Stephen "Steve" Epting is an American comics artist. He is best known for his work on The Avengers and Captain America for Marvel Comics.

Steve Epting
Epting at the 2015 WonderCon in
Anaheim, California
BornStephen Epting
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Penciller

Early life

edit

Epting's influences include Alex Raymond, Stan Drake, Jim Holdaway, Joe Kubert, John Buscema, Al Williamson, and José Luis García-López.[1]

Epting received a BFA in graphic design from the University of South Carolina.[2]

Career

edit

In 1989, Epting read of a contest being conducted by independent comic book publisher First Comics, with the winner's story to be published by the company. Although the contest did not actually exist, First declared Epting one of the "winners" and he began drawing for the company.[3] His assignments for First included backup stories for Nexus, guest-artist duties on Dreadstar and Whisper, and two miniseries starring Nexus supporting character Judah Maccabee: Hammer of God and Hammer of God: Sword of Justice.[4]

 
Epting's cover for The Avengers #345 (March 1992)

By early 1991, First Comics had gone out of business, and Epting was sending submissions to other comics publishers. He found work at Marvel Comics. Originally assigned to draw half the issues in a six–part biweekly The Avengers story arc, Epting drew five of the six issues (#335–339). Shortly thereafter, he became the full-time penciler on the series with issue #341 (Nov. 1991).[4] Working closely with writer Bob Harras and inker/colorist Tom Palmer, Epting crafted several Avengers adventures. The creative team introduced a new version of the Swordsman character in issue #343[5] and worked on the "Operation: Galactic Storm" crossover storyline. His stint on The Avengers ended with issue #375 (June 1994).[4]

After leaving The Avengers in 1994, Epting spent the next few years working on Marvel's franchise of X-Men titles including the "Age of Apocalypse" crossover[6] and Factor-X, the alternate timeline counterparts of X-Factor.[7] He had a run on the X-Factor ongoing series, but mostly concentrated on annuals, specials, and mini-series. These included X-Men '97, Bishop: X.S.E., and the Marvel Comics/Image Comics cross-over Team X/Team 7. In 1998, Epting collaborated with writer Roger Stern on a story starring Marvel's World War II heroes, The Invaders. It was serialized in the first three issues of the Marvel Universe anthology title and was inked by Al Williamson.[4]

In 1999, Epting moved to DC Comics. He was the main artist on the Superman series as well as on Aquaman, where he was teamed up with writer Dan Jurgens. Their work on Aquaman began with issue #63 and ran until issue #75.[4]

In 2001, Epting returned to Marvel's Avengers for two issues (#36 and #37), which had been relaunched three years earlier with writer Kurt Busiek. Most of his work during the early 2000s was for the independent comics publisher, CrossGen. Epting drew issues #1–25 of Crux, a fantasy-adventure book co-created with writer Mark Waid. Epting's next CrossGen project, El Cazador, was an historical adventure centering on a female pirate, it was cancelled after only six issues.[4]

In 2004, Epting returned to Marvel as one of the artists on the Ultimate Nightmare limited series.[8] In January 2005, Epting teamed with writer Ed Brubaker to relaunch Captain America.[9] Brubaker and Epting produced the storyline in which Captain America was assassinated[10] and replaced by his former sidekick Bucky Barnes.[11] The creative team later collaborated on The Marvels Project an eight issue limited series.[4]

In November 2010, Epting began as the artist on Marvel Comics' flagship title, Fantastic Four. Beginning in issue #583 through #587, Epting illustrated writer Jonathan Hickman's story "Three", in which Johnny Storm died. Epting was the artist on the Marvel Comics series, FF.[12][13][14][15]

Epting and Ed Brubaker launched Velvet, an espionage series, for Image Comics in October 2013.[16][17] Epting collaborated with writer Marguerite Bennett on a new Batwoman series for DC Comics in 2017.[18] He drew the Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen limited series[19] which included an early appearance of the Punchline character in issue #3 (April 2020).[20]

Bibliography

edit

CrossGen

edit
  • Crux #1–10, 12–16, 18–20, 22–25 (2001–2003)
  • El Cazador #1–6 (2003–2004)

DC Comics

edit

First Comics

edit

Image Comics

edit

Marvel Comics

edit

TKO Studios

edit
  • Sara #1-6 (2018)

References

edit
  1. ^ Kelly, Rob (2009). "Aquaman Shrine Interview with Steve Epting". The Aquaman Shrine. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  2. ^ "Steve Epting". Lambiek Comiclopedia. January 14, 2011. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  3. ^ Cronin, Brian (June 21, 2007). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #108". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Steve Epting at the Grand Comics Database
  5. ^ Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1990s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 258. ISBN 978-0756641238. Written by Bob Harras with pencils by Steve Epting, the Avengers faced the menace of a mysterious man calling himself the Swordsman, the second one to do so. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 272: "The story began in [the] X-Men Alpha special by writers Scott Lobdell and Mark Waid and pencillers Roger Cruz and Steve Epting."
  7. ^ Manning "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 273: "One-eyed prelate Scott Summers rebelled against his master Apocalypse...in this four-issue miniseries by writer John Francis Moore and artists Steve Epting and Terry Dodson.
  8. ^ Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 323: "Ultimate Nightmare was a five-issue limited series by writer Warren Ellis and artists Trevor Hairsine and Steve Epting, which teamed the Ultimates with the X-Men."
  9. ^ Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 325: "When acclaimed writer Ed Brubaker made the switch from DC to Marvel, he brought with him yet another relaunch for Steve Rogers. A critical and financial hit, this new Captain America series featured the art of realistic draftsman Steve Epting."
  10. ^ Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 335: "Surprising an unsuspecting fan base who thought the worst was over for Steve Rogers, Captain America's death captured worldwide media attention."
  11. ^ Manning "2000s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 340: "Former sidekick Bucky Barnes donned a new costume designed by superstar painter Alex Ross in this second act of writer Ed Brubaker's and penciller Steve Epting's epic storyline."
  12. ^ Ching, Albert (January 25, 2011). "Associated Press Spoils Fantastic Four #587 Hours Before Comic Goes on Sale". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013.
  13. ^ Ching, Albert (January 25, 2011). "Hickman Details Fantastic Four #587's Big Character Death". Newsarama. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013.
  14. ^ Moore, Matt (January 25, 2011). "After Half Century, It's 1 Fantastic's Farewell". Associated Press via The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015.
  15. ^ Khouri, Andy (February 9, 2011). "Fantastic Four Get a New Name, New Costumes and an Old Spider-Man". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013.
  16. ^ Johnston, Rich (October 21, 2013). "Preview: Ed Brubaker And Steve Epting's Velvet #1". BleedingCool.com. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  17. ^ Parker, John (October 23, 2013). "Brubaker and Epting's Velvet: The Super-Spy Done Right". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  18. ^ Couch, Aaron (October 6, 2016). "Batwoman to Get New Ongoing Comic Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. DC Entertainment is launching a new monthly series starring Kate Kane (Batwoman) from writer Marguerite Bennett and artist Steve Epting.
  19. ^ "Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #3". Comic Book Ressources. February 22, 2020. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020.
  20. ^ McGuire, Liam (February 26, 2020). "Joker's New Girlfriend Punchline is Already a DC Superstar". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020.
edit
Preceded by The Avengers penciller
1991–1994
Succeeded by
Preceded by
n/a
Captain America vol. 5 penciller
2005–2009
Succeeded by