FACTS! 00:00 - Frustration With The State Of Comic Books 00:57 - The Frustration With Comic Books 02:05 - The Consequences Of Bullying In The Industry 03:07 - The Controversy Surrounding Alex De Campion 04:10 - Cancelled Art Show And Media Coverage 05:12 - The Consequences Of Online Harassment 06:14 - The Protection Of Alex De Campi 07:21 - The Consequences Of Online Bullying 08:21 - The Dark Side Of The Comic Book Industry 09:25 - Holding Power Players Accountable In The Comic Book Industry 10:28 - HR Nightmares And Cynical Behavior 11:30 - The Dark Side Of The Comic Book Industry 12:36 - False Accusations Against Warren Ellis 13:45 - Kicking Out The Industry's Greatest Talents 14:40 - The Agenda To Blacklist And Blackball Talent 15:46 - The Dark Side Of The Conflict Industry 16:46 - The Frustration Of Inaction 17:49 - Personalized Drama And Standing Up For Ed Piskor 18:54 - The Tragic Loss Of Ed Piskor 19:56 - The Disgusting State Of The Comic Book Industry 21:03 - Extending An Olive Branch
Thank you Wes (and Zack) for keeping this issue fresh. The bad actors named in Ed's note will always be looking over their shoulder for Father Karma. Evil people.
I can't believe he named people in a suicide letter and it went completely ignored. No accountability to those people. He faced allegations and lost everything, they were named in a suicide letter and nothing. It's sick
It’s hard to believe isn’t it? How do you even begin to wrap your head around it? An industry where the worst people behave horrendously, lie and destroy innocent people’s lives and are lauded for it, it’s shocking.
Worst part is the people named all consoled each other who were named and no guilt was felt or show for their actions....they have the responsibility of Lord of flies children in the comic industry.
@@russellbarba8177 yea all the did was put their twitter behind a wall and pretend nothing happened. And everyone let em! It's an afterthought now. It's so sad
You cannot write heroic stories about heroes, if you do not have the heart and the virtues of a hero. What are the virtues of a Hero? Wisdom, Courage, Justice and Temperance. But what is most important is to have Truthfulness, since it is the mother of all virtues. And this people lack all of this.
This is so true. It’s why I only check out stuff people are making on TH-cam these days because I have a better chance of hearing a good story that way these days. Mainstream should just be called downstream because all they’re getting is still waves of nothing.
I recently pulled out the X-Men Grand Design Omnibus by Ed, and it broke my heart to read his lighthearted self-biography at the end that had his name, his birthdate, and a blank for his date of death with instructions to fill it in. Who could have known back when he created that funny little piece how hard it would hit now?
Well, done, Wes this one’s got to be one of your best most supercharged videos ever! You know what gets me the most is in all this there hasn’t been a single mention about him on Kayfabe, no memorial not a word just business as usual. His partner has been silent throughout this whole thing. The only thing Jim put out was that separation post when the story broke, he’s gone silent since then……….
R.I.P. Ed Piskor. An amazing artist and creator, and one of today's most important comic influencers. Cartoonist Kayfabe is an important piece of comic Fandom. Ed Piskor and Jim Rugg accomplished something so special with their show. It is honestly one of my favorites. Ed's passion was so infectious. You couldn't help but get excited about it when he and Jim cracked open a book and started talking about it. I miss that. I watched their show regularly, and while we still have all they created before - it is bittersweet knowing there will be no more. No more Ed. What a travesty this whole situation is. And those that drove him to it are given fucking awards!!!!???????!!!!! I'm so angry I cannot articulate it properly. This is so fucked.
"Comics will break your heart, kid." Jack Kirby knew even back then that bullies like this would come and ruin the industry and the characters people like him created and loved. Nowadays, more than ever, comics are merely self-insert stories by writers who have no deep understanding of the characters. They write whatever they think the character should be without understanding character progression. Those who do understand are bullied until they either die or are chased away. The fact that top executives support this sick charade is nothing but disgusting, proving they have neither love for comics nor backbone. Marvel and DC Comics are mostly dead at this point, and hoping for improvement probably makes us the biggest fools of all.
Having hope does not make one foolish. Being cynical and pessimistic and allowing these bullies to win is bloody foolish!!! I am not naive. I am aware that the industry is broken, but instead of complaining, we should support those who actually care about comics and fight against those who spew toxic propaganda! I am so tired of listening to people who whine and give up! Without hope, we are truly lost!
@@zemox2534 I don't want to lose hope. I really don't. But the more I learn about the industry, the harder it is to ignore the truth. Even after Ed Piskor committed suicide, even after a man died in the name of comic books, nothing changed. You would expect at least some consequences for those he named in his suicide note. That's common sense. Yet, they are being nominated for awards. Are you kidding me!? As long as the top executives don't change and promote people who truly care about comic books, I don't see anything improving anytime soon, at least for Marvel and DC. The best we can do, I think, is to boycott those terrible comics.
@@SamtheBravesFanI am only trying to speak on behalf of people who are still hoping, deep down, that after all this time, comics would get better. If you’re not one of them, then I have no idea why you’re even replying. Stop wasting both our time.
You are making this up. The actual quote was “Kid, you’re one of the best. But put your work in galleries. Don’t do comics. Comics will break your heart.” kirby was talking about talent and making money in the industry not "bullies".
Yea it’s absolutely shocking how Alex is still in the industry, just proves how cowardly everyone is. That they’re utterly terrified of this very very bad person. But none of that annoys me too much, what does annoy me is that Alex pretends to be the good guy, an actual villain, a real life supervillain.
Just like they could say about Warren Ellis people so cowardly to do anything about him while he walks among them A villain justice needs to be done here
@@HonduranHoneymoonhon What they did to Ellis was equally disgusting, he did absolutely nothing wrong, he had relationships with other adults, what on earth is the issue? These people are unbelievable, they will just do anything that they possibly can to destroy the people they dislike, and when they can’t find anything they’ll just lie.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- He had sex outside of Marriage and had non sex sexual relation outside of marriage. Whether you count that as equal to or worse than or less worse than bullying is up to you. That wasn't my point. My point was he was doing something they thought of as bad, like you and these people that bullied some dude. You're saying how is this bad person still in the industry--those cowards. That's the same as ellis, how is he still in this industry he is so bad--those cowards. And then they got him out. Years later. It could happen to this person too, but a month later probably not.
