /comic friends go and pay respect, and to his family, let them know Ed was truly loved and admired. You make him immortal by sharing his work.

"I’ve known Ed since he was a teenager. I can’t say we were close close buds, but I watched him grow from a kid fascinated with the craft of comics to a King Kayfaber.

"He asked me for some biz advice very early on about getting his royalty deals and I helped him as much as I could, pointed him in the right direction. He knew to succeed in comics long term he’d need to “set himself up” and the thing that I always remembered was it wasn’t about HIM, he told me on the the phone that he wanted to set up his family right. That's what success looked like for him. Not fame (well a little) not cars, or women... just more comics. Read more comics, make more comics.

"Ed was 'too cool for school' sometimes, rolling into cons just walking the floor observing. Some of my local comic friends were bitter or jealous or took him the wrong way, and I’d go to bat for Ed and say we should be happy for ALL artists because it’s hard to make it. And Ed did it. It was a win for all artists. Not many can see that.

"He kept to himself and only connected with others who had THAT THING, the spark. Which makes sense that he was best buds with Jim Rugg who also has 'it' in spades.

"Ed was ALL IN. But like his hero, and mine, Jack Kirby, deep down he wanted to do it for his family and legacy. I always felt that, right to the very end.

"Last night, drawing at the bar, this fortune appeared out of NOWHERE, it fell out of my notebook.
'One must know there is a path at the end of the road.'

"I tried not to cry in front of strangers. I thought ,man, I wish Ed could have felt this.'

"And then I thought… maybe this was one of those little messages from the great beyond. Ed, chopping it up with Jack and Wally.


"Read More Comics!
"Make More Comics!
"PLEASE BE KIND.
"The world needs more grace and kindness."

 

Ben Bishop’s thoughts on Ed Piskor are insightful and true. Thanks. Ben.

"Ed Piskor was one of us - He and Jim Rugg with Cartoonist Kayfabe spotlighted just how similar us comic creators are. In the way we WORK, in the way we’re inspired, in the way we FEEL - deeply… and HURT - harder. It’s how we’re able to tap into that emotion and put it onto the page in an attempt to maybe make someone else feel something too.

"I didn’t know Ed Piskor whatsoever. I never had the opportunity to meet him. (It was a recent goal of mine to someday be on the show, dissecting my work with them. It would have been amazing to have his take on Last Ronin.) But the more I got to hear him speak about comics and the process of creating them, with the legends who created them, (the same legends who inspired both of us to devote every waking moment of our lives to this work) the more I realize this could have been any one of us.

"People have a breaking point… And you have no idea how close some people are to it - even before everything and everyone you love in the world has seemingly been ripped away / turned their back on you. You never know what someone is going through on the day to day. The internet doesn’t care. But you should.

"None of this had to happen. I hope one day it stops happening - but the internet is lawless, algorithms push what’s 'popular,' and sadly people slow down to stare at a car wreck much more often than a pretty flower on the side of the road - Some people are just poison, try not to drink it.

"I wish Ed could have seen the outpouring of love since he passed, and all that his work in comics, especially his work on Cartoonist Kayfabe has done for this industry, and for it’s current and future creators out there working themselves to death for the dream…

"We’re very lucky to have the epic catalog of interviews and insights that we do have, thanks to Ed and Jim, but it’s an absolutely crushing loss that we won’t be getting any more of them.

"I feel deeply for his family and friends.

—

"'Every page you have an opportunity to create the best comic book page ever… and you fail every time. But, you’re doing alright. You’re progressing you’re learning… There’s a yin and yang to it.' - Ed Piskor

—-

"Just Make Comics."

Ben included a link to this YouTube video of Ed.