Las remeras son épicas.

[Caballero]

Is the word épica used quite often? Is it a calque of the English word "epic"?

[aleCcowaN]

Terms that come into fashion. I've never heard it before but it's OK, nice and it's easily understood. I stick to the old fashioned "son de película" so we can add "son de película ... de terror" as applicable.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Caballero

Is the word épica used quite often? Is it a calque of the English word "epic"?

I don't see why it's a calque, when there is a Latin epicus (adjective) from the Greek epikós (adjective) from épos, song, word. But perhaps there is something fashionable about it in Spanish. I think its a word which has been stolen by teenagers to mean something else, but you'll have to ask one of them.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Something fashionable" is correct, Perikles... some people use the word "épico" lately to describe something fascinating, wonderful, amazing... I suppose they mean it's so fantastic that it will become legendary.

[pinosilano]

Yo no sé si en los países de habla hispana dicen 'mítico' por fascinating, wonderful, amazing. En Italia sí y no quisiera tropezar en un italcaste.

[Caballero]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

"Something fashionable" is correct, Perikles... some people use the word "épico" lately to describe something fascinating, wonderful, amazing... I suppose they mean it's so fantastic that it will become legendary.

Es el mismo en inglés ahora. Es una usaje creo que estaba popularizado por la Red. 5 años antes de hoy no se usa como eso nunca.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Younger people always need to have a display of creativity, even if they just crush vocabulary and language.

Originally Posted by Caballero

Es el lo(1) mismo en inglés ahora. Es una usaje un uso que(2) creo que estaba se ha(3) popularizado(4) por la Red. 5 años antes de hoy(5) no se usa no se habría usado / no se usaba(6) como eso así(7) nunca.

1) You need a pronoun here to talk about the same phenomenon that's happening in English and Spanish.
2) Conjunction "que" is needed to make the link between "uso" and what you think about it.
3) "Estaba" refers to the past, so it would be a contradiction with what you're saying next.
4) "Una" and "estaba popularizado" should match the gender of "uso".
5) Present tense is enough to make clear it's "hoy".
6) "No se usa" is present tense, which doesn't match "5 years ago".
7) Too literal for "like that". "Así" is enough in Spanish.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Younger people always need to have a display of creativity, even if they just crush vocabulary and language. .

Or expressed another way, not many youngsters have learned to speak properly, so they make it up.

[JPablo]

Yup! True.

But just to make sure Caballero gets the full meaning in Spanish, here it is from Moliner,

épico, -a (del lat. «epícus», del gr. «epikós»)
1 adj. Se aplica a la poesía o literatura en que se relatan hazañas o hechos heroicos. Heroico. ¤ También se aplica a los mismos hechos heroicos, así como a las cosas relacionadas con esa literatura: ‘Una lucha [o una resistencia] épica. Estilo [o personaje] épico’. Heroico. Heroísta. Épica, epopeya. Grandioso. ¤ Se aplica a algo digno de recordarse por haber sido realizado con grandes dificultades o padecimientos: ‘Un esfuerzo épico’.
2 (inf.) Aplicado a palabras que significan «escándalo» o cosa parecida, muy grande: ‘Cogió una borrachera épica. Nos echó una bronca épica’. *Tremendo. Homérico.

Probably the second "informal" sense is what then goes into teens jargon and/or slang...

But nowadays, sports events, like the Spanish victory in last year World Cup in the final, was "epic", or the first Rafa Nadal victory in 2008 at Wimbledon, defeating Roger Federer after 5 grueling sets, was "epic" or "epic and a half" as I would say.

On the other hand, in a "pseudo-snob" register, probably "épico" may be used as "epatante" (que "epata") from "epatar".

epatar (del fr. «épater») tr. *Deslumbrar y *achicar a alguien, inconsciente o intencionadamente, con la exhibición de algo propio. El sujeto puede ser también la cosa que deslumbra.

At any rate, I hope this may help, but if any question or different view, always welcome!