What are they afraid will happen if they take a stand? They'll be called names? They'll have accusations made against them? Those things could happen anyway! It's like the old fable about the trees and the woodsman. The trees asked the woodsman why he was in the forest and he replied that he was just looking for a piece of wood. That's all he wanted, a nice strong, piece of wood so long and so thick. The trees thought, "So, he just wants a piece of wood! As soon as he gets it, he'll leave, right?" They decided to give him a piece of wood, but instead of sacrificing any of their own branches, they singled out a sapling to sacrifice. The sapling didn't want to sacrificed, but the bigger trees sacrificed it anyway. The woodsman was happy for the piece of wood that had once been the sapling, and you know what he did with it? He made it into an axe handle and started chopping down the trees, who realized too late that sacrificing the sapling to try to appease the woodsman had instead led to their doom. Never attempt to save yourself from bullies by giving in to them because they'll turn on you the moment they feel you're no use to them.
This video is very revealing to me. I had no idea that the comic book industry was full of malicious people, bullies hellbent on canceling talented professionals like Warren Ellis. It's pretty sickening. These people are 'moral code cops' of sorts, is that it? I'm very sorry to hear about that Piskor guy that killed himself. That is not right.
Fk Warren Ellis. The definitive edgelord. He spent ten years ripping off Grant Morrison and Garth Ennis before he ever learned how to write for himself.
@@heroineburgh wow. No wonder these modern stories can’t seem to write superheroes properly. The industry has become some sort of mentally unstables’ cesspool
I love how passionate you are, Wes! The people who drove that man to kill himself should be ashamed of themselves. As far as Warren Ellis goes, two words: The Authority! That's how you write characters that are different than other people, diverse, and still tell a good story. Midniters is still one of my favorite characters, and I'm straight as a board! We're not homophobic, were bad story phobic!
Great video Wes. I agree with everything you said here. There needs to be accountability in this industry and I do agree that comic pros need to stand up and push back. It's really sad these trolls continue to bring the industry down. Change is needed!
Excellent points, Wes. Like I've said before, not one to usually "Like" or comment on videos,...but, this video deserved both. The morality/ethics/decency in the comic industry leave SO MUCH to be desired, not to mention skill and talent. Wouldn't it be a beautiful thing, if we could find fixes for all of those issues.
I once was motivated to become a writer for DC & Marvel. Even went to university to obtain a degree in English Literature. But now, I would not want to work for a corporation as incompetent as them who hire evil and demented creators.
Chuck Dixon is doing pretty well under the new management. Independent comics are the only way forward. The technology to self-publish is better than ever. You don't need them. Go your own way.
I can't help thinking of that meme of the dude crouching in front of a grave, with a grin on his face and doing the "V" sign. The dude is Alex De Campi, if not the entire comic book industry, and the grave is Ed's. It's disgusting. Thanks for keeping this story alive Wes. No one must be able to forget what Alex and Villalobos did.
De Campi and Ramon V. know, in their souls, they have a fraction of the talent their targets have, and the only way to "succeed" is to take out the more talented people in comic by ANY means necessary. Evil exists, and they willingly participate in it.
It should be noted that Ramon Villalobos disappeared from the Felix Comic Art website in early April. Either Felix decided end their association or some of the other artists represented by Felix made it an issue. Just because consequences aren't in headlines doesn't mean their aren't any consequences.
The whole ED situation has rocked me to my core. I had no idea how powerful the cancel culture was before this awfulness. Ed was for me the most inspiring and informative, talented and enjoyable comic talent there has been for years, possibly forever, as he embraced the newer medium of You Tube videos and created a point of entry into the comic book realm that was driven by a palpable enery of enthusiam and undeniable love. The additions to my book shelves of Ed's work and those that Cartoonist Kayfabe recommended have made my life a better and more enriched place to be. RIP Ed Piskor, your art and signature are framed on my wall and your memory is in my heart.
Well said! Such a great summary of the current situation. Organisations were quick to pull support from Ed, due to these unsubstantiated allegations. However, we know the people that bullied him and no one is doing anything about that.
I've been watching Piskor's Kayfabe videos on the X-Men lately. Current state of DC Comics is bad. Current X-Men do not even resemble "classic" X-Men. It's sad.
At worst, at least from the disclosed communication we could say Piskor was being a bit creepy, and even that's a stretch. The industry is sickening. I truly believe ya boi when he says the terrorists he encountered during his deployments were not as twisted as these mainstream supposed pros. de Campi in earlier times would have been a nobody in a healthy industry. She'd have spent her career writing one-offs in obscure artsy comics, the peak being getting published in Epic. I only know her from the bullying and as one of the reasons I quit buying 2000AD, and I'm not new to comics. The mainstream industry has been given over to mediocre psychopaths and the weaklings too afraid to speak out against them. Good riddance to it when it finally dies. Comics will survive it.
Regardless of whether he hated our guts (he did, for some reason that I think might have had to with CG adjacency), Ed Piskor wasn't just a human being. He was a resident of Munhall, PA, a steeltown suburb I can reach in 20 minutes by hopping on the bus in front of my house. He was a Pittsburgher who attended the signings of his friends Tom and Jim at Phantom of the Attic Oakland (our LCS), and attracted a packed house at the memorial (also at Phantom) where his family honored him and showcased his art. He was mentored as a youth by indie legend Don Simpson, who drew a back cover pinup for us last year. A month after his death, I now own a pristine copy of Hip Hop Family Tree, which Jim apparently left in a little Free Library nook in my neighborhood. That was the essence of Cartoonist Kayfabe, and despite Ed's apparent efforts to shun me, I still feel connected.
It’s so disheartening that the industry has such little soul left, that they can just move on like this as though nothing has happened. You can be sure that Ed would not have been allowed to move on were he still alive. We know that Ellis, Wood, Baron, Dixon, Latour, Stewart etc etc some of the industry’s greats, who have done more individually for comics than these f-ing parasites ever will. It makes me feel so sad for Piskor’s family, friends and fans - but also personally, as he’s a creator I loved. It also makes me feel so sad for the medium I’ve loved my entire life. And I’m watching it dying, being sucked dry by hateful people and those with the power to do something are absolutely complicit. I’ve always managed to separate art from the artist. Tried hard to maintain a consistent approach to that. I don’t think I can continue to give these companies money while they stand by and not just watch this happen, but actively employ and promote the people involved. And f-k the Eisners. The nominations for that award have been a joke for years but this is the most disgusting act they have committed to date. The committee who is responsible for providing these nominees may as well just go and take a p1ss on Ed Piskor’s grave, one of the few creatives nominated who actually belong on a best of the industry list.
