Epic Illustrated #1/18 - Collected in 3 volumes - 18 Comic - First edition - 1980

18 issues distributed across three folders – bound
In excellent condition.

These first issues are highly sought after and hard to come by.
All three books (18 issues) will be packed and shipped very carefully. Collection in Waalwijk is also possible.
Epic Illustrated was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. Similar to the US-licensed comic book magazine Heavy Metal, it featured explicit content, unlike the traditional American comic books of that time bound by the restrictive Comics Code Authority; It also offered its writers and artists ownership rights and royalties in place of the industry-standard work for hire contracts. The series lasted 34 issues from Spring 1980 to February 1986.
Publication history
The magazine was initiated under editor Rick Marschall in 1979 under the title Odyssey, and originally set to launch as an issue of Marvel Super Special.[1] After Marschall learned of at least seven other magazines titled Odyssey, the project was renamed Epic Illustrated and launched as a standalone series.[2] Marschall was replaced by editor Archie Goodwin in September 1979, several months before the first issue was published.[3]
Stories, series and format
The anthology featured heroic fiction and genre stories, primarily fantasy and science fiction, in a broad range of styles. Established mainstream-comics talents such as John Buscema, Jim Starlin, John Byrne, and Terry Austin were featured, as well as such independent-press creators as Wendy Pini and The Studio's Jeffrey Jones, Michael Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Bernie Wrightson. Goodwin commissioned stories by many new artists, including Stephen R. Bissette, Pepe Moreno, Jon J Muth, Rick Veitch and Kent Williams.[4] The full-color magazine format allowed for a broader range of color than the traditional three-color printing process, and many of the stories, and all the covers, were painted.[5] Fantasy artists who did not normally work in the comics field, such as Richard Corben, Frank Frazetta, The Brothers Hildebrandt, and Boris Vallejo contributed covers.[6] The contributors to the series retained ownership of their material and were paid royalties.[7]
Epic Illustrated also included an occasional Marvel Comics protagonist, such as the first issue's Silver Surfer story by Stan Lee and John Buscema. Each issue usually featured a main story, a number of regular serials, and anthological shorts.[4]
Writer-penciler John Byrne and inker Terry Austin produced "The Last Galactus Story" as a serial in Epic Illustrated #26-34 (Oct. 1984 - Feb. 1986). Nine of a scheduled 10 installments appeared. Each ran six pages, except part eight, which ran 12.
Cancellation
Due to its expensive nature to the company and low sales, the magazine was canceled with issue #34, leaving the last chapter of "Galactus" unpublished and the story unfinished. Byrne later revealed on his website that the conclusion would have seen a dying Galactus releasing his power, causing a new big bang and transforming his herald Nova into the Galactus of the next universe.[8]

The series included the following artist:



Suydam, Stan Lee, Rudy Nebres, Carl Potts, Ernie Colón, John Buscema, Jim Starlin, Bob Larkin, Leo Durañona, Ray Rue, Wendy Pini, Rick Veitch, Mirko Ilić, Frank Frazetta

:Stephen Hickman
Writer: John Byrne, Kent Williams, Archie Goodwin, Mary Jo Duffy, Phil Hale, Ken Macklin, Rick Veitch, Larry S. Todd, John Lakey, Laura Lakey
Artist: John Byrne, Kent Williams, José Segrelles, Jon Zack, Phil Hale, Ken Macklin, Rick Veitch, Zoran Vanjaka, Mark Bodé, Rich Buckler, John Lakey, Laura Lakey, Steve Hickman

Laura Lakey, Dave Sim, Dean Motter, Terry Austin, Tim Conrad, Rick Geary, Glynis Oliver, 小池桂一, John Lakey, Gerhard, John Byrne, Michael Wm. Kaluta, Ken Steacy
Bill Sienkiewicz

Carol Kimball, Robert Rodi, Gonzalo Mayo, Dan Day, Lela Dowling, Archie Goodwin, Mark Wheatley, Jay Geldhof, Terry Austin, Tim Conrad, Gene Day, Edward Bryant, Glynis Oliver, Bo Hampton, John Byrne

Vicente Alcázar, Samuel R. Delany, Stephen R. Bissette, Roy Thomas, P. Craig Russell, Ernie Colón, Archie Goodwin, Jim Starlin, Howard Chaykin, Tim Conrad, Rick Veitch, Bob Wakelin
Richard Corben

Marc Hempel, Bob Taylor, Roy Thomas, Harlan Ellison, P. Craig Russell, Paul Kirchner, Jim Starlin, Tim Conrad, James Fox, Rick Veitch, Ken Steacy
Michael Wm. Kalut

Bob Aull, Zoran, Stan Dresser, Jan Strnad, Carl Potts, Jim Starlin, Terry Austin, John Bolton, Marie Severin, Denny O'Neil, Graham Marks, Richard Corben, Rick Veitc, Boris vallejo
Doug Moench (Author)
Bill Sienkiewicz
Jeffrey Jones. Vessels of the Past (Chapter VI)--The Sacred & The Profane, script by Dean Motter, art by Ken Steacy. Space Cruiser Yamato article by Jo Duffy. The Potty's Over, script and art by Bernie Wrightson. Mediaview article by Dennis O'Neil. Landmass, script and art by Rick Veitch. Apocrypha, script and art by John Lakey and Laura Lakey. Epic Images illustrated text piece with art by John Bolton, Alan Weiss, Jim Sherman, Jackson Guice, Ron Harris, Tom Yeates, Val Mayerik, Paul Gulacy, Jon Jay Muth, Michael Kaluta, Mike Vosburg.



Roy Thomas, Polly Law, Pepe Moreno, Jim Starlin, Charles Vess, Bill Mantlo, Margaret Gallagher, James Romberger, Tim Conrad, Rick Veitch, Mirko Ilić
GREG Hildebrandt, Tim Hildebrandt

W: Harlan Ellison, Ken Steacy, Rick Veitch, Dennis O’Neil, Leopoldo Durañona, Doug Moench, Archie Goodwin, Mary Jo Duffy, Robert Rodi, Chris Claremont · A: Ken Steacy, Rick Veitch, Leopoldo Durañona, John Buscema, Marie Severin, Steve Oliff, Joe Jusko, John Bolton

Rick Veitch, Mary Jo Duffy, Steadroy Cleghorne, Roger McKenize, Ken Macklin, Charles Vess, Arthur Suydam, Dennis O’Neil, Chris Claremont, Steven Grant, Pepé Moreno, Kaze Shinobu · A: Rick Veitch, Steadroy Cleghorne, Jeff Easley, Ken Macklin, Charles Vess, Arthur Suydam, John Bolton, Pepé Moreno, Kaze Shinobu, Jeff Jones, Bernie Wrightson,
W: Roy Thomas, Marv Wolfman, Stephen R. Bissette, Maurice Horn, Jim Starlin, P. Craig Russell, Steve Swires, Archie Goodwin, Samuel r. Delany, Ernie Colón · A: Tim Conrad, Daina Graziunas, Rick Veitch, Maurice Horn, Jim Starlin, P. Craig Russell, Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin, Bob Wakelin, Ernie Colón
Jim Starlin, Archie Goodwin, Doug Moench, Dennis O’Neil, Mike W. Barr, Bob Wakelin, Paul Kirchner, Bruce Jones · A: P. Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, George Bush, Paul Gulacy, Tim Conrad, Terrance Lindall, Michael Golden, Bob Wakelin, Paul Kirchner, Mike Saenz
W: Roy Kinnard, Bob Aull, Ron Goulart, Ken Steacy, Harlan Ellison, Jim Starlin, Jean Bello, Mary Jo Duffy, Dennis O’Neil, Stephen R. Bissette, Steve Perry, Rick Veitch · A: Mike Saenz, Bob Aull, Phoebe Berry, Ken Steacy, Jim Starlin, Jean Bello, Stephen R. Bissette, Rick Veitch