You know how I said I had half the page done last time? Yeah I rewrote the whole part and couldn’t use the art I had. Also, I kept writing this interaction over and over because I just wasn’t flowing how I wanted. Anyway, it’s done now and here it is.

Now on to a more somber subject that I will likely not treat in a way that will please everyone. On April first Ed Piskor killed himself. For those of you who’ve only heard of this act via youtube people outside of the weirdly censorious part of the internet call it suicide. You will know it as “self deletion” or “unaliving” because we now live in a world that is seemingly hellbent on not letting people confront reality… But I digress. Right at the top I’m gonna tell you I was, and am, not a fan of Piskor’s work. I don’t have a problem with it, it just wasn’t my bag, baby. He was known for something called Hip Hop Family Tree, which I think he won an Eisner for. I don’t know if that was in the years after the Eisner became a hollow popularity contest, but I do know that the art was skillful and seemingly worthy of praise on that level alone. He also did some work for Marvel and I’m sure other things. What I knew him from, in passing, is a podcast called Cartoonist Kayfabe which he cohosted with fellow creator Jim Rugg. I tell you all this because whenever I’ve brought up the subject the first question has been “Who?” without fail. In short, Ed Piskor was a hip hop lovin’ white boy who drew comics.
Around the end of March, I think, a lady alleged that he had offered industry connections, or what have you, to her, for “sexual favors”, while she was still a minor. (In her home country she was of age, but not by American standards, is what I think is correct, but I can’t find a decent source at the time of this writing.) From what I’ve seen of the actual interactions he comes across as an awkward nerd who doesn’t know how to act with women in general and not an actual sexpest. That’s just my read on what I’ve seen though. Feel free to think whatever you like if you choose to delve. The second set of allegations don’t appear to have any actual proof that I could find. As far as I can tell a woman just said things without proof and he denied them. Which leaves you just basically having to pick as side. Not that you, or I, should really be involved in any way to begin with, at least from a legal standpoint.
At this point everyone who had been waiting for the chance to take him down made their moves. In short order his life was destroyed by his peers without being given a chance to defend himself in any meaningful way. If you think that is the correct way for things to play out I respect your right to feel that way. I think it’s dangerous. As someone who makes enemies easily I would not like to be tried in the court of public opinion. I’m not real keen on the actual court either, but at least it feels like there’s some level of structure to it. Although much less now than when I was young I have to say…
From the time I heard about the allegations to the time he was dead was two days. Unlike most of these situations his suicide note got published before they found him and it’s a tough read. He clearly wasn’t someone who thought all that deeply about things outside of his passions. The tools needed to ride out the storm weren’t in his toolkit. I won’t link the note, but it’s easy to find.
When his friend Jim threw him under the bus was when I thought things were truly over for him. If your best friend won’t back you that’s pretty damning, but looking over the evidence presented I think Jim Rugg might just be a bad friend and a coward. Like, there are times when it’s completely justified to ditch a friend, I’m just not sure this was one of those times. It kinda seemed like Rugg saw the wolves heading for Ed and chose to save his skin instead of defending Ed’s character. I dunno. I hope I never find myself in that position though.
The ironic thing about all of this is that Piskor regularly got behind similar movements to try someone in the court of public opinion. I think that’s part of why he chose death. He knew what they were going to do to him because he’d done the same thing to others. Maybe it was karma, or maybe things just happen. Either way if the lesson is so harsh you don’t survive to learn it’s not a very good lesson. At the end of all of this I don’t know the truth of any of it. Maybe Ed Piskor was just another talented piece of shit who deserved to die like a dog in the street. I don’t know. I’m just looking over a bad situation from afar and pondering if justice was served. It doesn’t feel like it was.

Is justice important to people anymore?

20 Comments

This is the first time I’ve ever heard of the guy and it’s not a nice kind of first.
No-one should ever feel pressured into killing themselves, that’s just WRONG.
Everyone has the right to defend themselves and this includes the guilty.
I’ve lost a couple of very good friends to depression and also suffer to small degree myself.
I offer my profound sympathy to his family and friends.

What I have heard about this situation supports your analysis. I agree with what you said.

Some people will say it’s justice, but two wrongs don’t make a right. I don’t like cancel culture even if it does claim someone associated with it. And I sure haven’t heard anything he did that deserved death.

Some days you are really down, and some days get better. But no days get better after you are dead. Suicide is depressingly final.

It’s true. Greatest reason to not kill yourself is that you never know what tomorrow will be like, and you’ll never get the chance to find out. Course, I feel the same way about non-instigated death, which is less inspiring, but necessary.

And on that note, good to see another Shotgun Shuffle survivor around.

Whoever reads this comment:
Please do not harm yourself.

