Epic Illustrated #20

Marvel's Epic Illustrated was one of the boldest anthology magazines of 1983, and this October issue delivers a striking cover by Stephen Hickman: a lone, horned sorceress-like figure stands defiantly atop a rise, clutching a lyre and a skull-tipped staff, while massive, hulking creatures loom and crouch in the murky, torch-lit surroundings beneath a stormy crimson sky. Inside, the magazine promises the conclusion of "Last of the Dragons" alongside the launch of a dramatic new series, "The Sacred and the Profane," plus Dean Motter and Ken Steacy's "Inventio: Chapter I: Figures of Menace." It's a rich, atmospheric package that showcases exactly why Epic Illustrated earned its place as a showcase for serious fantasy and science-fiction storytelling.