John Cassaday
Encyclopedia
John Cassaday is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 comic book artist
Comic Book Artist
Comic Book Artist was an American magazine founded by Jon B. Cooke devoted to anecdotal histories of American comic books, with emphasis on comics published since the 1960s...

 and writer, born in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...

 and currently residing in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. He is known for having a high level of precision and realism in his work.

A self-taught illustrator, Cassaday studied filmmaking and directed TV news before leaving Texas to pursue a career in comics. His influences include NC Wyeth, classic pulp magazine
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...

-culture iconography, and popular music.

Career

Cassaday's professional career commenced in 1995
1995 in comics
-January:*After Xavier: The Age of Apocalypse is launched. All X-titles change to different names for the next four months.* Thor marks his 400th appearance in Marvel Comics with issue #482....

 with a story in Caliber Comics
Caliber Comics
Caliber Comics or Caliber Press was an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, in the next decade Caliber published over 1300 comics and ranked as one of the America's leading independent publishers...

' Negative Burn
Negative Burn
Negative Burn is a black-and-white anthology comic book published beginning in 1993 by Caliber Press, and subsequently by Image Comics and Desperado Publishing...

. However, he was not really "discovered" until the following year, when he showed his portfolio to Mark Waid
Mark Waid
Mark Waid is an American comic book writer. He is well known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America...

 at San Diego Comic-Con International; soon after the convention, Cassaday began to receive job offers. In December 1996
1996 in comics
-Year overall:* Malcolm Jones III commits suicide at circa age 37.* Boody Rogers, creator of Sparky Watts, dies at c. age 92-January:* January 19: Bernard Baily, co-creator of The Spectre and Hourman, dies at age 79.* January 28:...

 he began to provide art for Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...

's Ghost
Ghost (Dark Horse comics)
Ghost is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by Dark Horse Comics. The character appeared in specials and monthly titles detailing the "afterlife" of Elisa Cameron and her search for the truth surrounding her apparent death....

. Less than 12 months later, he became the main artist on Desperadoes
Desperadoes
Desperadoes is a Weird West-style comic book series written by Jeff Mariotte. It is currently being published by IDW Publishing.-Publication:Each story arc is a limited series which has been collected in a number of volumes:...

. He started getting work with DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

 and Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

 at the end of 1997
1997 in comics
-January:*Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics*Captain America #3 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #3 - Marvel Comics*Iron Man #3 - Marvel Comics-February:...

, on publications such as theTeen Titans and Flash annuals, X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...

/Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....

, and Union Jack.

He is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed Planetary
Planetary (comics)
Planetary is an American comic book limited series created by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Cassaday published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics...

  with writer Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...

, Astonishing X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez. Daniel...

 with Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

 and Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...

 with John Ney Rieber
John Ney Rieber
John Ney Rieber is an American comic book writer. He has been writing for the comics The Books of Magic, Captain America, G.I. Joe and Tomb Raider.-Bibliography:Comics work includes:*Shadows Fall Issues #1-6...

. The Captain America series was a re-launch under the Marvel Knights banner. Cassaday based the covers on World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 propaganda posters; they were popular with fans and critics alike. He revisited Captain America in 2007, illustrating an issue of Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America is a comic book limited series dealing with various superheroes' reactions to death of Captain America in the Marvel comics universe after the Civil War....

, written by Jeph Loeb
Jeph Loeb
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost, writer for the films Commando and Teen Wolf and was a writer and Co-Executive Producer on the NBC TV show Heroes from its...

. He has also created several covers for comic books featuring The Phantom
The Phantom
The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...

, both for US publisher Moonstone Books
Moonstone Books
Moonstone Books is an American comic book, graphic novel, and prose fiction publisher based in Chicago focused on pulp fiction comic books and prose anthologies as well as horror and western tales....

 and the European Egmont
Egmont Publishing
The Egmont Group is a media corporation founded and rooted in Copenhagen, Denmark. The business area of Egmont has traditionally been magazine publishing but has over the years evolved to comprise media generally....

, as well as covers for Joss Whedon's Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....

 spinoff comic Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind is a 2005 three-issue comic book limited series published by Dark Horse Comics. It was written by Brett Matthews with Joss Whedon credited for story, illustrated by Will Conrad, and colored by Laura Martin....

