Humanoids Taps Cassaday; Plus New York Comic Con News

Continuing efforts to expand its editorial catalog, French-owned, Los Angeles based Humanoids has named Eisner Award-winning comics artist John Cassaday its first chief creative officer.

Cassaday will now oversee a fast-growing Humanoids graphic novel publishing program that has expanded beyond the house's specialty, epic science fiction adventure. Over the last two years the publisher has added the Humanoid Kids imprint for young readers imprints, and Life Drawn, a nonfiction line added earlier this year to develop graphic works in the areas of literary memoir and biography.

“This is the first time I’ve taken on an executive role at a company,” said Cassaday. “And that speaks to just how excited I am to be a part of a bold new chapter in their history.

Humanoids will introduce Cassaday and announce a new publishing initiative at its 20th Anniversary in America panel on Friday, October 5, 1:30pm-2:30pm in room 1A02 at the Javits Center. Joining Cassaday on the panel will be senior editor Fabrice Sapolsky and director of sales and marketing Jud Meyers. In addition a number of comics creators will be on hand to answer questions and celebrate 20 years of iconic comics publishing in America.

Cassaday is an acclaimed, multiple Eisner Award-winning comics artist who has worked on such celebrated comics series such as X-Men, Captain America and Planetary. He is also the artist of I Am Legion (written by Fabien Nury), originally published by Humanoids in 2009.

Humanoids CEO and publisher Fabrice Giger described Cassaday as "one of the seminal artists of the comic book industry,” and added that “from now on, he will play a major role in Humanoids original content development.”