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Legendary Comic Book Artist, John Cassaday, Passes Away at Age 52
Source: Legendary Comic Book Artist, John Cassaday, Passes Away at Age 52John Cassaday, one of the most acclaimed and successful comic book artists of his generation, artist on Astonishing X-Men and co-creator (and artist) of Planetary, has passed away at age 52.
Cassaday was a self-taught artist who attended film school, and worked in telvision news for a while. His first comic book work appeared in 1994 for Hart Fisher's Boneyard Press, and then in a story written by Fisher in Caliber Press' Negative Burn #28 in 1995...
Cassaday began to share his portfolio, and started to receive assignments from bigger publishers, including an issue of Ghost for Dark Horse in 1996.
This led to his biggest comic book assignment yet, as he and Jeff Mariotte created the Western series, Desperadoes, for Wildstorm Comics (then still known as Homage Comics)...
He began to work for DC and Marvel during this period, but in 1998, he was part of a new line of books by Warren Ellis at Wildstorm. Authority by Ellis and Bryan Hitch, and Planetary, about a group of inter-dimensional archaeologists, by Ellis and Cassaday...
Cassaday's style developed during this period, becoming more and more realistic, without losing any of the dynamic nature of his earlier work. Combined with his excellent storytelling skills, he was now one of the top artists working in the entire comic book industry.
He launched a new Captain America series in 2002 for Marvel, with covers inspired by classic pieces of World War II propaganda...
He continued drawing Planetary throughout this time, but it was on a sporadic schedule, as he was working on a number of other projects. His most prominent during this period was launching Astonishing X-Menwith Joss Whedon in 2004....
The series won Cassaday two Eisner Awards for Best Penciler/Inker.
Cassaday drew I Am Legion for Humanoids during this period, as well...
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I’m not normally a fan of modern Marvel, but his run on Astonishing is easily the best X-men run since the ‘96 industry crash IMO.
“I want this thing off my lawn” was a classic moment that should have BEEN adapted in one of the movies.
And that Fastball Special with Wolverine and Colossus
Rest well, John. You earned it
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