John Cassaday was a comic book artist best known for his work with Joss Whedon on “Astonishing X-Men” and as the co-creator of “Planetary.”
- Died: September 9, 2024 (Who else died on September 9?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 52.
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John Cassaday’s legacy
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, John Cassaday worked in television news (and, briefly, construction) while adding to his art portfolio. After a few small but impressive illustration jobs for indie publishers boosted it, that portfolio caught the eye of writer Mark Waid, whose advocacy helped Cassaday land work from bigger creative outlets, such as Dark Horse Comics.
In 1997, he made his debut with both DC Comics and Marvel, working on major characters like The Flash, X-Men, and Teen Titans. His star exploded in 1999 when he co-created “Planetary” with Warren Ellis. The book series’ edgy, politically charged take on superheroes proved influential and won Cassaday two Eisner Awards, along with two other Eisner nominations.
In 2004, “Astonishing X-Men,” penned by “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Firefly” writer Joss Whedon, hit the stands. Cassaday’s art helped put the X-Men back in the spotlight and again earned him multiple Eisners. In 2015, when Marvel revived its “Star Wars” comics, Cassaday was among its featured artists. The comic book was a huge seller, selling nearly a million copies in an era when even top-selling books move just a tenth of that number.
Over the course of his career, Cassaday illustrated a slew of major characters, including Captain America, Superman, Batman, and many others. All told, he earned three Eisner Awards and a further five nominations, along with a number of other honors.
Tributes to John Cassaday
Full obituary: ComicBook.com
