Newsflash: Multiple Women Were Fond of Ed!

This hasn’t gone viral (yet), but I’m sure when the “trained ninja” staff at comics’ most lethal gossip site finds out about this, that will change in a hurry. It’s a post from Reddit from a month ago:

I just found out Ed passed away from a Daily Mail article. I feel sick. I usually blindly support all women claiming anything about a male abuser. I have yet to see the screenshots this teenager posted. But I would like to add my own personal experience with Ed into the ether. In 2014, I matched with Ed on Tinder. I was 20 years old—he was much older. I did not know who he was, nor was I a fan of his work. I still to this day have not read his work. I was into other genres of comics and enjoyed talking to him about the art I was interested in. He was interested in a sexual relationship, I was not. He was extremely respectful when I told him I was not seeking anything sexual. We remained friends on social media for years after. I would go to him with specific comics questions and he would eloquently teach me so much and add his personal life experiences. My overall impression: he was extremely intelligent, empathetic, and driven. His life was illustrating and comics. His house was never empty—Ed was always helping other artists out until they got onto their feet, letting them stay with him. He invited me over a few times and I never went. I asked my friend Bella from high school what he was like since she was friends with him on Facebook. Bella’s dad was a comic illustrator and had worked with Ed on some project. She said she grew up around him and he was a huge dork, extremely sweet, totally harmless.

Of course, why message a teenage girl—at minimum, it is inappropriate. I read that she was an illustrator herself, or trying to be. In my limited experience knowing him online only, his passion for illustrating and comics was his whole essence. I would understand if his passion for artistry transcended his judgement in regards to her age … that being said, I did not see the screenshots. If he was overtly sexual than, yeah, that’s not okay.

Like most, if not all, teenage girls, I had my fair share of creepy men message me. They had no concept of boundaries or consent. Every interaction I had with Ed, starting as a 20-year-old, he had respected me. He messaged me in a sexual way when we first met on tinder. As soon as I said it’s not for me, he was still kind and talked to me platonically for years. He had nothing to gain from me, I wasn’t even a fan of his work. There’s something to be said about his character.

Memory Eternal Ed, love and light to his family and friends.

The post is from someone named Pochahonas [sic], which I assume to be a pseudonym. But I happen to know someone named Bella whose father is a cartoonist in Pittsburgh, so I’m sure it’s legit.

That’s two women who had nice things to say about Ed, which qualifies as “multiple” (the standard set by the lethal comics gossip site). And I’m sure more will be pouring out of the woodwork any day now.

Note: I’m still looking for all those retailers who were strongarmed by Ed to buy his comics in bulk—that’s just not right! I checked with retailers in Pittsburgh, where Ed actually shopped and did signings of his books like X-Men: Grand Design, and they just laughed in my face. If it didn’t happen here, where on Earth did it actually happen? This was reported as fact by that “trained ninja” staff alluded to above (basically, a middle-aged gal I’ve known for forty years), so I’m sure it must be the truth—I just can’t verify it, yet.—Less Said the Better Trained Ninja Staff.

UPDATE, May 30, 2024: Received this comment on Facebook from Jim Turoczy, owner of Eide’s Entertainment in Pittsburgh (where Ed shopped for coverless Kirby comics to give away to aspiring young artists), in response from The Less Said the Better’s “bulk” tipline:

 Photos of Ed’s Teach-In at Carnegie Public Library, Oakland (Pittsburgh), 2012:

Carnegie Public Library, 2012.

Ed discussing working with Harvey Pekar and the evolution of Wizzywig.

Audience at Carnegie Public Library, 2012.

Photos are by Don Simpson taken at a public event fourteen years ago. Persons depicted in the photos should not be regarded as endorsing this blog nor are they implicated in the plot to flood the market with bulk orders of Wizzywig in any way.

Ed Piskor and Life Drawing | Remembrances of Ed Piskor | Ed: Socrates’ Sockpuppet

They still haven't picked up in this story yet! Wonder why?