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Joss Whedon and John Cassaday sign on for second year of Astonishing X-Men

03.15.2005

OFFICIAL MARVEL PRESS RELEASE:

JOSS AND JOHN WILL ASTONISH FOR A SECOND YEAR!

Marvel Comics is thrilled to announce that Dream X-Team Joss Whedon and John Cassaday have signed on for twelve more issues of ASTONISHING X-MEN.

Debuting in Spring 2004, Whedon and Cassaday's ASTONISHING X-MEN became an instant phenomenon, launching to universal critical, fan, and retailer acclaim. The series continues on a blistering pace, with each subsequent issue claiming a spot in the industry's top 5 upon release. Every issue to date has completely sold out, with the first and fourth issues' variant editions easily among the hottest collectibles in the market. December 2004 brought ASTONISHING X-MEN the Wizard magazine honor of "2004 Book of the Year", as well as the Variety accolades of 2004 Best Writer (Joss Whedon), Best Artist (John Cassaday), and Best Superhero Comic.

Marvel produced the ASTONISHING X-MEN VOL. 1: GIFTED TPB in time for the 2004 holiday rush -- months before originally planned, to satiate the overwhelming demand for a collection of the first six-issue arc. That trade paperback was included in TV Guide's annual Holiday Gift Guide for TV lovers, citing the legions of Joss Whedon fans.

Joss Whedon is best known as creator, writer, director and producer of cult favorite TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. A die-hard comic book fan, Whedon hand-picked artist John Cassaday for the illustration chores on ASTONSHING X-MEN. Already a comics star revered for his crisp, detailed renderings on the series Planetary, Cassaday's star went absolutely nova when ASTONISHING hit.

Now well into its second story arc, "Dangerous", fans and retailers have been clamoring for confirmation that Whedon and Cassaday will continue on the title past issue twelve -- Marvel couldn't be happier to confirm that more of the book they love is on the way.

"Joss' initial take on the X-Men was nothing short of sensational. The first ASTONISHING X-MEN series deserved all the success and accolades it received as Joss and John truly established themselves as one of the most impressive creative teams in comics," says Joe Quesada, Editor In Chief, Marvel Comics. "We are incredibly excited to extend our relationship with Joss and it will be fun to watch where he takes the story. As the millions of fans of his Buffy and Angel TV series have known, Joss has a unique expertise in handling large casts of characters. He has already been able to prove to the comic world that when you are bound only by imagination, with no budgets or sets to worry about, he can spin a story as good as anyone in the industry."

The next twelve-issue installment will launch in November 2005 and re-team Whedon with Cassaday. For more details and sneak peeks of Cassaday's astonishing artwork, please check Marvel.com in the coming weeks.

- JOSS WHEDON PANEL @ WONDERCON: FULL REPORT
http://comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=4841

- WONDERCON: WHEDON, CASSADAY EXTEND X-MEN RUN
http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0502/20/

- WONDERCON: 2005 — Whedon and Cassaday announce more Astonishment...
http://www.fanboyplanet.com/derek/mc-2005WonderConWhedon1.php

- WHEDON'S ADVANCE REVIEW OF WONDERCON:
http://whedonesque.com/?comments=6086
"John Cassaday. Doodles a few mutants, thinks he's all that. There's a way to treat fans, John, and Fierce Tarantula Karate technique is not one of them."