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John Cassady, multiple Eisner award-winning comics artist, has passed away at the age of 52.
Said to have been admitted to the ICU at Mount Sinai West Hospital in New York last week, Cassady’s sister, Robin, confirmed on social media yesterday that her “little bro John passed away at 6:51pm Texas time. Please keep me and my mom in your prayers.”
One of the most prominent comics artists of the 21st century, Cassady will be forever remembered for his time as the artist on Astonishing X-Men. Together with writer Joss Whedon, Cassaday’s re-envisioning of the X-Men in a post-New X-Men world from 2004 through to 2008 elevated Astonishing into one of Marvel’s best books at the time, giving X-Fans many incredible moments (especially with Cyclops, who Cassaday did an incredible job of showing just how powerful Scott could be when unleashed, like in his iconic panels of Cyclops leveling a Sentinel in Astonishing X-Men #8), as well as defining a new look for Marvel’s mutants in the mid-aughts. More recently, Cassaday relaunched Marvel’s Star Wars comics line alongside Jason Aaron in January 2015, helping to reshape the then-newly-rebooted Star Wars canon as he helped depict the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.
Cassady’s prolific body of work also includes the likes of Captain America with Jeph Loeb and John Neiy Reiber, co-creating Planetary with Warren Ellis, I Am Legion with Fabien Nury and Desperadoes with Jeff Mariotte. Cassaday’s writing credits include work on Hellboy: Weird Tales, Rocketeer Adventures, Bela Lugosi: Tales from the Grave, Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, Union Jack and X-Men: Alpha Flight. Not just limited to comics, Cassady additionally directed an episode of the sci-fi series, Dollhouse, appeared as an actor in the 2012 horror film House On the Hill, and also served as a concept artist on Zack Snyder’s film adaptation of Watchmen.
Beloved in the industry, Cassady’s death immediately inspired an outpouring of eulogies from some of comic’s top talent, including Mark Waid, Ben Templesmith, Scott Snyder, Declan Shalvey, Charles Soule, Heather Antos, Dean Haspiel, Jimmy Palmiotti, J.H. Williams III, Andy Khouri, and many more writers and fellow artists who were touched not just by Cassaday’s work, but his kindness to the many people he worked with across his time in comics. Check out a few below.
John Cassaday. Oh gosh, this one is hitting hard.
You welcomed me into comics when I was a nobody and new.
You mentored me when I was learning to draw.
You inspired a generation.
May the Force be with you. Always. pic.twitter.com/EYKnMnERUp
— Heather Antos 🔜 FanExpo Edmonton (@HeatherAntos) September 10, 2024
I see the terrible news is out. Rest in peace John.
There’ll never be another John Cassaday. pic.twitter.com/RmPHLiu78o
— 𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵 (@Templesmith) September 10, 2024
Although I never got the chance to know him personally, the impact of John Cassaday's work on myself and the whole industry is indelible. This is a tremendous loss to the comics community. pic.twitter.com/jw9TXk5Z2O
— Scott Snyder (@Ssnyder1835) September 10, 2024
John Cassaday was a once-in-ever talent. I’m so lucky I got to work with him a bit here and there.
The worst thing about making it work in a creative field is that you get to know geniuses and then you have to watch them go.
RIP. pic.twitter.com/rKu3E5Eepm
— Charles Soule (@CharlesSoule) September 10, 2024
Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
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