@@reginaldforthright805I read comics from round the world already. The art in Manga is great but the writing does not translate well. Very rarely are they well written. Thematically, or plot wise, they are maybe better than a lot of US output, but the writing itself is just as bad. Too many people confuse plot points they don’t like with bad writing
@@TheUnseenFenianHand well-written manga = JoJo, One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, Berserk, Fullmetal Alchemist, 20th century boys, Akira. The standard of manga writing is high and best in the world imo. The US market has always been plagued by excessive wordiness, a cardinal sin in a visual medium, exemplified by Moore, Gaiman, Ennis, pretty much any famous writer. And they rarely if ever approach the depth of characterization and emotion found in manga.
Ethan Van Sciver has proven herself to be a hypocrite and scumbag multiple times. I do not feel sorry for her in the least. She was also laughing at Ed Piskor's situation when he was going through being slandered on the internet and ultimately led to him taking his own life.
Ed should have told them to get f*cked. He didn't demand anything from them and exhibited bad judgement--that's it. The Kayfabers would have still watched and bought his stuff. He could have led a push-back and gained some fans. Who made more money for Fantagraphics--Ed or deCampi? That's what they should have focused on, instead of trying to placate goons that don't even buy their books.
Ed Piskor meant a lot to me, not only as an artist for his works but also as a comics passionate expert whoom I got to consider a fiend given the number of hours I spent listening to him and Jim Rugg. I hope that what happened won’t be forgotten and that, in time, reactions to that would spread and help people change their mind and react to this distorted use of social media.
You didn't mention the big thing: He was going to get a $75,000 upfront payment for a new project and, after the allegations, that project was cancelled. That spelled the end of his life as a cartoonist, at least for many years until things blew over and he was able to clear his name.
Unfortunately the multitude of properties that have been hijacked by these players , properties from Dr.Who,Star Trek,Star Wars,Marvel,DC and so on have to be abandoned as possibly the only way to let them know that fans build a franchise and the absence of fans can destroy the empire upon said franchise are built on...its good that you and zack haven't abandoned this unfortunate issue though.
Those big wigs (Jim Lee, Akira Yoshida, Eric Stephenson and so on.) are scared cause they may have their own skulls in the closet that they don't want exposed.
You say nothings changed but it has. I loved comics, I have 30 long boxes, everything from the 80’s when I was a kid, all the stuff I read as a young man and even up to today. I bought Amazing heroes, wizard magazine and I watched Cartoon Kayfabe at least once a week. Ed was really good, a very smart guy, I liked his work. but now with his death, it’s revealed a true darkness that lies at the heart of this industry . And who wants to be a part of that? It’s over. All the heroes are dead.
The comic book community is small as it is. Without voices like yours that can reach at least a sizeable audience, Ed's murder would not be talked about or have any light shined on it. Those who contributed to Ed's death will still suffer no consequences but at least there will be a record of their actions memorialized forever. RIP Ed Piskor, a real lover, historian and creator of original comics.
What do y’all think about this; in my justice league 2 script; the world is figuratively Divided By two Individuals; My creative character and his arch enemy; Alvin Acker. So, think of it as the Cold War.Meanwhile, A general arranges in the shadows to completely and utterly bring down the two.
@@DarthDread-oh2ne Is he a villain? I was under the impression your unnamed harem character was going to be on the heroic side with the justice league. And why do you keep capitalizing 'a'
@2:21. yup. all these big comic youtubers who talked about him with as i see now, fake sympathy have totally forgotten about Ed Piskor. the ones who were blacklisted and made HUGE money off superchats havnt said a peep since. ya know, the one with a cybernetic amphibian. your the only one still keeping it alive. they all went back to drama farming
It’s been very hard losing Ed, I went to a convention with the idea of “I need to meet these old timers before it’s too late” Kayfabe was there and I went thinking “can’t wait to see them again at the next conventions.” Didn’t think it would be the other way around. 💔
Wes, your outrage is palpable, and salient. It is unfathomable how anyone can bully someone to the point they choose to end their lives, with no consequences. I thought there were laws about cyber-bullying? Why hasn't anything been done to ensure these disgusting people don't commit their despicable acts again?? It is actually unbelievable.
I’m honestly ignoring a lot, I like a few new stories like ultimate Spiderman, and black panther, the new get fury and the doom book are awesome but I just can’t support it like I want to as long as they employ these monsters, anyone involved in piskors murder should at the very least be run out of comics
Unfortunately, it's not about how good of a job one does, but rather who one knows. The comic book industry is no exception. Thank you for your insight, Wes. Much appreciated as always.
I am not a bit Marvel Comic reader, I was a massive fan of D&D/Pathfinder/Warhammer Fantasy Table Top RPG Graphic Novels. SInce 2012 I am unable to enjoy the new stuff. As a quick side note on this point of "Man contacts teenage girl it is automatically sexual. This is very sad, because it means that if young girls may never have a male mentor or role model. Yes I realize there are many POS men who would use that to try to sleep with the girl. However there are good men out there who are able to control our sexual impulses. Hell mine died once I got married....
You know what the difference between an anti-bully and a counter-bully is? Being an anti-bully means that you make it a point to not be a bully and to try to stop people from being a bully, and to also try to stop people from being bullied. Being a counter-bully is similar to being an anti-bully, but they go with one extra step. They also make it a point to use the same methods and tactics that bullies use in order to bully other bullies. Methods and tactics too brutal and extreme for anti-bullies to tolerate. We have a lot of bullies. We also have a lot of anti-bullies. But what the world needs now, is more counter-bullies. Anti-bullies defend others from being bullied. Counter-bullies on the other hand fight the offense with even greater offense. Helping someone when they are bullied is good. Making bullies cry is even better.
