Weird Science and Weird Fantasy were two EC titles that focused on sci fi and fantasy, and they delivered some pivotal entries in the genre at a time when the industry was going through major changes.
What Is It?
These two titles from EC Comics came out in the 1950s, with Weird Science focusing more on sci fi tales while Weird Fantasy would veer into fantasy and the supernatural at times. Among the writers were Al Feldstein, William Gaines, Otto Binder, and Gardner Fox, and they worked with artists such as Wally Wood, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, and Reed Crandall. The books offered original tales along with adaptations of stories by notable genre authors such as Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, A.E. van Vogt, and Isaac Asimov. The two comics eventually combined into one title, Weird Science-Fantasy, which was later renamed Incredible Science Fiction.
Created by: William Gaines, Al Feldstein
Published: EC Comics
Weird Science
1950-53, 22 Issues
Weird Fantasy
1950-53, 22 Issues
Weird Science-Fantasy
1954-55, 7 Issues
Incredible Science Fiction
1055-56, 4 Issues
Legacy
Weird Science and Weird Fantasy stand as two of the most influential science fiction comic series of all time, helping to define what smart, socially conscious genre storytelling could look like in the early 1950s. They have mostly reverted to cult status these days because of their age and because some will look on these as quaint entries from a past era. But they are important works that certainly made a mark on the industry.
A Closer Look:
EC started out in the 1940s under Max Gaines as Educational Comics, publishing titles like Picture Stories from the Bible, Picture Stories from American History, and Picture Stories from Science. William “Bill” Gaines took over the company in 1947 after his father died, and in 1949 he shifted the focus to horror, suspense, science fiction, military fiction, and crime fiction, turning it into one of the most successful comic book publishers at that time. He brought in good artists and writers and took the approach of respecting his readers by putting out quality publications instead of cheap, throwaway books. He also fostered a relationship with readers through the letters columns and the fan club National EC Fan-Addict Club.
Among the early titles to arrive in this new wave were Weird Science and Weird Fantasy, and they would definitely make their mark on the comics industry. Both titles delivered short, punchy stories built around speculative ideas rather than the superhero romps more common to the prior decade. Weird Science leaned more heavily into technology, space travel, and other science-related elements, while Weird Fantasy often mixed science fiction with allegory, morality tales, and ironic twists. Together, they explored themes not commonly found in comics at that time, such as nuclear anxiety, racism, totalitarianism, environmental collapse, and the dangers of unchecked progress.
What truly set these comics apart was their tone. They treated readers as intelligent participants, willing to engage with unsettling concepts and moral ambiguity. Many stories ended on dark or bittersweet notes, emphasizing consequences over triumph, giving them a more mature tone.
In addition, comic artists such as Wally Wood, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, and Reed Crandall contributed to these books, giving them a look that helped them stand out among the many titles available on the stands at that time. Both books offered original tales while also adapting stories from notable genre authors, giving them more credibility as works of literature (though it would be several decades before these books were recognized for that accomplishment).
EC helped spearhead the move away from superhero comics, which had lost popularity after World War II ended, toward anthology books, and both Weird Science and Weird Fantasy delivered some top-notch sci fi and fantasy tales in comic book format. Both have since been recognized as comic book classics even though they had relatively short runs, and they are still looked upon today as pivotal to the comics industry, helping it to grow up and appeal to a larger audience. They also stand as foundational works of American science fiction, proving that the genre could be provocative, thoughtful, and deeply human, even in comic-book form.
Cancelled Too Soon?
Yes, both titles ended their runs after relatively short spans for several reasons. For one, they never quite sold as well as EC horror comics like Tales from the Crypt and The Vault of Horror, largely because the horror and supernatural tales seemed to fit the format better. EC also ran into problems when Dr. Fredric Wertham went on a crusade against comics, particularly the type of books EC published, claiming that they were harmful to children and led to juvenile delinquency. His book Seduction of the Innocent achieved notoriety and even led to a Congressional hearing questioning the influence comics had over young minds. It was largely hysteria with little in the way of factual links between comics and antisocial behavior, but it led to the self-regulation of the industry under the Comics Code Authority, which loomed over comic books for several decades. Subsequently, companies like EC had to tone down their content to fit within those guidelines.
Weird Science and Weird Fantasy were not as heavily impacted by this as the horror titles, but the shift in the industry, along with lower sales, spelled their end. They combined under the title Weird Science-Fantasy for seven issues, then changed to Incredible Science Fiction for four issues. By that time, EC was pretty much done in the four-color comics arena, and the title came to an end.
The Story Continues
EC Comics had developed a notable reputation in the medium, and they would later get a revival with several deluxe print editions issued in hardback in the 1970s and 1980s (more on those below). They also received multiple reprints and collections throughout the years, all of varying quality and significance. Then in 2024, Oni Press began publishing an all-new EC lineup with original stories and new titles. Cruel Universe picks up where Weird Science and Weird Fantasy left off, while Epitaphs from the Abyss carries on the horror tales started in Tales from the Crypt and other titles. These are not quite at the level of the classic EC titles, but they deliver their moments and can provide a fun break from the many convoluted superhero crossover comics that dominate the stands these days.
Interesting Facts:
Both titles had very odd numbering, and that was related to the postal permits of the time. Weird Science started with issue #12, picking up from the EC title Saddle Romances. It went to issue #15 and then reverted to #5 (with issues #12 to #15 effectively counting as #1 to #4) and continued through issue #22. Weird Fantasy did something similar, picking up with issue #13 from A Moon, A Girl… Romance and going to issue #16 before reverting to issue #5. This allowed the company to maintain mailing permits, distribution agreements, and favorable postal rates from the previous titles. EC eventually changed the number for both books back to Issue #5 to make them feel more like new, ongoing titles. Comic collecting was in its infancy at that time, and first issues were not looked at as important milestones. Instead, publishers wanted to keep the cheaper mailing rates using second-class mailing permits while newsstands and distributors preferred established series with existing numbering.
Mad Magazine was the only EC publication to survive long-term after the four-color comics were cancelled in the 1950s. It started as a comic book in 1952 but changed format to a black-and-white magazine in 1955 so that it would not be regulated by the Comics Code Authority. It is still being published today, though it switched to a different publisher in the 1960s.
The title Weird Science is probably better known to modern audiences from the 1985 John Hughes film and the 1994 TV series that ran for four seasons and 88 episodes. That had to be licensed from the Gaines family, and when HBO wanted to do a sci fi anthology as a companion to its popular Tales from the Crypt, they could not use the Weird Science moniker. The series instead went under the name Perversions of Science and lasted one season (more on that one at CancelledSciFi.com).
Where Can You Read Them?
As mentioned above, the EC Comics were collected into deluxe hardbound editions by Russ Cochran starting in the late 70s, and those covered the vast majority of the EC output. Weird Science and Weird Fantasy had four volumes each in this series while Weird-Science Fantasy and Incredible Science Fiction were combined into two volumes. The comics were reprinted in black and white which some people did not like, but in general, they are beautiful renditions of the originals. Unfortunately, these are out of print and general fetch high prices from third party sellers because they have become quite collectible. The EC Archives collection reprinted the titles in color, and those are available in hardback, trade paperback, and eBook format.
Further Reading
Wikipedia:
Weird Science
Weird Fantasy
