artist John Cassady He died on Monday at the age of 52.
I’ll let someone else write the obituary here. John and I were good friends when I was working in DC wayyyyy…and still are good friends afterwards, but that doesn’t always happen. But everyone was good friends with John. Sure, he’s handsome and charming, but he’s also humble, kind, smart, easy-going, and a good friend worth having. We’d talk about good movies, old illustrators, comic books. We both love pulp, old-school comics and stories, and that love of pulp has always seeped into his work, but we’ve leveled up as we study the great illustrators.
He is a very great comic book artist. His most famous work is Planetaryco-written with Warren Ellis, colors by Laura (DePuy) Martin. The three of them have created something creepy, exciting, and larger than life, even as it mines the ore of our pop culture fantasies and nightmares. It was made when intrigue was fun and cool rather than getting in the way of everyday life.
Cassady’s art is the perfect vehicle for this story. He had an amazing sense of design and painted figures that were larger than human and could make the ordinary seem mysterious. If you haven’t figured it out yet, he’s the model for The Drummer.
When Planets ended its long and winding run, Cassady had two more near-perfect runs: a six-issue mini-run of Captain America, Johnnie Leiber 2002 (as well as several other installments in Captain America) and Astonishing X-Men 1-24 Joss Whedon 2004 to 2008. The latter is another epoch-making work.
There were many other tributes, many heartbreaking. I’m too sad to collect them right now, but Mark Waid tells the best story:
My dear friend John Cassady passed away today at the age of 52, and I miss him already.
I believe I met John in 1996 – Google won’t give up the secret of the specific year New York City Comic Con was held at Madison Square Garden. John was pleasant, he was courteous and courteous, and when he showed me his portfolio I also knew he was very talented for a newcomer. The next morning I was having breakfast with writer Jeff Marriott, and he mentioned that he was looking for an illustrator for his next series, Outlaws. Oh my god, was he the right person to say that, because all I had in mind was artists.
I refuse to take any real credit for “discovering” John Cassady other than that accidental recommendation. I don’t get credit for having normal eyeballs. But we’ve been friends forever since then, and it’s been awesome watching him quickly become one of the most talented and popular comic illustrators of his generation. John had memorable roles in both “X-Men” and his favorite character, “Captain America,” but it was “Planet” that made his name. He was meticulous and wouldn’t hand over a single piece of art unless he was worried sick, and as his brief publisher at Humanoids I got a huge, now melancholic look at some of his best gorgeous pages fun.
Generally speaking, men in comics don’t exactly have the looks of leading men, but John does. Ask anyone. His handsome appearance, charming demeanor, and perfect combination of confidence and modesty made him loved by many, many ladies when he was young. many. Effortlessly. Walking into a room of women with John is a reminder that the rest of us really, really need to work on our game. My favorite memory with John is that he and I and a bunch of other comics were standing at a big convention bar party when actor Michael Rosenbaum walked in. All looked at Rosenbaum. It’s like dropping a magnet into a box of iron filings. Instead, every guy in the bar who’s been on a date is suddenly holding two drinks. Amid the commotion, I looked at John calmly and said, “Now you know how we feel.”
I will say without hesitation or fear of disagreement that John Cassady is one of the best illustrators and storytellers the comics industry has ever produced. Like Neal Adams, Jim Steranko or Michael Golden, he is a touchstone and a reference point for countless artists whose work has been influenced by him. Most people are lucky if a dozen people are still talking about them a month after their death. My friend John will be talked about and remembered by the entire industry for many years to come. This is a given. Rest in peace sir.
John is survived by his mother, sister and partner Tara and is mourned by the entire comics community and his many fans and readers. My condolences to all who loved him.