I think you misjudged this. Decampi and gang are counter-bullies. They harass everyone they think is a bad person to help others. The problem of course is that the ones they identify as a bully, is often just someone falsely accused of it by an actual bully. So in this case both the initial bully and the counter-bullies worked together to harm a non-bully. The only thing we need is to make sure people in entertainment is not bullies nor counter-bullies. Preferably not even anti-bullies. They should just create products and be polite to everyone.
Of course, the substandard "talent" would be the ones most viciously trying to drive out the truly talented and well-established creators from the comic book industry. Similar to when I was in the military and the soldiers complaining the most about others being lazy or incompetent, were usually the laziest and most incompetent workers in your entire unit. They only criticized others to draw attention away from their own complete lack of work ethic.
I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised to hear Evan Dorkin was part of this. I like his work, but it had the air of "vicious wimp." Also, good on Brian Wood for calling this out so long ago. Shame no one did anything.
Did find some irony last week seeing Evan Dorkin retweeting several posts lamenting the death of musician/engineer/producer Steve Albini. He was quick to register his disgust with Ed when those DM's surfaced....but apparently Albini's way more troubling quotes about child porn back in the day and his advocacy of a guy like Peter Sotos is A-ok. Kind of odd.
The thing is entertainment is a want not a need. I don't need to support an evil for a want. All I have heard about Ed Piskor is the unfair evil he endured for no good reason.
Thanks for your courage, Wes. I'm only ignorant what happened to Art Thiebert? I know what happened to the rest of the dudes you mentioned. And R.I.P Ed Piskor. I really appreciated what he and Jim did for comic education.
This is messed up in so many ways how can someone even think about bullying someone to death for talking to someone is absolutely disgusting,how can people like that exist?
I've known folks like Ed Piskor my whole life. They are diehard comics fans who love every aspect of the art form. People like Ed are the lifeblood of the industry, and he was a first-rate ambassador. The people that went after him are a cancer.
I know this sucks but Let me put it this way to cheer everyone up and to give some hope out there into the world. you can look at the glass half empty or like me you can look at the glass half full. Imagine If Alex loses and Ed wins a Eisner that would be the biggest middle finger to her and all of her friends in the industry. I know this might not happen but who knows stranger things has happened before.
Rob Liefeld put out an episode of his podcast 'Robservations' on April 5th in celebration of Ed's work. He has Many listeners, & I thought that was a really cool, stand up & shout, gesture on his part. There is still hope.
I've been working on my own sketchbook comic about cancel culture and inked Jim and Ed into the book just because I listened to them every morning. Truthfully Ed was part of the reason I even thought it would be fun to do my own comic. I'm really sad to hear about these things because he was extremely supportive of people starting out and of all his guests on the show. I'm going to finish this comic and others I have lined up because people like Ed gave me the encouragement to do so.
This is what happens when women are allowed to call the shots in a workplace. Just look at the last episode of the original Star Trek, "Turnabout Intruder". Yeah, I said it.
You're correct. They're fighting a stealth campaign to take over every entertainment enterprise that men have created, so they can transform the culture with their wokeness. Never mind that they can't create anything themselves, and never mind that everything they've taken over has crashed and burned. As Jed Clampett would say, "Just pitiful!"
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- Exactly. I was originally going to say "put in charge" but reworded it as "call the shots". I've seen workplaces like that. The men have the titles but guess who runs the roost? The publishing industry is the biggest victim of that.
Idk how people can live with themselves knowing they caused a death how they can look themselves in the mirror and just go about life like nothing happened it's sick
FACTS!
00:00 - Frustration With The State Of Comic Books
00:57 - The Frustration With Comic Books
02:05 - The Consequences Of Bullying In The Industry
03:07 - The Controversy Surrounding Alex De Campion
04:10 - Cancelled Art Show And Media Coverage
05:12 - The Consequences Of Online Harassment
06:14 - The Protection Of Alex De Campi
07:21 - The Consequences Of Online Bullying
08:21 - The Dark Side Of The Comic Book Industry
09:25 - Holding Power Players Accountable In The Comic Book Industry
10:28 - HR Nightmares And Cynical Behavior
11:30 - The Dark Side Of The Comic Book Industry
12:36 - False Accusations Against Warren Ellis
13:45 - Kicking Out The Industry's Greatest Talents
14:40 - The Agenda To Blacklist And Blackball Talent
15:46 - The Dark Side Of The Conflict Industry
16:46 - The Frustration Of Inaction
17:49 - Personalized Drama And Standing Up For Ed Piskor
18:54 - The Tragic Loss Of Ed Piskor
19:56 - The Disgusting State Of The Comic Book Industry
21:03 - Extending An Olive Branch
An industry full of cowards and narcissists. No wonder they can’t write heroes. This is depressing
Yea exactly, that’s the only 2 character traits alive in comics today, some of the worst people on the planet.
Well said. They can’t write heroes indeed. How could they when they lack the concept.
Thank you Wes (and Zack) for keeping this issue fresh. The bad actors named in Ed's note will always be looking over their shoulder for Father Karma. Evil people.
Well said!
Hopefully Ed's family took to heart what he said in his letter and have a lawyer pursuing civil suits against the people who went after him. 😔
I can't believe he named people in a suicide letter and it went completely ignored. No accountability to those people. He faced allegations and lost everything, they were named in a suicide letter and nothing. It's sick
It’s hard to believe isn’t it? How do you even begin to wrap your head around it? An industry where the worst people behave horrendously, lie and destroy innocent people’s lives and are lauded for it, it’s shocking.
Worst part is the people named all consoled each other who were named and no guilt was felt or show for their actions....they have the responsibility of Lord of flies children in the comic industry.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- very disappointing to say the very least
@@russellbarba8177 yea all the did was put their twitter behind a wall and pretend nothing happened. And everyone let em! It's an afterthought now. It's so sad
It didn’t go unnoticed as I‘m pretty sure that they are proud of it. 😡
Comic book industry become one of most toxic places of all times. What sad times we're are living.
You cannot write heroic stories about heroes, if you do not have the heart and the virtues of a hero.
What are the virtues of a Hero? Wisdom, Courage, Justice and Temperance. But what is most important is to have Truthfulness, since it is the mother of all virtues. And this people lack all of this.
This is so true. It’s why I only check out stuff people are making on TH-cam these days because I have a better chance of hearing a good story that way these days. Mainstream should just be called downstream because all they’re getting is still waves of nothing.