, and Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper
Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper
Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper is a comic book series from Virgin Comics and film director Guy Ritchie. Warner Brothers has acquired the rights to the series for Silver Pictures to produce and Ritchie to direct.- Credits :...

. Renowned as a perfectionist, Cassaday personally inks his own work manually, it is then often colored by Laura Martin
Laura Martin
Laura DePuy is an award-winning colorist who has produced work for several of the major comics companies, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics and CrossGen.-Career:...

.

From 2004 to 2008, Cassaday illustrated the graphic novel trilogy Je suis légion by Fabien Nury from Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés
Les Humanoïdes Associés is a French publishing house specialising in comics and graphic novels. Founded in December 1974 by Mœbius, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet and Bernard Farkas in order to publish Métal Hurlant, it quickly expanded to include a variety of science fiction work...

. In July 2006, Humanoïdes announced a co-production deal with Pierre Spengler
Pierre Spengler
Pierre Spengler is a French film producer. Among many international hits, he is best known for initiating the first three Superman movies, and producing them with Ilya Salkind.-Overview:...

 which includes a screen adaptation of the trilogy and Cassaday was penciled in to direct the film. The three books were published in eight issues as I Am Legion
I Am Legion
I Am Legion is French comic book series written by Fabien Nury, drawn by John Cassaday and published by Les Humanoïdes Associés, then in English by Humanoids Publishing/DC Comics and later by Humanoids/Devil's Due Productions.-Publication history:The series was originally published by Les...

 by Devil's Due Publishing
Devil's Due Publishing
Devil's Due Publishing is an independent comic book publishers in the United States. Based in Chicago, Illinois, DDP is best known for its wide selection of genres, including licensed and original creator-owned properties that populate its monthly comic book series and graphic novels.Though...

. In 2008, he handled covers and art direction on Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book company that primarily publishes licensed franchises of adaptations of other media. These include adaptations of film properties such as Army of Darkness, Terminator and RoboCop, literary properties such as Zorro, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in...

's The Lone Ranger comic-book series.

At San Diego Comic-Con International (July 2009), it was announced by TV showrunner Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

 that Cassaday would direct an episode in the second season of the series Dollhouse
Dollhouse (TV series)
Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon under Mutant Enemy Productions. It premiered on February 13, 2009, on the Fox network and was officially cancelled on November 11, 2009. The final episode aired on January 29, 2010...

.

Dark Horse

  • Ghost
    Ghost (Dark Horse comics)
    Ghost is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by Dark Horse Comics. The character appeared in specials and monthly titles detailing the "afterlife" of Elisa Cameron and her search for the truth surrounding her apparent death....

     #27 (1996–1997)
  • Hellboy: Weird Tales
    Hellboy: Weird Tales
    Hellboy: Weird Tales is a Dark Horse Comics bimonthly eight-issue comic book limited series that offered a variety of guest writers and artists the chance to give their own take on the Hellboy characters created by Mike Mignola whilst he was in Prague working on the first Hellboy movie...

    , miniseries, #1-8 (among other artists) (2003–04)

DC

  • Just Imagine Stan Lee with John Cassaday creating Crisis (2002)
  • Flash
    Flash (comics)
    The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....

    , vol. 2, Annual #10 (1997)
  • I Am Legion
    I Am Legion
    I Am Legion is French comic book series written by Fabien Nury, drawn by John Cassaday and published by Les Humanoïdes Associés, then in English by Humanoids Publishing/DC Comics and later by Humanoids/Devil's Due Productions.-Publication history:The series was originally published by Les...

    : The Dancing Faun (2004)

  • Planetary
    Planetary (comics)
    Planetary is an American comic book limited series created by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Cassaday published by the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics...

     #1-27 (1999–2009)
  • Planetary, vol. 2, #1-4 (2001–10)
  • Planetary/Batman
    Batman
    Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

    : Night on Earth (2003)
  • Superman/Batman
    Superman/Batman
    Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...

     #26 (among other artists) (2006)
  • Teen Titans Annual #1 (1997)
  • Transmetropolitan
    Transmetropolitan
    Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis with art by Darick Robertson and published by DC Comics. The series was originally part of the short-lived DC Comics imprint Helix, but upon the end of the book's first year the series was moved to the Vertigo imprint as DC...

    : I Hate It Here (among other artists) (2000)

Marvel

  • Astonishing X-Men
    Astonishing X-Men
    Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez. Daniel...

