In the 1980s Marvel Comics founded a "creator-owned" comics imprint called Epic Comics. The whole purpose of the line was basically to attract fans of indie comics and non-superhero titles (like the then fairly popular Heavy Metal). To motivate writers/artists to produce for the line they were allowed to (usually) own the IPs (a relative rarity at the time). It was essentially a precursor to DC's more famous imprint, Vertigo.
The line was discontinued in the early 90s, but not before producing an absolute treasure trove of cool shit. Outside of hits like Groo, Blueberry, Alien Legion, Akira, and the early issues of Dreadstar (before it went indie), there were several underrated titles, which are honestly too many to mention here.
One of the most obscure ones I've been able to find (so obscure that I only recently became aware that it even existed) is Last of the Dragons, one of the few non-Moebius related titles in the "Epic Graphic Novel" line.
It's basically a simple story of asian fantasy, written by Carl Potts (of Alien Legion and Punisher War Journal fame) and DENNIS O'NEIL of all people! Potts also did the art with inks by Terry Austin and colors by Marie Severin (James R. Novak handled the letters).
Anyway, it's an interesting little piece of 80s Marvel, and well worth reading.
I'm in, is this like Marvel Graphic Novels stuff? lots of good books there
Anthony Adams
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Leo Scott
>is this like Marvel Graphic Novels stuff?
More or less. Except technically published under the Epic Comics imprint. I'd also assume that Carl Potts probably owns this and not Marvel themselves.
Marvel's "Epic" line was the good shit that you know will not survive because it isn't cheap designed-by-committee horseshit. So good.
Julian Lewis
Thank you
Evan Long
I always found Epic Comics to be a better imprint than Vertigo.
Levi Reyes
Bump
Robert Lee
No problem.
Angel Lopez
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Christian Wilson
Glorious.
Samuel James
thanks op
Cameron Sanders
Vertigo has Sandman, Preacher, 100 bullets, y: the last man, Lucifer, Death: The High Cost of Living, Enigma, Black Orchid, the Invisibles, V for Vendetta reprint, American Vampire, Astro City, Sheriff of Babylon, Morrison's Animal Man reprint, The Books of Magic, Daytripper, Doom Patrol, Hellblazer, Scalped, Alan Moore's Swamp Thing reprint, Sweet Tooth, The Unwritten, Prince of Cats, Shade, the Changing Man.
Epic has Illustrated, Akira, Alien Legion, Elfquest, Groo the Wanderer, Moebius stuff, Silver Surfer: Parable.
While Epic did produce a lot of nice comics I think Vertigo still comes out on top. Also Epic put out trouble.
Carson Parker
Totally. Thanks, OP.
Christopher Roberts
last of the bumps
Ethan Lewis
No problem.
Isaiah Phillips
Half those are shit though.
Gavin Edwards
"No"
Gavin Lewis
Epic also did Lawdog, Steelgrip Starkey, Spyke, War Man, Seven Block, Sachs & Violens, The One, Video Jack, Stalkers, Feud, Coyote, Midnight Men, Swords of the Swashbucklers, Sisterhood of Steel, The Everyman, Untamed, Starstruck, Stray Toasters, Memories, Neuromancer, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Car Warriors, Transmutation of Ike Garuda, Crash Ryan, Last of the Dragons, Atomic Age, Strange Combat Tales, The Light and Darkness War, etc.
You're DRAMATICALLY underestimating how much stuff they put out.
Benjamin Gomez
No problem.
Matthew Sanchez
>Epic put out trouble.
That was a revival of the imprint years later, it wasn't the same thing at all.
Epic also put out a lot more books than you listed. I quite liked The Trouble With Girls at the time.
Caleb Gomez
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Zachary Williams
Nice cover.
Zachary Campbell
>Epic put out trouble
That was basically a totally different imprint using the same name.
David Carter
Don't forget the Sleeze Brothers lol!
Gabriel Edwards
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Andrew Cook
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Asher Davis
thanks OP that was neat
Samuel Hall
bump
Isaiah James
No problem.
Leo Martin
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Nathaniel Jones
Speaking of "Asian Fantasy" OP, love me some Dragon Lines
