The Epic Collection is an ongoing line of color trade paperbacks that republish Marvel comics in a uniform trade dress. Announced in April 2013, their stated intention was to collect entire runs of characters or titles as "big fat collections with the best price we can maintain",[1] in similar manner to the discontinued black-and-white Essential Marvel.[2]
The series is published out of order, though have a completist goal. Marvel's Senior Vice President of Sales David Gabriel said: "When all is said and done, the Epic volumes will fit seamlessly next to one another on readers' bookshelves, presenting a complete and unbroken run of each title."[3]
The original announcement consisted of six titles at the pace of one volume a month, with Gabriel adding: "Marvel's most storied titles — including Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Thor — are going Epic."
The first book, The Enemy Within, Iron Man's 10th numbered volume, was released in September 2013,[4] with Thor's 16th volume, War Of The Pantheons out in October.[5]
From those initial six releases, the Epic Collection now has more than 50 lines, including licensed books, such Alien, Star Wars, Micronauts and ROM - Spaceknight.
The rate of publication has increased since launch, with 29 Epic Collections released in 2014, the first full year of print. There were 45 in 2019, and 87 in 2024, including reprints. With the escalated rate, two sub-imprints launched in 2023 and 2025 respectively. The Modern Era Epic Collection covers more recent comic runs, and the Ultimate Epic Collection is for the 2000's Ultimate Universe.
DC Comics launched a similar line - DC Finest - in 2024, which it described as "affordably priced, large-size paperback collections" providing "a new line of comprehensive collections of the most in-demand periods, genres, and characters from across DC history".[6]
- ^ "Marvel Announces "Epic Collection" Graphic Novel Format". Comic Book Resources. April 15, 2013. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024.
- ^ "Marvel Comics unveils full-colour 'Epic' collections". Digital Spy. April 16, 2013. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024.
- ^ John Rhett Thomas (15 April 2013). "Spotlight with Marvel's SVP of sales David Gabriel". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 29 Sep 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ "IRON MAN EPIC COLLECTION TP ENEMY WITHIN". Previews World. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "THOR EPIC COLLECTION TP WAR OF PANTHEONS". Previews World. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "DC Announces Absolute Power, DC Finest Line of Graphic Collections". 2024-02-22.