Comic book industry is dead.
Comics are forever.
Glad to see you not letting people forget what happened to Ed, you, Ya Boi Zack and Alazmat won't let people forget.
I didn’t know they gave out Eisners for cyber bullying.
Don,t buy Alex Decampi and Ramon Villalobos books, they suck anyway.
I recently pulled out the X-Men Grand Design Omnibus by Ed, and it broke my heart to read his lighthearted self-biography at the end that had his name, his birthdate, and a blank for his date of death with instructions to fill it in. Who could have known back when he created that funny little piece how hard it would hit now?
🙁
Don't expect Larsen to do anything. He's spineless
he was always spineless.
Well, done, Wes this one’s got to be one of your best most supercharged videos ever! You know what gets me the most is in all this there hasn’t been a single mention about him on Kayfabe, no memorial not a word just business as usual. His partner has been silent throughout this whole thing. The only thing Jim put out was that separation post when the story broke, he’s gone silent since then……….
R.I.P. Ed Piskor. An amazing artist and creator, and one of today's most important comic influencers.
Cartoonist Kayfabe is an important piece of comic Fandom. Ed Piskor and Jim Rugg accomplished something so special with their show. It is honestly one of my favorites. Ed's passion was so infectious. You couldn't help but get excited about it when he and Jim cracked open a book and started talking about it.
I miss that. I watched their show regularly, and while we still have all they created before - it is bittersweet knowing there will be no more.
No more Ed.
What a travesty this whole situation is.
And those that drove him to it are given fucking awards!!!!???????!!!!!
I'm so angry I cannot articulate it properly.
This is so fucked.
"Comics will break your heart, kid."
Jack Kirby knew even back then that bullies like this would come and ruin the industry and the characters people like him created and loved. Nowadays, more than ever, comics are merely self-insert stories by writers who have no deep understanding of the characters. They write whatever they think the character should be without understanding character progression. Those who do understand are bullied until they either die or are chased away. The fact that top executives support this sick charade is nothing but disgusting, proving they have neither love for comics nor backbone.
Marvel and DC Comics are mostly dead at this point, and hoping for improvement probably makes us the biggest fools of all.
Having hope does not make one foolish. Being cynical and pessimistic and allowing these bullies to win is bloody foolish!!! I am not naive. I am aware that the industry is broken, but instead of complaining, we should support those who actually care about comics and fight against those who spew toxic propaganda! I am so tired of listening to people who whine and give up! Without hope, we are truly lost!
@@zemox2534 I don't want to lose hope. I really don't. But the more I learn about the industry, the harder it is to ignore the truth. Even after Ed Piskor committed suicide, even after a man died in the name of comic books, nothing changed. You would expect at least some consequences for those he named in his suicide note. That's common sense. Yet, they are being nominated for awards. Are you kidding me!? As long as the top executives don't change and promote people who truly care about comic books, I don't see anything improving anytime soon, at least for Marvel and DC. The best we can do, I think, is to boycott those terrible comics.
Speak for yourself, I'm not hoping for any improvement. I'm just waiting things out
@@SamtheBravesFanI am only trying to speak on behalf of people who are still hoping, deep down, that after all this time, comics would get better. If you’re not one of them, then I have no idea why you’re even replying. Stop wasting both our time.
You are making this up. The actual quote was “Kid, you’re one of the best. But put your work in galleries. Don’t do comics. Comics will break your heart.”
kirby was talking about talent and making money in the industry not "bullies".
Yea it’s absolutely shocking how Alex is still in the industry, just proves how cowardly everyone is. That they’re utterly terrified of this very very bad person.
But none of that annoys me too much, what does annoy me is that Alex pretends to be the good guy, an actual villain, a real life supervillain.
Just like they could say about Warren Ellis
people so cowardly to do anything about him
while he walks among them
A villain
justice needs to be done here
@@HonduranHoneymoonhon What they did to Ellis was equally disgusting, he did absolutely nothing wrong, he had relationships with other adults, what on earth is the issue? These people are unbelievable, they will just do anything that they possibly can to destroy the people they dislike, and when they can’t find anything they’ll just lie.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- He had sex outside of Marriage and had non sex sexual relation outside of marriage. Whether you count that as equal to or worse than or less worse than bullying is up to you. That wasn't my point.
My point was he was doing something they thought of as bad, like you and these people that bullied some dude. You're saying how is this bad person still in the industry--those cowards. That's the same as ellis, how is he still in this industry he is so bad--those cowards.
And then they got him out. Years later.
It could happen to this person too, but a month later probably not.
What are they afraid will happen if they take a stand? They'll be called names? They'll have accusations made against them? Those things could happen anyway! It's like the old fable about the trees and the woodsman. The trees asked the woodsman why he was in the forest and he replied that he was just looking for a piece of wood. That's all he wanted, a nice strong, piece of wood so long and so thick. The trees thought, "So, he just wants a piece of wood! As soon as he gets it, he'll leave, right?" They decided to give him a piece of wood, but instead of sacrificing any of their own branches, they singled out a sapling to sacrifice. The sapling didn't want to sacrificed, but the bigger trees sacrificed it anyway. The woodsman was happy for the piece of wood that had once been the sapling, and you know what he did with it? He made it into an axe handle and started chopping down the trees, who realized too late that sacrificing the sapling to try to appease the woodsman had instead led to their doom. Never attempt to save yourself from bullies by giving in to them because they'll turn on you the moment they feel you're no use to them.
@@karaoconnoraliasraidra maybe they're afraid that they will end up killing themselves if they speak out
And THANKS for staying on this very serious subject, Wes. It brings some very needed maturity to an often all-too-juvenile industry.
Thanks for keeping this issue alive Wes. These bullies need to be called out for the monsters they are. Never forget.
This video is very revealing to me. I had no idea that the comic book industry was full of malicious people, bullies hellbent on canceling talented professionals like Warren Ellis. It's pretty sickening. These people are 'moral code cops' of sorts, is that it?
I'm very sorry to hear about that Piskor guy that killed himself. That is not right.
They literally murdered Ed and no one was held accountable.
Fk Warren Ellis. The definitive edgelord. He spent ten years ripping off Grant Morrison and Garth Ennis before he ever learned how to write for himself.