If you are feeling suicidal feelings, please call this phone number:

1-800-273-TALK, as in: 1-800-273-8255.

[That is the national, suicide prevention number in the USA.]

Another, suicide prevention, phone number, in the USA, is to just dial 988.

[That is another…national, suicide prevention number in the USA.]

[I think other countries have different numbers for 24/7, suicide prevention. You can find those numbers online.]

Please call this number, if you need help with things.

I believe that-

whatever you are emotionally feeling, I think it is temporary, and I believe it can stop.

Please don’t harm yourself.

You do have value. It might take time, but…
You will find people who will value you, and who will value [your feelings, your experiences, + you can find people who will emotionally support you].

You will find people who value you, and who want [to share your positive-times and down-times, with you].

People want to hear about your dreams and joys. People will want to hear what you are good at.
People want to be friends with you.

Please stay here with us.

I think you will find people who will want to be your friends, in person.

Wishing you the best. TRA

Nina’s elven powers can only be used on a naked Edward.

Fairly blatant ploy, but it will work for her.

—

I have nothing to add to the author post, except I have my own internal demons and need to monitor myself daily. There are people who hold you (whomever you are) in value. Don’t discard their esteem.

I can’t speak on the blog post–I don’t know anything about it, or the guy in question. Any suicide is a tragedy.

But the Silmarillion reference. I see it, sir, and I approve. Particularly as regarding Nina, who strikes me as someone who has read both the Silm and all 12 HoME volumes.

Justice stopped being important a long time ago.

Feelings took over.

Feelings and politics. When due process becomes “lame” in the public eye, that’s a RED flag!

I don’t care how much the public says otherwise, due process needs to prevail in the court of justice. Justice being blind shouldn’t be a disregard to that!

TRA beat me with the PSA.

I’ve seen a few of Piskor’s podcasts but not enough of his work to get a feel for him as a person. Like Jackie, all I know is that accusations were made and people jumped on the bandwagon. People do love a scapegoat. Everyone has a point at which they would consider killing themselves. Generally you would never know it from looking at the other person. Most people don’t engage in enough self reflection to know their own breaking point. Sometimes people kill themselves as a last act of defiance in a world that they perceive to be spinning out of their control. Piskor’s accusers can piss on his grave but at this point it is unlikely there will be any resolution to that particular conflict. I’ve known a few people whose graves needed pissing on. The act brings little satisfaction.

On a happier note it is a joy to watch Nina and Ed.

Good post, Jackie. Agree with Steve, we in the US and pretty much all the Western world stopped being a nation of laws a long time ago. Its 100% “mob rule” now.

Which will only get worse should Trump get back into the White House. I’m starting to genuinely fear that the country could devolve into its 2nd civil war in the next few years!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored
He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible, swift, sword
His truth is marching on…

This a slight tangent, but still on topic. Whenever I feel like I’m about to be targeted by someone online looking for trouble, I back down so fast, you’d think I’d gone invisible. I apologize for whatever. Ain’t no dust on my heels. And I’ve been in a war without backing down once. I’d go back to war before I made my family face what these groups will do.

Tribalism is the opposite of justice, and that’s why people dislike justice–they want to attack the outsiders, lynch the traitors, and get all of their self-worth from being in good standing with the tribe. This is why they absolutely fall apart, even commit suicide, when they are ousted and targeted by the tribe; it’s the source of their sense of value. Unfortunately, so long as so many people are more concerned with who the “winning” side is, rather than maintaining a system that allows many sides to co-exist in harmony, this will just get worse. I would not be surprised if the US did indeed see some civil uprisings and localized armed conflict in my lifetime, because for so many people, that is actually easier to stomach than accepting that their tribe may be imperfect, and so others should be tolerated and allowed to live differently and even argue points of tribal dogma. I’m not sure anything less than ample blood spilled will change this.

did Nina’s chest get bigger been seeing a lot almost like smaller and flat last time saw it past few years.

Did you have a stroke while typing this?

no no stroke did not mean to offend you never really seen her with a dress on before and everyone in this comic is changing. there has been a lot of changes this year the comic and life.

I have never heard of this person or the controversy before, and really can’t comment. May time provide solace for those who loved him.
In a broader sense, does justice matter anymore? Tough to say, as so often ‘justice’ is conflated with ‘retribution’ and/or ‘compensation’, and varies greatly depending on the party asked. Sometimes there is public posturing for butt-covering, sometimes not.

If you want a friend on Wall Street, that is to say, ‘in progressivism’, get a dog.

That apart, once again gentlemen, I regret to inform you that women.

Cancel culture is evil. Period. No wonder it appeals to our media so much these days.

2655 Calaquendi.

20 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply