.


Another that's high on my list, that I go back and re-read frequently is EPIC ILLUSTRATED, that ran for 34 issues from Spring 1980 till Feb 1986.
https://viewcomiconline.com/epic-illustrated-issue-1/


From the very first issue, I was just blown away by the assembly of talent, From "Metamorphosis Odyssey" by Starlin, to "Almuric" by Tim Conrad, to "Elric" by Craig Russell, "Dr. Watchstop" by Ken Macklin, to Wakelin, Steacy, Chaykin, Gulacy, Jusko, Saenz, Moreno, and so many others.
I've said many times that this is one of the best representations of the field of comic book art, and that is equally true 40 years later.

[Linked Image from milehighcomics.com]

I liked material in HEAVY METAL, but I was always put off by the cynical attitude of that magazine, it never spoke to me as much as EPIC did.

The downfall of EPIC ILLUSTRATED was when they began the Epic Comics line, and other publishers of creator-owned new series such as Pacific Comics, Eclipse, First, Comico and others, that made it harder to find the exceptional material that made EPIC stand out in the earlier part of its run. As the years progressed, Marvel's graphic novel line also drained some good material away from EPIC. It began to be more of a struggle in the later issues to fill EPIC magazine with material that was truly "epic", at least with the same high ratio of great material as earlier issues. Although Tim Conrad's "Toadswart" series, and Macklin's "Dr. Watchstop", to name two, gave the magazine a few regular solid art triumphs right up till almost the last issue. But other material in the book became more hit-and-miss.

But man... those early first 12 or so issues, I just couldn't set the magazine down after I finished reading each issue.
I'd just keep re-reading it over again, there was so much gorgeous work.