We mourn the passing of CHUTZ-POW! artist Mark Zingarelli

It’s with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of illustrator and regular CHUTZ-POW! contributor Mark Zingarelli, who passed away on April 18 at the age of 72.

Mark, known as “Zing” by his many friends and loved ones, had a stellar vocation as a freelance illustrator. The list of clients during his forty-year career was remarkable: The New Yorker, LA Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Good Housekeeping, Fortune, Vibe, and many others. He was also proud of his work in independent comic strips. It was his professional talent and dependability, as well as his easy-going good nature, which led to him being asked to participate in the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh’s comic-book series CHUTZ-POW! SUPERHEROES OF THE HOLOCAUST.

Beginning in 2014, Mark contributed artwork to all four issues of CHUTZ-POW!, and his impact on the series was felt immediately. His grounded and textured approach to narrative vividly recreated the stories of survivors Les Banos (Volumes One and Two), Judah Samet (Volume Three), and Simone Veil (Volume Four). As one of just three creators involved in every installment of CHUTZ-POW!—the others being his friends writer Wayne Wise and artist M.L.Walker—his handiwork helped to establish an aesthetic of accessible, bold, clear, and dynamic storytelling that’s still keeping the micro-histories of Holocaust survivors alive for new readers.

Our condolences to the Zingarelli family, and our continued thanks for allowing us to share this valued part of Mark’s artistic legacy with our audiences.

May his memory be a blessing.