It’s undeniable that in the relatively short time he’s been a pro, Ed Whips Definitely left a mark on the comics world. From his early collaborations with underground comics legends Harvey Pointserialization hip hop family tree and bring the director’s vision to Big 2 X-Men: Grand Design Beyond this, Pisco is also known for his meticulous detail and passion for form. In addition to his work on the page, Pisco co-hosted the show with Pittsburgh cartoonist Jim Rugg, developing a loyal following online. CartoonistKayfabe YouTube channel; a following that continues to grow even after his death earlier this year.
switchblade shortsThe webcomic, which ultimately became Pisco’s final work, showcased his signature voice and unique understanding of comics as a powerful storytelling medium. The project, originally released as weekly installments on his Instagram, allows Pisco to play in a different sandbox, one more akin to the old Sunday Funnies, where he paces More interesting than previous works.
switchblade shorts Now on the market via crowdfunding campaign Zup. To coincide with the launch of the campaign, Comics Beat sat down with Ed’s family (his mother Diane, brother Bobby and sister Justin) to share switchblade shorts to readers. In this interview, Ed Piskor’s family, in their capacity as representatives of Ed Piskor’s Legacy, discuss the challenges and emotional complexities of releasing his final work, the decision to partner with Zoop to crowdfund the publication, and how they continue Dedicated to the memory of Ed as a man of strong independent spirit.
AJ Frost: switchblade shorts This was a very personal project for Ed, and releasing it posthumously was certainly a difficult decision for the Pisco family. What drove the family’s decision to go ahead with publishing the book now?
Justin Cleaves: First, it’s about respecting his wishes. And, we keep hearing people say, “When is it coming? When is this book coming out?
Diane Whip: This was the last of his instructions to us—publish his book. It was something he was really proud of and he spent a lot of time on it.
Bobby Whip: Yes, He left us a note and we didn’t want to wait. The world has been seeking this book, and now that it is completed and his final work, we hope the world will see it and read it.
Frost: The process of bringing any project into the world can be challenging, but doing so while staying true to Ed’s unique vision definitely adds another layer of complexity. Can you tell us a little bit about how you navigated your release journey? switchblade shorts? Specifically, how did working with Zoop help ensure that Ed’s original creative intentions were respected?
Diane: We didn’t get the kind of offers we expected from other publishers – they were nowhere near what we thought Ed deserved. Our lawyer suggested we talk to Zoop and we even consulted Jim Large about it. Jim said he wished Zoop had been around when he crowdsourced his early work. This seems like a better partnership than other crowdfunding sources.
Bobby: The biggest thing about this release switchblade shorts Our family reserves the right. It wouldn’t be right for us to give it to someone else. We’re handling everything in-house, even though it feels like we’re getting deeper into the project.
Justin: But Zoop is already great. This is our first time doing any kind of publishing and they’ve handled so much. This is a major selling point for us.
Diane: They were really helpful throughout the entire process. On other platforms, you need to find different people for each step, but Zoop takes over all of those steps. Since Ed does everything himself, it felt like a tribute to him that we chose a publisher that could handle the entire process as well as he did.
Frost: Independent ownership of creative works has become an even more prominent issue in today’s environment. Why retaining 100% ownership is especially important for your home switchblade shortshow does this decision reflect Ed’s own principles?
Bobby: One of the most important aspects of releasing this project is honoring my brother’s legacy and showcasing his work. He was always independent and always made his own decisions. We want to keep his philosophy alive – it’s still so relevant.
FROST: Crowdfunding campaigns can be a powerful tool for growing a creator’s legacy, especially when they have such a loyal following. What do you hope to achieve with this event – not just in terms of raising funds, but in terms of shaping and preserving Ed’s legacy as an artist?
Diane: Many people have been asking about this project, and their sincerity is palpable. They genuinely love his work. Like I said – and maybe I’m biased as his mom – not many people can do what he does: write, draw and handwrite the whole thing themselves.
Bobby: He was a master craftsman and I want people to remember that. He played by his own rules and devoted countless hours to creating the best comics he could. No one can match his work ethic. I’ve said this in past interviews, but it’s still true: You couldn’t get Ed to just come to Sunday dinner – he’d have soup with our dad and then go back to work.
Diane: He would put the soup in a bowl and get back to work!
Justin: I want people to remember him as the amazing artist and inspiration he was. He loves sharing his comics knowledge. I hope no one forgets him.
Frost: Every project inevitably encounters some obstacles, and I think this one is no exception. What were the main challenges faced by the family in deciding to proceed with their release? switchblade shortshow did you overcome these difficulties?
Bobby: Unfortunately, we still face some negative attention. It’s sad that people do this, but Eddie is an artist who puts effort into these stories. switchblade shorts is unique among the projects he works on, and we hope people can see that in the different styles and unconventional page layouts he draws. It’s unlike anything else he’s done.
Diane: This is a landscape book, which is unusual in itself.
Justin: I was aware of his Instagram account and he posted these stories every week, but I didn’t realize he narrated and explained his process every week. It’s hard to read through this emotionally.
Frost: A lot of people in the comics community are very supportive, especially when they feel a deep connection to the work of an artist like Ed. What kind of response and support have you received from the community since the announcement? switchblade shorts?
Bobby: We held an Eddie P. Memorial Conference in August and announced Zoop’s involvement in publishing the book. We had a panel with about 75 people in the audience, and the video went on to get 4,000 views and a lot of likes. The support for this project has been truly overwhelming.
Justin: When we announced this project, everyone congratulated us! Honestly, we can’t wait for people to actually hold this book in their hands.
Diane: The publication of this book generated a lot of positive attention.
Frost: When I had the opportunity to interview Ed over the years, we talked a lot about the personal connections that readers form with a creator’s work. Now he’s not here to talk about it anymore switchblade shorts What message do you think he wants readers to get from it? What do you personally hope readers will gain from experiencing this book?
Justin: switchblade shorts This is Ed’s passion project. Looking through his sketchbooks, you can tell this is something he’s been working on for a long time. I think in his mind he saw this as a more leisurely project, just exploring his art and having fun doing it. If you listen to his narration on Instagram, you can tell he really enjoys it.
Bobby: This is different from his other works. It’s not that he doesn’t enjoy writing about hip-hop or X-Men or red room stuff, but it was just pure fun for him. You can see him having a lot of fun thinking about and playing these characters.
Frost: Obviously. switchblade shorts This is just one part of Ed’s wider creative legacy. What can you share about your family’s plans to preserve and continue to share Ed’s work and stories in the years to come? How do you see his influence in comics continuing to grow?
Justin: We can’t say much yet, but there’s definitely more to come.
Bobby: Yes, we have a lot of different projects going on, but we can’t talk about all of them yet. What we can say is that there will be more meetings and more projects in the future.
Diane: We will never let his name be forgotten.
Bobby: It’s important to remember that Ed is a human being. We don’t want it to get lost in all this. Words matter and can hurt. The takeaway we take from all this is that we all need to be kinder to each other.
FROST: Thank you very much for sharing your experience on this project. It shows how much care and dedication went into the release process. switchblade shorts. I appreciate your time.
The crowdfunding campaign for Switchblade Shorties will begin on September 24th. here.
