Marvel comic book artist Ed Piskor, 41, dies by suspected suicide after penning lengthy letter blaming 'internet bullies' for his death - a week after being accused of 'grooming' a 17-year-old girl

A cult cartoonist who worked for Marvel Comics has died after penning a heartbreaking letter on social media saying he was 'murdered' by online trolls.

Award-winning comic book artist Ed Piskor, who gained a massive following for his graphic novels and work on Marvel's X-Men: Grand Design, died on Monday at the age of 41, his family confirmed. 

A cause of death was not given, however, hours earlier the Pennsylvania native took to Facebook to share what appears to be a suicide note, condemning internet bullies and cancel culture in a 2,497-word farewell. 

The tragic post came days after allegations that Piskor had sent sexual messages to a 17-year-old girl swept the internet, and saw him lose a $75,000 webcomic deal, while his upcoming art exhibition at Pittsburgh Cultural Trust was postponed. 

Defiant Piskor, 41, denied anything sinister had happened, slammed his internet accusers – and said they had his death on their hands.

'I was murdered by Internet bullies. Massive amounts of them,' he wrote in his final paragraphs. 

Comic book artist Ed Piskor, 41, died on Monday of an apparent suicide, a week after he was accused of 'grooming' a 17-year-old girl 

Piskor was known for his historical comics, Hip Hop Family Tree, and his work on X-Men: Grand Design 

Hours before his family confirmed his passing, Piskor shared an anguished letter on Facebook bidding farewell and blaming Internet bullies for his death 

'Some of you out there absolutely contributed to my death as you were entertaining yourself with gossip.

'I wasn't AI. I was a real human being. You chipped little bits of my self-esteem away all week until I was vaporized.

'Maybe I'll be able to haunt you dorks as a ghost. I come from Gypsy heritage and I'm definitely cursing a lot of you.

'This is the calmest I've felt all week. It's over for me. I'm sorry for the hurt it'll cause my family and closest buds. 

'I hope it makes people think twice when joining an internet feeding frenzy. There you have it. Control freak 'til the last. Peace out,' he concluded. 

The April 1 message sparked a frenzy of friends posting on his timeline, some saying they were heading to his house in Homestead, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

None confirmed he had been found dead. 

But shortly afterwards, Piskor's sister Justine Cleaves confirmed the tragic news on Facebook saying: 'It is with the most broken heart that I share my big brother, Ed, has passed away today. Please keep our family in your prayers as this is the hardest thing we've ever had to go through.'

DailyMail.com reached out to his parents, who asked that their privacy be respected at this tragic time.

Piskor's accuser, also a cartoonist, claimed online that she was being groomed by Piskor during Covid in 2020 when she was 17. 

She shared one message she alleged was from him that said, 'Naughty girl! That's my favorite', in a comment on her own work.

He also allegedly wrote: 'I feel like you'd be a good partner in crime. You're not a snitch are you? If we robbed some banks you wouldn't rat me out would you?'

After the girl made the claims, other accusers came forward online.

Piskor's family confirmed his death in a Facebook post shared hours after he published his heartbreaking letter but did not reveal how he died 

Piskor began his letter by apologizing for 'being so stupid', but maintaining his innocence

The cartoonist went on to say that he has 'no friends in this life any longer' and is a 'disappointment to everybody who liked me' 

Piskor, was best known for his Marvel work, his graphic novels such as Hip-Hop Family Tree and also being the co-host of successful YouTube commentary channel Cartoonist Kayfabe with comic book creator Jim Rugg.

He also developed horror comic Red Room, a series of stories ironically focusing on the worst characters online and subtitled The Antisocial Network.

But after the allegations surfaced, Kayfabe co-host Rugg posted on Instagram that he had ended his working relationship with his colleague.

Piskor's family have not revealed how he died.

Allegheny Medical Examiner's Office, which covers Pittsburgh, told DailyMail.com it did not have a record of his death in the county.

The comic creator began his suicide note by proclaiming his innocence and cryptically naming his accuser, writing: 'I'm so sorry for being so stupid. I definitely should never have talked with Molly D.

'The language and optics look real dumb at best but I promise my innocence. Especially out of context it looks terrible. It was the height of Covid with no end in sight and I was alone through most of it.

'I was just happy to have the internet to talk to people with common interests. The way that I noticed her was when she would like a bunch of my picture at once.'

He admitted: I definitely shouldn't have chatted with her when I found out how young she was…. 

'Curiosity killed the cartoonist. There was no way I'd have a 17 yr old stay at my place. Maybe not 18 even. 

'I was forward projecting to some unknown future where Covid lockdowns were finished and we could see people again.

Defiant Piskor - pictured with a fan at a comic book convention - denied anything sinister had happened, slammed his internet accusers – and said they had his death on their hands

The comic book artist was known for his work on Marvel's X-Men: Grand Design, and Hip Hop Family Tree

'And it wasn't even with sex in mind but simply saying that there's a bed here to crash like the kindness that was given to me a bunch of times when I was starting out.