     #1-24, Giant-Sized #1 (2004–2008)
  • Captain America
    Captain America
    Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...

    , vol. 4, #1-6 (2002)
  • Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America
    Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America
    Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America is a comic book limited series dealing with various superheroes' reactions to death of Captain America in the Marvel comics universe after the Civil War....

     (Iron Man
    Iron Man
    Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...

    ) #5 (2007)
  • Ka-Zar
    Ka-Zar
    Ka-Zar is the name of two jungle-dwelling comics fictional characters published in the United States. The first appeared in pulp magazines of the 1930s, and was adapted for his second iteration, as a comic book character for Timely Comics, the 1930s and 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics...

    : Flashback #1 (1997)
  • Secret War
    Secret War (comics)
    Secret War is a five-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics. The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis and painted by Gabriele Dell'Otto...

     from the Files of Nick Fury
    Nick Fury
    Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...

     (among other artists) (2005)
  • Uncanny X-Men
    Uncanny X-Men
    Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...

     #352 (among other artists) (1998)
  • Union Jack
    Union Jack (comics)
    Union Jack is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-James Montgomery Falsworth:The original Union Jack, James Montgomery Falsworth, first appears in comics in The Invaders #7. He was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Frank Robbins. He...

    , miniseries, #1-3 (1998–99)
  • X-Men
    X-Men
    The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...

    /Alpha Flight
    Alpha Flight
    Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....

    , miniseries, #1-2 (1998)

Books and compilations

  • Ghost: Black October, Dark Horse, 1999, ISBN 1-56971-377-4
  • 'Hellboy Weird Tales volumes 1 and 2, Dark Horse, 2003, ISBN 1-56971-622-6, 2004, ISBN 1-56971-953-5
  • Union Jack, tpb, 96 pages, Marvel, 2002, ISBN 0-7851-0934-X
  • Desperadoes: A Moment's Sunlight tpb, 104 pages, DC, 1998, ISBN 1-58240-013-X
  • Desperadoes: Epidemic!, DC, 1999, ISBN B0006RRCHQ

Awards

  • 2000
    2000 in comics
    -February:*Strange Adventures vol. 2, #4, final issue cover-dated February - January :* January 5: Goseki Kojima, co-creator of Lone Wolf and Cub, dies at age 71.* January 6: Mad magazine fixture Don Martin dies at age 68....

    : Nominated for "Best Cover Artist" Eisner Award
    Eisner Award
    The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

     for Planetary
  • 2004
    2004 in comics
    -February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....

    :
    • Won Best Penciller/Inker Eisner Award
      Eisner Award
      The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

       for Planetary and stories in Hellboy: Weird Tales
    • Nominated Favourite Comics Artist: Pencils Eagle Award
      Eagle Awards
      The Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...

  • 2005
    2005 in comics
    - January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....

    : Won Best Penciller/Inker Eisner Award
    Eisner Award
    The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

     for Astonishing X-Men, Planetary, and I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun in a tie with illustrator Frank Quitely
    Frank Quitely
    Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...

  • 2006
    2006 in comics
    -January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...

    :
    • Won Best Penciller/Inker Eisner Award
      Eisner Award
      The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

       for Astonishing X-Men and Planetary
    • Won Best Ongoing Series Eisner Award
      Eisner Award
      The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

       for Astonishing X-Men with Joss Whedon
    • Won Favourite Comics Artist: Pencils Eagle Award
      Eagle Awards
      The Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...

  • 2007
    2007 in comics
    -January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....

    : Won Best Comic-Book Artist in the Spike TV Scream Awards
  • 2008
    2008 in comics
    -January:*January 9: Teen Titans: The Lost Annual, delayed since 2003, is published.*January 23: Hellblazer #240, marking the 20th anniversary of the series, is released.-February:...

    : Nominated for "Best Cover Artist" Eisner Award
    Eisner Award
    The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

     for Astonishing X-Men and Lone Ranger.
  • 2010
    2010 in comics
    -Events:*February 18: Jim Lee and Dan DiDio were announced as the new Co-Publishers of DC Comics, both replacing Paul Levitz.-January:*January 3: Tibet dies at age 78...

    : Nominated for "Best Cover Artist" Eisner Award
    Eisner Award
    The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...

     for Irredeemable and Lone Ranger.

Interviews

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK