John Cassaday

John Cassaday
Cassaday at a book signing at Midtown Comics in Manhattan
Born	John Mac Cassaday
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Penciller
Notable works	Planetary Astonishing X-Men Captain America
Awards	2006 Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker

John Cassaday is an American comic book artist, writer, and television director, best known for his work on Planetary, Astonishing X-Men, Captain America and Star Wars. He has received multiple Eagle and Eisner Awards and nominations for his work.

Both Marvel Comics and DC Comics include many of Cassaday's iconic images in their marketing, and in their art and poster book collections. Marvel Comics-based animated films have made extensive use of his art.

A self-taught illustrator, Cassaday attended film school and directed TV news for five years. He spent one summer working a construction job while working on his portfolio.

In 1995, Cassaday's first published work appeared in Caliber Comics Negative Burn. Other early work includes Flowers on the Razorwire #5-6 (1995), and No Profit for the Wise (1996).

He showed his portfolio to popular comic book writer and editor Mark Waid at San Diego Comic-Con International 1996. Soon after, Cassaday began receiving job offers from bigger publishers. He quit his construction job and left Texas for New York.

In December 1996 he produced art for Dark Horse Comics' Ghost. Within a year, he was hired to be the regular artist on Desperadoes.

In late 1997 was hired by DC and Marvel as artist on the Teen Titans and Flash annuals, X-Men/Alpha Flight, and Union Jack. His work on X-Men made him one of its most popular artists.