On Monday, April 13th, Ed Piskor was found dead in his Pittsburgh home. The celebrated cartoonist and graphic novelist, who worked for Marvel Comics and enjoyed a massive following for his work on the X-Men Grand Design series, had taken his own life after a week of publicly posting an apparent suicide note on Facebook condemning internet trolls and cancel culture.
Award-winning Piskor, 41 – who lived in the Pittsburgh suburb of Homestead – died by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities. His death came a week after allegations first swept the web that the Pennsylvania native had tried to groom a 17-year-old girl, which saw him lose a $75,000 webcomic deal and have his upcoming art exhibition at Pittsburgh Cultural Trust postponed.
In a five-page, 2,497-word farewell that he posted on Facebook before taking his own life, Piskor gave specific details of what he would be wearing and his car’s license plate in an apparent aid to being found. The tortured artist also shared messages with other women who claimed they were groomed by him when they were young teenagers – which sparked an online campaign against the cartoonist.
In a statement issued through his agent, Bob Mecoy, Piskor’s family asked for privacy and respect at this tragic time. ‘We are devastated and in shock,’ said Ed Sr., 74, Piskor’s father. ‘Ed was a brilliant artist who brought joy to so many people with his work. He was an amazing son, brother, and friend. We will miss him greatly.’
The details of Piskor’s death have not been confirmed, but Allegheny County police said that they found a weapon in the home where he died. Police are still investigating the cause of death.
I never wanted to be a burden on anyone and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being there for me during this difficult time.’
He also said that he was not in his right mind when he posted the message and urged people to seek help if they were struggling with mental health issues.
The social media backlash against Piskor after the allegations surfaced saw him receive death threats, as well as a flood of abusive messages on Twitter and Facebook. One individual even set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for ‘justice’ in Piskor’s name.
This is not how he would have wanted to be remembered.’
The family also issued a statement asking for respect and privacy during this difficult time.
In his farewell message, Piskor spoke of his struggles with mental health, saying that he ‘let [himself] down’ by failing to seek help when he needed it. He urged people to be kinder to one another and to reach out for support if they were struggling with their own mental health issues.
Piskor was known for his work on Hip-Hop Family Tree, a comic series that explored the history of hip hop music. His other works included the Harlem Hellfighters graphic novel, which told the story of an all-black infantry regiment in World War I, and the Cartozia Tales webcomic, which featured cartoon animals living in a fictional world.
In Pittsburgh, where Piskor was based, his death has sparked a conversation about mental health resources and support for those struggling with their own mental health issues.
