Weird Science
Al Feldstein cover, issue #13 (1950)
Publication information
PublisherEC Comics
ScheduleBimonthly
FormatAnthology
Publication dateMay/June 1950 – November/December 1953
No. of issues22
Creative team
Created byWilliam Gaines
Al Feldstein

Weird Science was an American science fiction comic book magazine that was part of the EC Comics line in the early 1950s. Over a four-year span, the comic ran for 22 issues, ending with the November–December, 1953 issue. Weird Fantasy was a sister title published during the same time frame.

Publication history

Published by Bill Gaines and edited by Al Feldstein, the bi-monthly Weird Science replaced Saddle Romances with the May/June 1950 issue.[1] Although the title and format change took effect with issue 12, Gaines and Feldstein decided not to restart the numbering in order to save money on second class postage. The Post Office took note and, starting with issue #5, all the issues were numbered correctly. Because of this, Weird Science #12 could refer to either the May/June 1950 issue, or the actual 12th issue published in 1952. The same confusion exists for issues #13-15, #15 being the last issue published before EC reset the numbering.

Artist/Writer Harry Harrison claims credit for originally giving Gaines the notion of publishing science fiction.[2] Harrison has stated that he and artist Wally Wood were interested in science fiction and gave Gaines science fiction stories to read.[3] Harrison, however, had no editorial control over the contents of the comic aside from his own stories and left EC by the end of 1950.

Artists and writers

Early cover illustrations were by Feldstein. Wood, the title's leading artist, took over as the regular cover illustrator in 1952. For a period of time in 1952, Wood drew two stories per issue. The other Weird Science interior artists were Feldstein, Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, George Evans, Harvey Kurtzman, George Roussos, Harrison, Will Elder, Jack Kamen, Sid Check and Jack Olesen. Writers in the early issues included Feldstein, Gaines, Kurtzman, Harrison and Gardner Fox. Gaines and Feldstein wrote nearly all stories from 1951 to 1953.[4]

Stories and themes

As with other EC Comics, Gaines and Feldstein used some Weird Science stories to teach moral lessons.[5] "The Probers" (#8) features a space shuttle doctor who pays no mind to dissecting various animals, only to end up on an alien planet where aliens plan to dissect him. In "The Worm Turns" (#11) astronauts have fun with Mexican jumping beans but face a similar situation when they hide in a piece of fruit on an alien world and are found by a giant alien. "He Walked Among Us" (#13) was a take on organized religion in which a Christ-like astronaut helps the impoverished populace of an alien world but is killed by those in power, prompting the birth of a religion.[6]

Gaines and Feldstein made cameo appearances in "Chewed Out" (#12), and other EC staffers were drawn into "EC Confidential" (#21).

Influences and adaptations

As with the other EC comics edited by Feldstein, the stories in this comic were primarily based on Gaines reading a large number of science fiction stories and using them to develop "springboards" from which he and Feldstein could launch new stories. Specific story influences that have been identified include the following:

  • "Lost in the Microcosm" (issue 12 [1950]) - Henry Hasse's "He Who Shrank"
  • "The Micro Race" (issue 13 [1950]) - Theodore Sturgeon's "Microcosmic God"
  • "The Sounds from Another World" (issue 14 [1950]) - Roald Dahl's "The Sound Machine"
  • "Machine from Nowhere" (issue 14 [1950]) - Maurice Hugi's "Mechanical Mouse"
  • "Divide and Conquer" (issue 6) - Donald Wandrei's "A Scientist Divides"
  • "Monster from the Fourth Dimension" (issue 7) - Donald Wandrei's "The Monster from Nowhere"
  • "The Martian Monster" (issue 9) - Anthony Boucher's "Mr. Lupescu"
  • "Why Papa Left Home" (issue 11) - Charles Harness's "Child by Chronos"
  • "Chewed Out!" (issue 12) - Katherine MacLean's "Pictures Don't Lie!"
  • "Say Your Prayers" (issue 13) - Anthony Boucher's "Expedition"
  • "The Island Monster" (issue 17) - Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack's King Kong
  • "Keyed Up!" (issue 19) - Duncan Munro's "U-Turn"[4]

