Ed Piskor, a well-known Munhall comic artist who recently became embroiled in controversy over allegations of sexual misconduct, has died, the funeral home handling his arrangements confirmed Monday.
Piskor, who was 41, died unexpectedly on Monday, according to an obituary posted online by the Savolskis-Wasik-Glenn Funeral Home of Munhall.
No further information was provided about the circumstances of Piskor’s death.
Piskor’s family declined comment Monday evening.
Earlier in the day, one of his sisters, Justine Cleaves, posted on Facebook: “It is with the most broken heart that I share my big brother, Ed, has passed away today. Please just keep our family in your prayers as this is the hardest thing we’ve ever had to go through.”
Piskor had worked on comic book franchises such as “American Splendor” and “X-Men.” He won an Eisner Award for his series “Hip-Hop Family Tree,” a historical account of hip-hop culture.
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust recently postponed Piskor’s exhibition at 707 Penn Gallery after the arts organization said it learned of allegations of misconduct against Piskor. The exhibition was scheduled to run from April 6 through Aug. 25.
Last month, a woman alleged on Instagram that Piskor made advances on her in 2020 when she was 17. She accused him of trying to “groom” her, claiming that Piskor asked her age and invited her to stay with him.
Piskor was not charged with a crime.
Earlier Monday, Piskor posted on social media that the allegations had caused him pain. He wrote “I’m helpless against a mob of this magnitude” and “Sayonara,” Japanese for goodbye.
“Now it’s all gone. Art show evaporated,” wrote Piskor. “… I have no friends in this life any longer. I’m a disappointment to everybody who liked me. I’m a pariah.”
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust said in a statement, “we are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Our thoughts are with Ed’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
Piskor is survived by his parents, three siblings and four nieces and nephews.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at [email protected].
Gregory Daniels is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, he explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture. Gregory enjoys staying ahead of the curve and sharing emerging trends with his readers.