'When I asked if she could keep a secret it was because I was sharing some Red Room pages before announcing the book and was just trying to sound cool. 

'Tone is missing. When I said 'naughty girl' it was sarcastic after she told me some simple crime or infraction she committed.

'The whole pile of my dms (direct messages) she collected to show is just awful to look at. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to offer professional favors to anybody or use my 'position' (what a joke) to get into anyone's pants… it was just common ground conversation.'

Piskor's anguished missive also takes aim at a journalist on a local media outlet who reported on the messages, saying 'you know what you did to skew your narrative'.

He then referred to another accuser he named as Molly Wright, who reportedly claims he asked for oral sex in exchange for his agent's contact details. 

Piskor admitted in his note that they had sex twice.

'Molly Wright is a conundrum to me and her actions border criminal,' he wrote.

'He said/she said never looks good but none of what she said happened and I can't believe she'd be so malicious and pile on like this.

'Now that I'm officially checked out I think my family has a civil lawsuit and she should be held accountable. She pushed this over the edge into 'multiple women' territory. It's so corny.

'I absolutely never asked for a b***job in trade for anything ever. She successfully made me look stupid and everybody accepted her word as fact.

'Citizens of the internet are playing such dangerous games with people's lives. I never had anyone lined up for an open relationship with her. 

'I never was interested in a relationship with her. We had sex twice and she initiated both times.

He continued: 'The first time was a surprise. When we were done watching a movie or just hanging out (I don't exactly remember the circumstances 4 years ago) she jumped on me and started kissing me, telling me how comfy I made her feel. 

'We quit hanging out during Covid lockdown but kept in touch here and there and I thought things ended naturally.

'My house was burning and she threw gasoline on it. I'm dead. I don't have a reason to lie. Hold Molly Wright accountable, please.'

Piskor described himself as a tormented 'solitary guy' who 'put every ounce of my time and life into my work for around the past 20 years.  

'I never felt satisfied with my skill so I constantly worked really hard and tied it all to my identity and self-worth. Every waking moment was spent working,' he added. 

He said social media was his way of meeting people and he started a three year relationship at the end of Covid with 'someone who taught me true love'.

Piskor continued: 'Now it's all gone. Art show evaporated. Was about to sign a $75k deal for Switchblade Shorties with Abrams, Cartoonist Kayfabe ends with Jimmy's 'shocking revelations' statement (those words hurt). 

'I have no friends in this life any longer. I'm a disappointment to everybody who liked me. I'm a pariah.

'Some good people reached out and tried to help me through this whole thing but I'm just not strong enough.

'The instinctual part of my brain knows that I'm no longer part of the tribe. I'm exiled and banished. 

'I'm giving into my instincts and fighting them at the same time. Self-preservation has lost out… I knew I wasn't going to be able to survive this.'

He reflected on the consequences of taking his life saying: 'Maybe it will get a couple more people to consider not joining online lynch mobs over gossip?'

Piskor directly named people who he said had got their 'pound of flesh' and he claimed that the morning after Molly D posted her 'screencaps' he put together his will and had it notarized 'on Sunday', March 31. 

'How's that for efficiency?'

The cartoonist revealed he had lost a $75,000 webcomic deal as a result of the allegations against him 

The anguished artist  explained he felt ostracized by the claims saying: 'I have no friends in this life any longer. I'm a disappointment to everybody who liked me. I'm a pariah'

The tortured artist apologized to his family, telling his parents Ed Sr, 74, and Diane, 64, to use the will to move into a home without too many stairs: 'Leave whatever you don't use the rest of your lives to my siblings.'

He added poignantly: 'Daddy hit me up this morning and wanted me to come home but it's just too far gone. It was great hearing your voice today also, mama.'

Piskor went into detailed instructions about his intellectual property and how to ensure it created an income for his family. 

He also asked Rugg to keep Cartoonist Kayfabe running 'and share half the loot with my family each year'.

And then he got round to his death, although didn't say where and when it would happen.

His chilling instructions were: 'My phone is fully charged and it's on so I'm sure it can be pinged and tracked by first responders.

'I have a battery pack case so the phone should be on for a few hours at the very least. My phone number: 412-915-4501, license plate: JFA8859. I'm wearing a black hoodie. Maybe a black peacoat, black dickies, terrex continental boots.'

Of his home, he said to his parents: 'Keep the house. It's not too shabby and will bring in a trickle of income each month.'

Beginning his conclusion, Piskor referenced George Orwell's novel 1984, where a totalitarian regime manipulates people into believing anything.

'Once again, I'm guilty of being stupid,' he wrote. 'No doubt. But, that's all. I never thought in a million years that I'd take this step but I also never in a million years thought that something so Orwellian would ever happen to me. 

'Ya never know in this life.'

• If you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)