After their unauthorized adaptation of one of Ray Bradbury's stories in another magazine, Bradbury contacted EC about their plagiarism of his work. They reached an agreement for EC to do authorized versions of Bradbury's short fiction. These official adaptations include:

Demise

EC's science fiction comics were never able to match the popularity of their horror comics like Tales from the Crypt, but Gaines and Feldstein kept them alive using the profits from their more popular titles.[8] In the EC Library reprints, comics historian Mark Evanier theorizes that the short story format, where no story was longer than eight pages helped contribute to poor sales because the horror comics were much better suited for very short stories with shock endings than the science fiction comics. Evanier also ponders whether the very similar logo style of Weird Science and its companion comic Weird Fantasy as well as similar cover subjects contributed to lower sales due to customers thinking they already owned the issues on sale.[9] Historian Digby Diehl wondered whether having host characters like EC's horror comics would have helped the comics be more commercially successful.[10]

When the poor sales became too much to handle, Weird Science combined with companion comic Weird Fantasy in 1954 to become Weird Science-Fantasy. As discussed in an "In Memoriam" feature in the final issue, it was stated that every issue for the previous year and a half lost money and they had no choice but to combine the two comics into one. Weird Science-Fantasy ran for seven issues before a title change to Incredible Science Fiction for four issues.

Reprints

As with many other EC titles, Weird Science has been reprinted numerous times over the years. Ballantine Books reprinted selected stories in a series of paperback EC anthologies in 1964-66. All 22 issues were published in black and white in four hardbound volumes in 1980 as part of publisher Russ Cochran's The Complete EC Library. This set was published in two versions, the original, with what Cochran later said were his own incomplete and occasionally erroneous analyses, and a revised version containing analysis from outside contributors. In addition, all 22 issues were reprinted in comic form in the mid-1990s by Cochran and Gemstone Publishing. This complete run was later rebound, with covers included, in a series of five softcover EC Annuals. In 2007, Cochran and Gemstone began to publish hardcover, re-colored volumes of Weird Science as part of the EC Archives series. Three volumes (of a projected four) were published before Gemstone's financial troubles left the project in limbo. Dark Horse published the fourth and final volume in 2015.[11]

Media adaptations

John Hughes' 1985 film has become the most famous bearer of the Weird Science name. Joel Silver, the producer of the film, had acquired film rights to EC Comics in the early 1980s. However, the film has little in common with the comic book series besides sharing the title. A television series aired from 1994 to 1997 following the success of the film.

HBO's Perversions of Science is a science fiction/horror television series based on Weird Science stories. It has been suggested on The Simpsons season 3 DVD commentary for the episode "Treehouse of Horror II" that the appearance of Kang and Kodos was based on cover art from EC Comics. No specific issue number is mentioned, but it may be a combination of different covers including possibly Weird Science #6 and #16.

