I was browsing through Reddit when I stumbled upon a thread (not entirely sure if it’s called that) where many people, like myself, were struggling with the passing of Ed Piskor, despite never having met him. As I read through a few comments, I honestly felt comforted that I wasn’t alone in my feelings. Those comments made me take a step back and fully realize the impact Ed had on the art world. He was influential for numerous reasons. For me, it was his dedication to his craft and his passion for comics. As a writer, I struggle with imposter syndrome. Hearing on Rob Liefeld’s podcast that Ed had the same issue, despite “making it”, was eye-opening. Ed was one of us, and we were one of him. Blue-collar background, creatively driven, and passionate about the things we love. That’s me in a nutsack.
Digging into that nut (I’m totally dropping this joke moving forward), I realized that I had suppressed the topics I wanted to write about because I was, in so many words, shamed by people in the past. Those seemingly innocent comments scarred me. I allowed those comments to jail my creativity, essentially denying myself passion projects I wanted to pursue.
Years later, when I discovered Red Room, my mind exploded in a million directions. Listening to Ed discuss the “why” behind his choices really pushed me towards a direction I should have been on a long time ago. There is an amazing interview with Ed discussing this on DailyDead.com found here. Also, he has an interview found below where we can see his genius!
I shouldn’t feel shame for flexing my creative muscles. It reminds me of how Tarantino or Stephen King dabble in all genres. They were influenced by something and ran with it without prejudice. That’s what Ed Piskor did. And that’s exactly what we, as creatives, should do moving forward.
With Ed gone, we panic because he was a genius. And that means, at a certain point in time, we will no longer be getting new Ed Piskor art, stories, or thoughts. I am incredibly thankful for Ed’s family, friends, and community for posting and sharing content. It’s simply beautiful.
A recent video posted was by Ed’s friend Bryan Moss. Bryan allowed me to share his memorial service video last week. Bryan and his partner Rachel had the brilliant realization that the community needed closure, so they started an Instagram Live stream video and allowed fans/friends to share their thoughts. This very action probably saved a life. Thank you for doing that!
So, Ed Piskor passed away but, dear reader, Ed Piskor lives. He lives on in multitudes.
His family created a Instagram page dedicated to his legacy. Just yesterday they shared a heart-wrenching picture of Ed’s desk as it is was and is now. Please, if you are fan of comics give them a follow. We an assume we will be getting more information about future works/events on all thinks Ed.
*Old photo of Ed at the grind!
His death brought about many revelations for me – realize that your family and friends care, realize that sometimes YOU need to reach out for help, embrace your unfiltered creativity, and one of the biggest ones is to support those facing cyberbullying and bullying in general. Speak out when the storm hits those who are facing it. One single comment can save a life.
Just a reminder that if you are a creative person of any sort, chances are you spend a lot of time online sharing your work and/or engaging in the community. It’s there, in the battlefield, that we need to be Christ-like – give grace, compassion, and kindness even to your enemies.
With that, I leave with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami:
“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in”
TGM 
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