John Cassaday is best known for his artwork on Wildstorm's Planetary title and Marvel's ongoing 2004 Astonishing X-Men title. For Star Wars comic fans, John Cassaday is best known as the artist on the first six issues of main Star Wars after Marvel was awarded the license in 2015. In addition to providing the interior artwork, Cassaday provided the standard cover artwork for all six issues.
Cassaday's cover for Star Wars #1 features a silhouette of Darth Vader's head in the background with the main heroes in the foreground. This cover is a homage to the cover for Star Wars #1 published back in 1977.
Star Wars #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015)
The same cover was used for the Five Below Star Wars Special Edition #1.
Five Below Star Wars Special Edition #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (September 2015)
The cover was again used for both versions of Star Wars Previews #1, but this time, smaller cover artwork for Darth Vader #1, Princess Leia #1, and Kanan #1 are inset on the left side of the cover.
Star Wars Previews #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) Lando adStar Wars Previews #1b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) Max Ride: First Flight Preview #1
The premiere variant for Star Wars #1 uses the same art, except half the cover uses gray shading instead of color.
Star Wars #1p - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) Premiere variant
A similar effect is used on the cover for the Color Your Own Star Wars coloring book, but the gray shading is instead replaced with just black and white.
Color Your Own Star Wars a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (October 2016)
The Star Wars Director's Cut #1 has the artwork fade from color into a sketch towards the bottom of the artwork.
Star Wars Director's Cut #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015)
For Star Wars Saga, the heroes from the standard cover are used over a montage of Star Wars covers.
Star Wars Saga a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (December 2019)
Star Wars #1 went back to print six times. Most of the printings use a different solid background color, but the 2nd printing has a starry background while the 4th printing uses the twin suns. The 6th printing has 2 covers with the outer cover being the same as the 1st print, but the interior cover uses green for the background.
Star Wars #1bu - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #1bv - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #1bw - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 4th printStar Wars #1bx - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 5th printStar Wars #1by - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 6th printStar Wars #1bz - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 7th print
Different artwork is provided by John Cassaday for the 1:25 Star Wars #1 teaser variant. Here, Cassaday presents the iconic image of Luke Skywalker peering out at the twin suns of Tatooine. Instead of presenting Luke with his hand on his leg, the image is cropped with large black bands on the top and bottom and the Darth Vader quote "The Force is strong with this one." is used.
Star Wars #1h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) teaser variant
John Cassaday draws Han Solo and Chewbacca hiding in debris from Darth Vader and a battalion of Stormtroopers. In the background are AT-AT and AT-ST vehicles.
Star Wars #2a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015)
There is also a sketch variant of this cover.
Star Wars #2f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) sketch variant
The issue went back to print five more times. All the subsequent printings use a different color background with the 2nd print using stars and the 5th print showing twin suns.
Star Wars #2h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #2i - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #2j - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 4th printStar Wars #2k - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 5th printStar Wars #2l - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 6th print
Star Wars #3 shows Luke Skywalker wielding his lightsaber as he rides a speederbike through a squad of Stormtroopers.
Star Wars #3a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover.
Star Wars #3d - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) sketch variant
This issue was reprinted three times. The 2nd print has a starry background while the 3rd and 4th print use a solid color.
Star Wars #3f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #3g - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #3h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 4th print
Star Wars #4 shows a cloaked character in the foreground near a hovel on Tatooine with a ghostly image of Darth Vader in the background. It is my favorite of the Cassaday covers for Star Wars #1 - 6. The character in the foreground is not drawn with a lot of detail and can be anyone, but it is meant to be Luke Skywalker who wears a similar cloak for the covers of Star Wars #5 and 6. Luke does not actually arrive on Tatooine until issue #5 however and in that issue, he visits Ben Kenobi's house.
Star Wars #4a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover.
Star Wars #4d - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) sketch variant
There is a 2nd printing of this issue and instead of a starry background or a solid color, this reprint uses darker colors for the haze that surrounds Vader.
Star Wars #4j - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) 2nd print
The cover for Star Wars #5 is a typical modern cover which shows a montage of the main three heroes, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. Behind the heroes is a TIE fighter.
Star Wars #5a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover and a 2nd printing with a starry backdrop.
Star Wars #5c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015) sketch variantStar Wars #5e - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015) 2nd print
Luke Skywalker is the focus of the Star Wars #6 cover. Drawn from the perspective of Boba Fett, Luke is drawn brandishing his lightsaber ready to defend himself.
Star Wars #6a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015)
There is no sketch variant of this cover, but there are two more printings. Both printings differentiate themselves by using an alternate color for the image.
Star Wars #6e - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #6f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015) 3rd print
Sadly, John Cassaday passed away on September 9, 2024.
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