Issue guide

#DateCover ArtistStoryStory Artist
12(1)May/June 1950Al FeldsteinLost in the MicrocosmHarvey Kurtzman
Dream of DoomWally Wood & Harry Harrison
Experiment... In DeathJack Kamen
"Things" from Outer Space!Al Feldstein
13(2)July/Aug 1950Al FeldsteinThe Flying Saucer InvasionAl Feldstein
The Meteor MonsterWally Wood & Harry Harrison
The Micro-Race!Jack Kamen
...The Man Who Raced TimeHarvey Kurtzman
14(3)Sept/Oct 1950Al FeldsteinDestruction of the Earth!Al Feldstein
The Sounds from Another World!Harvey Kurtzman
Machine from NowhereHarry Harrison
The Eternal ManJack Kamen
15(4)Nov/Dec 1950Al FeldsteinPanic!Al Feldstein
The Radioactive Child!Harvey Kurtzman
House, in Time!Graham Ingels
Gargantua!Jack Kamen
5Jan/Feb 1951Al FeldsteinMade of the Future!Al Feldstein
ReturnWally Wood
The Last War on EarthHarvey Kurtzman
Killed in Time!Jack Kamen
6March/April 1951Al FeldsteinSpawn of VenusAl Feldstein
Man and Superman!Harvey Kurtzman
Sinking of the Titanic!Wally Wood
Divide and ConquerJack Kamen
7May/June 1951Al FeldsteinMonster from the Fourth DimensionAl Feldstein
Something Missing!Jack Kamen
...Gregory Had a Model-T!Harvey Kurtzman
The Aliens!Wally Wood
8July/Aug 1951Al FeldsteinSeeds of Jupiter!Al Feldstein
The EscapeGeorge Roussos
Beyond RepairJack Kamen
The ProbersWally Wood
9Sept/Oct 1951Wally WoodThe Gray Cloud of Death!Wally Wood
The Martian MonsterJack Kamen
The InvadersWally Wood
The Slave of Evil!Jack Oleson
10Nov/Dec 1951Wally WoodThe Maidens CriedWally Wood
Reducing... CostsJack Kamen
Transformation CompletedWally Wood
The Planetoid!Joe Orlando
11Jan/Feb 1952Al FeldsteinThe Conquerors of the Moon!Wally Wood
Only Human!Jack Kamen
Why Papa Left HomeJoe Orlando
The Worm TurnsJoe Orlando
12March/April 1952Wally WoodA Gobl is a Knog's Best FriendWally Wood
The Last Man!Jack Kamen
The Android!Wally Wood
Chewed Out!Joe Orlando
13May/June 1952Wally WoodA Weighty DecisionWally Wood
Saving for the FutureJack Kamen
He Walked Among UsWally Wood
Say Your PrayersJoe Orlando
14July/Aug 1952Wally WoodThere'll Be Some Changes Made!Wally Wood
Inside Story!Bill Elder
Strategy!Sid Check
They Shall InheritJoe Orlando
15Sept/Oct 1952Wally WoodThe Martians!Wally Wood
CaptivityAl Williamson
MiscalculationJack Kamen
Bum Steer!Joe Orlando
16Nov/Dec 1952Wally WoodDown to EarthWally Wood
Space-Borne!Al Williamson
Given the Heir!Jack Kamen
The People's Choice!Joe Orlando
17Jan/Feb 1953Wally WoodPlucked!Wally Wood
The Island MonsterAl Williamson
Off Day!Jack Kamen
The Long Years!Joe Orlando
18March/April 1953Wally WoodMars Is Heaven!Wally Wood
Snap Ending!Al Williamson
The Parallel!Jack Kamen
Disassembled!Joe Orlando
19May/June 1953Wally WoodThe Precious YearsWally Wood
The One Who WaitsAl Williamson
Right on the Button!Bill Elder
Keyed Up!Joe Orlando
20July/Aug 1953Wally WoodThe Loathsome!Wally Wood
Surprise PackageJack Kamen
The ReformersJoe Orlando
50 Girls 50Al Williamson
21Sept/Oct 1953Wally WoodEC Confidential!Wally Wood
Punishment Without CrimeJack Kamen
Two's Company...Al Williamson & Frank Frazetta
The Ugly OneJoe Orlando
22Nov/Dec 1953Wally WoodA New BeginningAl Williamson
The HeadhuntersGeorge Evans
My WorldWally Wood
Outcast of the StarsJoe Orlando

References

  1. Schelly, William (2013). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 31. ISBN 9781605490540.
  2. The Complete EC Library: Weird Science Volume 1. Russ Cochran. 1980.
  3. Giessman, Grant Foul Play (Harper Collins, New York, NY, 2005) p. 124
  4. 1 2 Von Bernewitz, Fred and Geissman, Grant Tales of Terror: The EC Companion (Gemstone Publishing and Fantagraphics Books, Timonium, MD & Seattle, WA, 2000) p. 130-5
  5. The Complete EC Library: Weird Science Volume 2. Russ Cochran. 1980.
  6. The Complete EC Library: Weird Science Volume 3. Russ Cochran. 1980.
  7. "Von Bernewitz 2000 p. 226"
  8. The Complete EC Library: Weird Science Volume 4. Russ Cochran. 1981.
  9. The Complete EC Library: Weird Science Volume 3. Russ Cochran. 1981.
  10. Diehl, Digby Tales from the Crypt: The Official Archives (St. Martin's Press, New York, NY, 1996) p. 34
  11. "EC ARCHIVES WEIRD SCIENCE HC VOL 04 (RES) (MAR150097)". previewsworld.com. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
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