John Cassaday was one of the most popular superhero artists of the 21st Century. Through his work drawing (and co-starring) in one of your favorite comic creator's favorite comics with DC's Planetary, to revamping Marvel's X-Men in 2004 with Joss Whedon and then drawing what is for many the definitive modern Captain America, he was at the top of his class. And that's before mentioning he drew Marvel Comics' revamp of the Star Wars comics line, selling over a million copies - in just one issue alone (before even counting the reprints, collected editions, and digital copies sold since).

But for those that worked with Cassaday, he was a better friend - with fellow NYC artist Paul Pope calling him "an oak tree."

John Cassaday died at the age of 52, in New York City. The news was shared by his sister Robin K. Cassaday, saying that the artist/writer was admitted into the ICU over the weekend over unspecified head issues.

Cassaday was born and raised in Texas growing up a comics fan - frequently local shops such as the popular Lone Star Comics chain. In his early years he was a TV news director in local markets, and even moonlighted as a construction worker while he began pitching to draw comics. In 1996 he came to NYC as a fan and a budding comic artist to attend Big Apple Comic Con. When comics writer Mark Waid happened to see his artist's portfolio, he personally brought Cassaday's work to the attention to WildStorm which quickly resulted in his first regular assignment. The artist moved to NYC a year later - a place he has called home ever since.

"I refuse to take any real credit for 'discovering' John Cassaday. I can’t take credit for having functioning eyeballs," Waid wrote Monday. ". But we were friends forevermore after that, and watching his quick ascension to becoming one of the most gifted, most sought-after comics illustrators of his generation was a blast."

In addition to his comics work, he did concept art for Warner Bros.' Watchmen movie, directed an episode of the live-action Fox series Dollhouse, and drew commercial art for Levi's and Ringling Bros. & Barnum Bailey Circus.

Cassaday's colleagues - both those that knew him personally and those that knew of him - highly respected him. His peers voted him as the 'Best Penciller/Inker' for three years in a row - a record which has stood the test of time, even 20 years on. When DC wanted to do a massive revamp of its seminal 80s crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths to be written by Stan Lee, who did DC call? John Cassaday.

Cassaday had been working the last few years on an original creator-owned series that he had conversations with BOOM! Studios and Humanoids about publishing. Mark Waid calls that comic an "unfinished symphony," but Cassaday leaves behind a treasured body of work along with memories from fans, fellow creators, friends, and family about the impact he had on their lives - and being one of those bright spots in a sometimes messy world.