Aaaaannnndd we're back!
I was lucky enough, a few years ago, to come into a rather large collection of "Adult Fantasy" magazines. Heavy Metal is, of course, the archetype of this form, though it's origins can be traced both in European publishing of the 60s and 70s and in the Warren horror titles of those same decades. In amongst this collection was a near-complete run of Epic Illustrated, a fairly strong competitor for Heavy Metal, at least for a few years.
It's easy to see why. This is a remarkable opening issue. Jim Starlin is telling one of his trademark cosmic tales, but without the constraints of any established continuities. Stan Lee and John Buscema contribute their own version of that tale through the mouths of the Silver Surfer and Galactus. There are big-name artists working here. Arthur Suydam's visceral fantasy art contrasts with Wendy Pini's more whimsical take on that genre. In the middle of the issue is "Lullaby of Bedlam" by Ray Rue, who tells a thoroughly archetypal tale of dream manipulation.
Epic is blessed with a diverse group of very gifted artists in this first issue. Some are new to the industry and some are veterans, but all produce top quality work.
I've read this issue a few times and not blogged it for some reason. Starlin's tale is the one I'm most excited for. I think I may have read ahead in that a few issues, though maybe not. The other revelation for me in this issue, this time around, is the work of Mirco Ilic. The three strips from this magazine, and two from subsequent magazines, can be found here. They're totally worth a read. I read up a litte on Ilic, and it turns out he's a widely respected artist. His comics are genius.
More next week!
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