@@jamesross824he killed himself because he's guilty and didn't wanna go to jail where they tear child molesters to pieces.
Yes, and it's been intolerable for about a decade, since the beginning of the "Woke" era.
@@heroineburgh wow. No wonder these modern stories can’t seem to write superheroes properly. The industry has become some sort of mentally unstables’ cesspool
Unbelievable.
Mentioning his death is a "microaggression" - how much more sociopathic can you get?
So an Eisner award is the modern day equivalent to 30 pieces of silver?
that's really sad to think about... I don't think Mr. Eisner would have approved.
I love how passionate you are, Wes! The people who drove that man to kill himself should be ashamed of themselves. As far as Warren Ellis goes, two words: The Authority! That's how you write characters that are different than other people, diverse, and still tell a good story. Midniters is still one of my favorite characters, and I'm straight as a board! We're not homophobic, were bad story phobic!
Great video Wes. I agree with everything you said here. There needs to be accountability in this industry and I do agree that comic pros need to stand up and push back. It's really sad these trolls continue to bring the industry down. Change is needed!
Excellent points, Wes. Like I've said before, not one to usually "Like" or comment on videos,...but, this video deserved both. The morality/ethics/decency in the comic industry leave SO MUCH to be desired, not to mention skill and talent. Wouldn't it be a beautiful thing, if we could find fixes for all of those issues.
I once was motivated to become a writer for DC & Marvel. Even went to university to obtain a degree in English Literature. But now, I would not want to work for a corporation as incompetent as them who hire evil and demented creators.
Create your own stuff. The world needs more of that.
Chuck Dixon is doing pretty well under the new management.
Independent comics are the only way forward. The technology to self-publish is better than ever. You don't need them. Go your own way.
If you’re talking about Eric July, that’s a business that is not as stable as people think
@@BuddyBradley1985perhaps. but indie is still the way forward. and eric’s model is only one example
I can't help thinking of that meme of the dude crouching in front of a grave, with a grin on his face and doing the "V" sign. The dude is Alex De Campi, if not the entire comic book industry, and the grave is Ed's. It's disgusting. Thanks for keeping this story alive Wes. No one must be able to forget what Alex and Villalobos did.
And Jon Del Arroz.
De Campi and Ramon V. know, in their souls, they have a fraction of the talent their targets have, and the only way to "succeed" is to take out the more talented people in comic by ANY means necessary. Evil exists, and they willingly participate in it.
Sometimes- in fact many times- bullies win. I have to think that there will be justice in the end.
Well said sir. Great channel, can't believe you don't have more subs
It should be noted that Ramon Villalobos disappeared from the Felix Comic Art website in early April. Either Felix decided end their association or some of the other artists represented by Felix made it an issue.
Just because consequences aren't in headlines doesn't mean their aren't any consequences.
Where are the men? Hiding. Cowering. Avoiding being crucified. Speaking up is powerful and dangerous.
This. Why buy comics about heros when they are written by such weak, spineless pussies?
what are they supposed to do? these progressives are locking up presidents cause they don’t agree with them
The whole ED situation has rocked me to my core. I had no idea how powerful the cancel culture was before this awfulness. Ed was for me the most inspiring and informative, talented and enjoyable comic talent there has been for years, possibly forever, as he embraced the newer medium of You Tube videos and created a point of entry into the comic book realm that was driven by a palpable enery of enthusiam and undeniable love. The additions to my book shelves of Ed's work and those that Cartoonist Kayfabe recommended have made my life a better and more enriched place to be. RIP Ed Piskor, your art and signature are framed on my wall and your memory is in my heart.
I thought Alex De Campi had already been decamped. This really stinks on ice.
And people wonder why I've chosen to be a comic book indy since 1970.
Alex de Campi. Proof that the witch can become the witch hunter.
Wes, I believe the words you were looking for to describe how you feel are “pissed off”.
How are these awards nominated and decided?
are you new here?
Fantastic, incredibly heartfelt video, Wes.
I truly miss their show. So many jealous people out there.
Well said! Such a great summary of the current situation. Organisations were quick to pull support from Ed, due to these unsubstantiated allegations. However, we know the people that bullied him and no one is doing anything about that.
I've been watching Piskor's Kayfabe videos on the X-Men lately. Current state of DC Comics is bad. Current X-Men do not even resemble "classic" X-Men. It's sad.
Thanks for affirming the "Status Quo" needs to change. Because it DOES!
At worst, at least from the disclosed communication we could say Piskor was being a bit creepy, and even that's a stretch. The industry is sickening. I truly believe ya boi when he says the terrorists he encountered during his deployments were not as twisted as these mainstream supposed pros. de Campi in earlier times would have been a nobody in a healthy industry. She'd have spent her career writing one-offs in obscure artsy comics, the peak being getting published in Epic. I only know her from the bullying and as one of the reasons I quit buying 2000AD, and I'm not new to comics. The mainstream industry has been given over to mediocre psychopaths and the weaklings too afraid to speak out against them. Good riddance to it when it finally dies. Comics will survive it.
Regardless of whether he hated our guts (he did, for some reason that I think might have had to with CG adjacency), Ed Piskor wasn't just a human being. He was a resident of Munhall, PA, a steeltown suburb I can reach in 20 minutes by hopping on the bus in front of my house. He was a Pittsburgher who attended the signings of his friends Tom and Jim at Phantom of the Attic Oakland (our LCS), and attracted a packed house at the memorial (also at Phantom) where his family honored him and showcased his art. He was mentored as a youth by indie legend Don Simpson, who drew a back cover pinup for us last year. A month after his death, I now own a pristine copy of Hip Hop Family Tree, which Jim apparently left in a little Free Library nook in my neighborhood. That was the essence of Cartoonist Kayfabe, and despite Ed's apparent efforts to shun me, I still feel connected.
They aren't looking to make any correction, except to improve and refine the process for their next attempt.
It’s so disheartening that the industry has such little soul left, that they can just move on like this as though nothing has happened.
You can be sure that Ed would not have been allowed to move on were he still alive.
We know that Ellis, Wood, Baron, Dixon, Latour, Stewart etc etc some of the industry’s greats, who have done more individually for comics than these f-ing parasites ever will.
It makes me feel so sad for Piskor’s family, friends and fans - but also personally, as he’s a creator I loved. It also makes me feel so sad for the medium I’ve loved my entire life. And I’m watching it dying, being sucked dry by hateful people and those with the power to do something are absolutely complicit.
