Adventurer, today we step back to a moment when Marvel dared to push beyond the boundaries of traditional comics - and straight into the realm of lavish illustration, mature fantasy, and creator-driven experimentation.
In Spring 1980, Marvel launched Epic Illustrated, a magazine that promised something different: short stories, painterly art, science fiction and fantasy unbound by capes or continuity. It arrived with a thunderclap - fronted by a towering cover from Frank Frazetta - and filled with work by some of the most imaginative creators of the era.
Join Rediscovered Realms as we flip through this premiere issue, sampling its worlds, visions, and voices - some familiar, some forgotten, all wonderfully epic.
🍻 A Note from the Innkeeper
This issue of Epic Illustrated hails from an era when “adult fantasy” meant adult - and a few illustrations include artistic nudity in the tradition of painted fantasy and underground comics.
Nothing overly explicit. Nothing most would consider exploitative. Just a reminder that these realms were forged before modern content warnings - and weren’t afraid of a little mythic skin.
Consider this your friendly tavern sign warning: “Bold Art Ahead.”
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A Bold Experiment in Fantasy, Freedom, and Illustrated Storytelling
Frank Frazetta’s cover doesn’t whisper—it commands. Muscular, mythic, and unapologetically bold, it announces that Epic Illustrated is here to play on a grander canvas.
Adventurer, unfurl the map of comic history and you’ll find a bold crossroads in the spring of 1980 - when Epic Illustrated, a magazine-sized anthology unlike anything Marvel had tried before, burst onto newsstands.
Conceived as a bridge between illustrated fantasy, science fiction, and mature storytelling, Epic Illustrated offered creators freedom from the rigid Comics Code and allowed them to retain ownership of their material - an almost revolutionary idea at the time.
The magazine, running from 1980 through 1986 and spanning 34 issues, showcased a dazzling array of art and narrative styles, from lavish painted covers by legends like Frank Frazetta, Clyde Caldwell, Richard Corben, The Brothers Hildebrandt, Boris Vallejo, Jeff Jones, Michael Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith, John Buscema, Frank Brunner, Stephen Hickman to serialized epics and short-form tales by both established and cutting-edge talents.
More than just a comic, it was Marvel’s experiment in expansive storytelling - where science fiction rubbed shoulders with mythic fantasy, where creators and readers alike ventured further beyond the familiar superhero skyline.
What makes this premiere issue special isn’t just the creators — it’s the intent. Epic Illustrated captures a moment when fantasy, science fiction, and comics briefly aligned around ambition, experimentation, and unapologetic imagination.
It may not have lasted forever, but for a time, it burned brightly.
From cosmic epics to psychological fantasy, this issue samples a wide spectrum of tone and style, including work by John Buscema, Rudy Nebres, Bob Larkin, Arthur Suydam, Wendi Pini,James Starlin, Ray Rue, and others pushing comics into stranger, richer territory.
With a mission statement penned by Stan Lee, Epic Illustrated positions itself as something more than a magazine - an experiment in what illustrated storytelling and imaginative fiction could become.
“Here at EPIC we are the gatherers of the dreams. No concept is too far-out. There are no caveats, no taboos, no prohibitions or restrictions which our artists and writers need observe, just as there are no such limitations to what the human brain can conceive.” - Stan Lee from his editorial of EPIC ILLUSTRATED
The letters and comments section obviously couldn’t have anything for the premier issue, so Marvel reached out to some Sci-Fi and fantasy big names in the industry to get their take.
Take a peek at the encouragement and insight from creators such as Ray Bradbury and Neil Adams - a reminder of just how much hope and excitement surrounded this launch.
And now, let’s begin our visual journey . . .
A Visual Journey Through Marvel’s Epic Illustrated Premiere
A sampling of a really excellent origin story of The Silver Surfer that would continue throughout the Epic Illustrated Series.
Here’s the complete story of “Homespun” by Wendi Pini that to me captures a bit of the essence of the original fairy tales.
Here’s a portion from “Aware”, where the characters face an existential crisis . . . while being illustrated.
“Metamorphosis Odyssey” is in 3 parts throughout the magazine - all with amazing black and white illustrations:
Here’s a few excerpts from “Lullabye of Bedlam”, an urban fantasy with lush artwork and a mind-bending journey:
This guy totally reminded me of Lo Pan from Big Trouble in Little China (1987)!
A special preview of the fantasy adventure novel, “Elfspire”. This is just the 1st page in the 4-page illustrated preview.
Elfspire Mystery
I’ve never heard of or read this book, but when researching it, found that it may (or may not) have ever been published!
There is little to nothing about it online, but there seems to be an ISBN.
From amazon.au:
And a sequel from amazon.co.uk:
There was an old Starlog article about it (image credit: Eric Kniffin):
But I dare you to find this book anywhere, or even an image of its cover.
Here’s the opening spread for “Convert”:
Another spread from a later part of “Metamorphosis Odyssey”:
And a short sci-fi story, “Detour” - all contained within this 2-page spread:
Here’s the complete 3-page story, “Topaz”. I’m not sure I really get the point of the story, but that’s probably because I kept getting distracted by a couple of things:
Here’s the promotion page for issue #2 of Epic Illustrated:
And finally, a behind the scenes editorial about some of the artists and writers:
Flipping through this issue feels like opening a timeworn artist’s portfolio at the exact moment comics decided to grow up - pages heavy with ambition, voices unafraid to roam, and art that insists you slow down and truly look.
That’s the magic of Rediscovered Relics like this one: reminders that Imagination has always pushed against the edges of what’s allowed, expected, or safe - and sometimes, that’s exactly where the most interesting worlds are found.
Until next time, keep your torch lit, your curiosity sharp, and your imagination gloriously untamed, Bold Adventurer.
💬 Tavern Chatter
Were you aware of Epic Illustrated before - or is this your first glimpse into these realms?
Does this feel more like a comic, an art book, or something in-between to you?
Were there any stories we sampled that you would like to see in their entirety?
Is the artwork in Epic Illustrated too spicy for your fantasy tastes?
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Liked this edition about Epic Illustrated? Then you’ll love these other Marvel old school gems:
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Metamorphosis Odyssey became Dreadstar which I believe was the flagship of the EPIC Comics line of graphic novels for Marvel.
I had every issue (plus most of Heavy Metal as well). Always loved this type of stuff. Thanks for the Memory Lane adventure!