In Memoriam: John Cassaday
John Cassaday, an award-winning comic book artist renowned for his transformative work on Planetary and Astonishing X-Men, tragically passed away on September 9 in Manhattan. He was just 52 years old. His partner, Tara A. Martinez, confirmed that he succumbed to cardiac arrest in a hospital.
In a medium often populated by fantastical narratives, Cassaday’s artistry stood out for its striking realism. This was particularly evident in his groundbreaking work on Planetary, a series he co-created with writer Warren Ellis. Mark Waid, a respected comic book editor and writer, reflected on Cassaday’s impact, stating that his contributions to Planetary “rightfully put him on the map.”
In a heartfelt tribute shared in his newsletter following Cassaday’s passing, Ellis recounted the early days of their collaboration on Planetary, which first hit the shelves in 1999. Cassaday expressed a desire to engage in a monthly series but was apprehensive about the repetitiveness of illustrating the same characters in every issue. To his delight, the nature of Planetary allowed him to explore a diverse array of characters and scenarios.
During the inaugural year of the series, Cassaday brought to life a variety of unique figures, including:
- Pulp heroes like Doc Savage
- An island inhabited by monstrous creatures reminiscent of Godzilla
- The ghost of a Chinese police officer who had suffered a tragic fate
- A doppelgänger of Marilyn Monroe, subjected to unsettling government experiments
One of the characters that Cassaday found most enjoyable to illustrate was the Drummer, one of the core investigators of the team, whom he candidly modeled after himself. The series was not only defined by its characters but also by its striking covers, which Cassaday meticulously drew and designed. Each cover resembled a movie poster, with the Planetary logo creatively reimagined for each issue, further enhancing the series’ allure.