I’ve always managed to separate art from the artist. Tried hard to maintain a consistent approach to that. I don’t think I can continue to give these companies money while they stand by and not just watch this happen, but actively employ and promote the people involved. And f-k the Eisners. The nominations for that award have been a joke for years but this is the most disgusting act they have committed to date. The committee who is responsible for providing these nominees may as well just go and take a p1ss on Ed Piskor’s grave, one of the few creatives nominated who actually belong on a best of the industry list.
The medium is not the American market, which has always been the mentally disabled sibling of the family. Read manga or Bandes Dessinees
@@reginaldforthright805I read comics from round the world already. The art in Manga is great but the writing does not translate well. Very rarely are they well written. Thematically, or plot wise, they are maybe better than a lot of US output, but the writing itself is just as bad. Too many people confuse plot points they don’t like with bad writing
@@TheUnseenFenianHand well-written manga = JoJo, One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, Berserk, Fullmetal Alchemist, 20th century boys, Akira. The standard of manga writing is high and best in the world imo. The US market has always been plagued by excessive wordiness, a cardinal sin in a visual medium, exemplified by Moore, Gaiman, Ennis, pretty much any famous writer. And they rarely if ever approach the depth of characterization and emotion found in manga.
Thanks!
Thanks 👊
Can you list these names again. With addresses? Asking for a friend...
Ethan Van Sciver has proven herself to be a hypocrite and scumbag multiple times. I do not feel sorry for her in the least. She was also laughing at Ed Piskor's situation when he was going through being slandered on the internet and ultimately led to him taking his own life.
Ed should have told them to get f*cked. He didn't demand anything from them and exhibited bad judgement--that's it. The Kayfabers would have still watched and bought his stuff. He could have led a push-back and gained some fans. Who made more money for Fantagraphics--Ed or deCampi? That's what they should have focused on, instead of trying to placate goons that don't even buy their books.
Ed Piskor meant a lot to me, not only as an artist for his works but also as a comics passionate expert whoom I got to consider a fiend given the number of hours I spent listening to him and Jim Rugg. I hope that what happened won’t be forgotten and that, in time, reactions to that would spread and help people change their mind and react to this distorted use of social media.
You didn't mention the big thing: He was going to get a $75,000 upfront payment for a new project and, after the allegations, that project was cancelled. That spelled the end of his life as a cartoonist, at least for many years until things blew over and he was able to clear his name.
days like this! Alex diCampi, Ramon VillaLobos, celebrating mediocrity. Vote Ed Piskor HIP HOP Family Tree!!!
Unfortunately the multitude of properties that have been hijacked by these players , properties from Dr.Who,Star Trek,Star Wars,Marvel,DC and so on have to be abandoned as possibly the only way to let them know that fans build a franchise and the absence of fans can destroy the empire upon said franchise are built on...its good that you and zack haven't abandoned this unfortunate issue though.
Illustrates the folly of devoting yourself to corporate properties. Makes more sense to be a fan of specific artists or works of art.
Darrly Ayo is a monster. I know his history well.
Those big wigs (Jim Lee, Akira Yoshida, Eric Stephenson and so on.) are scared cause they may have their own skulls in the closet that they don't want exposed.
Akira Yoshida!! 🤣 🤣 🤣
Oooooooo Nooooo ! I had no idea passed away. I love his channel Cartoonist Kayfabe .
Rest in Peace
I also blame Jim Rugg who cut all ties to Ed before the truth came out. The man really needed a friend at that time to give him some support.
Unless Ed's family can lambaste the crowd if the award is own, they should tell the organization to pound sand.
If won, I can imagine them saying, "f these awards for nominating one of the people that bullied my son/brother to death".
You say nothings changed but it has. I loved comics, I have 30 long boxes, everything from the 80’s when I was a kid, all the stuff I read as a young man and even up to today. I bought Amazing heroes, wizard magazine and I watched Cartoon Kayfabe at least once a week. Ed was really good, a very smart guy, I liked his work. but now with his death, it’s revealed a true darkness that lies at the heart of this industry . And who wants to be a part of that? It’s over. All the heroes are dead.
Oh really I couldn’t stand kayfaybe. Ed seemed like a prick
The comic book community is small as it is. Without voices like yours that can reach at least a sizeable audience, Ed's murder would not be talked about or have any light shined on it. Those who contributed to Ed's death will still suffer no consequences but at least there will be a record of their actions memorialized forever. RIP Ed Piskor, a real lover, historian and creator of original comics.
I hope Ed wins, and his family is there to accept and call out Alex de Campi for the PoS she is.
What do y’all think about this; in my justice league 2 script; the world is figuratively Divided By two Individuals; My creative character and his arch enemy; Alvin Acker. So, think of it as the Cold War.Meanwhile, A general arranges in the shadows to completely and utterly bring down the two.
Sounds cool bro
My creative character also has A harem.
What does this have to do with the Justice League?
And no, don't have a harem.
Well, I created the character and if I say my creative character is going to have A harem; he’s going to have one.
@@DarthDread-oh2ne Is he a villain? I was under the impression your unnamed harem character was going to be on the heroic side with the justice league. And why do you keep capitalizing 'a'
@2:21. yup. all these big comic youtubers who talked about him with as i see now, fake sympathy have totally forgotten about Ed Piskor. the ones who were blacklisted and made HUGE money off superchats havnt said a peep since. ya know, the one with a cybernetic amphibian. your the only one still keeping it alive. they all went back to drama farming
YaBoiZack is keeping it alive too.
@@EricHeidenAuthor he is? That makes 2.
It’s been very hard losing Ed, I went to a convention with the idea of “I need to meet these old timers before it’s too late” Kayfabe was there and I went thinking “can’t wait to see them again at the next conventions.” Didn’t think it would be the other way around. 💔
Well said Wes.
Awesome work mate
Wes, your outrage is palpable, and salient. It is unfathomable how anyone can bully someone to the point they choose to end their lives, with no consequences. I thought there were laws about cyber-bullying? Why hasn't anything been done to ensure these disgusting people don't commit their despicable acts again?? It is actually unbelievable.
It varies state by state. Such laws can be abused to squash actual speech as well
Dejected. That is the word that describes how this all makes me feel.
Comic books are now a basket case
It's just box ticking bingo in most cases
Film ,TV, have gone the same
That's why most people are on TH-cam
Get rowdy Wes..a lot of us fans have dropped buying new books all together becuz of these POS's.
I’m honestly ignoring a lot, I like a few new stories like ultimate Spiderman, and black panther, the new get fury and the doom book are awesome but I just can’t support it like I want to as long as they employ these monsters, anyone involved in piskors murder should at the very least be run out of comics
The awful stories is one thing, but the return on your investment is equally as bad. Especially when cover prices going up.
Who among the accused are on which books ?
Unfortunately, it's not about how good of a job one does, but rather who one knows. The comic book industry is no exception. Thank you for your insight, Wes. Much appreciated as always.
I am not a bit Marvel Comic reader, I was a massive fan of D&D/Pathfinder/Warhammer Fantasy Table Top RPG Graphic Novels. SInce 2012 I am unable to enjoy the new stuff.
As a quick side note on this point of "Man contacts teenage girl it is automatically sexual. This is very sad, because it means that if young girls may never have a male mentor or role model. Yes I realize there are many POS men who would use that to try to sleep with the girl. However there are good men out there who are able to control our sexual impulses. Hell mine died once I got married....
They gave me a RuPaul commercial before your video Wes 😶🙃
You know what the difference between an anti-bully and a counter-bully is? Being an anti-bully means that you make it a point to not be a bully and to try to stop people from being a bully, and to also try to stop people from being bullied. Being a counter-bully is similar to being an anti-bully, but they go with one extra step. They also make it a point to use the same methods and tactics that bullies use in order to bully other bullies. Methods and tactics too brutal and extreme for anti-bullies to tolerate.
We have a lot of bullies. We also have a lot of anti-bullies. But what the world needs now, is more counter-bullies. Anti-bullies defend others from being bullied. Counter-bullies on the other hand fight the offense with even greater offense. Helping someone when they are bullied is good. Making bullies cry is even better.
I think you misjudged this. Decampi and gang are counter-bullies. They harass everyone they think is a bad person to help others. The problem of course is that the ones they identify as a bully, is often just someone falsely accused of it by an actual bully. So in this case both the initial bully and the counter-bullies worked together to harm a non-bully.
The only thing we need is to make sure people in entertainment is not bullies nor counter-bullies. Preferably not even anti-bullies. They should just create products and be polite to everyone.
Of course, the substandard "talent" would be the ones most viciously trying to drive out the truly talented and well-established creators from the comic book industry. Similar to when I was in the military and the soldiers complaining the most about others being lazy or incompetent, were usually the laziest and most incompetent workers in your entire unit. They only criticized others to draw attention away from their own complete lack of work ethic.
I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised to hear Evan Dorkin was part of this. I like his work, but it had the air of "vicious wimp."
Also, good on Brian Wood for calling this out so long ago. Shame no one did anything.
Did find some irony last week seeing Evan Dorkin retweeting several posts lamenting the death of musician/engineer/producer Steve Albini. He was quick to register his disgust with Ed when those DM's surfaced....but apparently Albini's way more troubling quotes about child porn back in the day and his advocacy of a guy like Peter Sotos is A-ok. Kind of odd.
I love comics, but love myself more... and putting up with abuse is something that I will not pay for.
RIP Ed. Your comics will live on.
The thing is entertainment is a want not a need. I don't need to support an evil for a want. All I have heard about Ed Piskor is the unfair evil he endured for no good reason.
Thanks for your courage, Wes. I'm only ignorant what happened to Art Thiebert? I know what happened to the rest of the dudes you mentioned. And R.I.P Ed Piskor. I really appreciated what he and Jim did for comic education.
This is messed up in so many ways how can someone even think about bullying someone to death for talking to someone is absolutely disgusting,how can people like that exist?
I've known folks like Ed Piskor my whole life. They are diehard comics fans who love every aspect of the art form. People like Ed are the lifeblood of the industry, and he was a first-rate ambassador. The people that went after him are a cancer.
I know this sucks but Let me put it this way to cheer everyone up and to give some hope out there into the world. you can look at the glass half empty or like me you can look at the glass half full. Imagine If Alex loses and Ed wins a Eisner that would be the biggest middle finger to her and all of her friends in the industry. I know this might not happen but who knows stranger things has happened before.
Absolutely correct! There should be someone who stands up and says it. Cowards….
Rob Liefeld put out an episode of his podcast 'Robservations' on April 5th in celebration of Ed's work. He has Many listeners, & I thought that was a really cool, stand up & shout, gesture on his part. There is still hope.
Still can't remember a comic book publish in 2024 i bought and we are 5 months in 2024
How about more COMICBOOK RETROSPECTIVES? I love them and you dont need to deal with modern writers.
I don't think anyone's treated the Eisners seriously in at least 15 years.
I've been working on my own sketchbook comic about cancel culture and inked Jim and Ed into the book just because I listened to them every morning. Truthfully Ed was part of the reason I even thought it would be fun to do my own comic. I'm really sad to hear about these things because he was extremely supportive of people starting out and of all his guests on the show. I'm going to finish this comic and others I have lined up because people like Ed gave me the encouragement to do so.
Very well said.
It's sickening
This is what happens when women are allowed to call the shots in a workplace. Just look at the last episode of the original Star Trek, "Turnabout Intruder".
Yeah, I said it.
You're correct. They're fighting a stealth campaign to take over every entertainment enterprise that men have created, so they can transform the culture with their wokeness. Never mind that they can't create anything themselves, and never mind that everything they've taken over has crashed and burned. As Jed Clampett would say, "Just pitiful!"
Don’t forget the very feminine men.
@@InfamyOrDeath-__- Exactly. I was originally going to say "put in charge" but reworded it as "call the shots".
I've seen workplaces like that. The men have the titles but guess who runs the roost? The publishing industry is the biggest victim of that.
Idk how people can live with themselves knowing they caused a death how they can look themselves in the mirror and just go about life like nothing happened it's sick
Geez, this is my first time hearing stuff like this happening in the comics industry and my god I don’t have anywords
It's a list for people in the industry. Not the customer. Not the people reading. Know who these things are made for.
With respect, with everything you've said, why support the comic book industry at all?