by Archie Goodwin (story) and Rich Buckler (art)
from Epic Illustrated (Marvel)
No. 29, April 1985
The striking cover painting for this April, 1985 issue of Epic Illustrated was completed by Steve Hickman in 1982. According to Epic's editor Archie Goodwin, the decision to use the painting for the cover of the April issue was paired with a decision to have an interior comic story accompanying the art.
Hickman was unable to provide the story, so Goodwin hastily put together a plot, and enlisted veteran illustrator Rich Buckler to provide the artwork.
Showing that good things can come from basing a story on art (rather than art on a story), 'A Matter of Vengeance', which features manimals in a sword-and-sorcery setting, was one of the better comics to run in Epic Illustrated. I've posted the story in its entirety below.
[Note that the ink-and-wash technique Buckler used was reproduced poorly in the printed magazine; I've had to tinker with my scans of the pages to bring out the details of his work.]
Beautifully done.
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