''Incredible Science Fiction'' was an American science fiction anthology comic published by

EC Comics E.C. Publications, Inc., (doing business as EC Comics) is an American comic book publisher. It specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction, dark fantasy, and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, nota ...

in 1955 and 1956, lasting a total of four issues.

Creative team

''Incredible Science Fiction'' ran for four issues, boasting a number of skilled artists including Jack Davis,

Wally Wood Wallace Allan Wood (June 17, 1927 – November 2, 1981) was an American comic book writer, artist and independent publisher, widely known for his work on EC Comics's titles such as ''Weird Science (comic), Weird Science'', ''Weird Fantasy'', an ...

, Bernard Krigstein,

Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando (April 4, 1927 – December 23, 1998) was an Italian Americans, Italian-American illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades. He was the associate publisher of ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' and ...

and

Roy Krenkel Roy Gerald Krenkel (July 11, 1918 – February 24, 1983), who often signed his work RGK, was an American illustrator who specialized in fantasy and historical drawings and paintings for books, magazines and comic books. Influences and stu ...

. Three of its covers were done by Davis, with the final issue's cover by Wood. This comic is notable for having Jack Davis' only science fiction work for EC. Roy Krenkel also provided his only solo story for EC with issue 31's "Time to Leave". The story "Food For Thought" from issue 32 (which featured art predominantly from Al Williamson but also Roy Krenkel as well) was awarded best artwork for an individual science fiction story at the 1972 EC Fan-Addict Convention.

History

Origin

''Incredible Science Fiction'' was a retitled version of the comic '' Weird Science-Fantasy'', which changed its title in 1955. The comic changed its title with issue 30, but due to attempts to save money on postage, the numbering did not restart (and hence, issue 30 is actually the first issue of this title).

Comics Code

Aside from the title change, ''Incredible Science Fiction'' was also different from its predecessor because it now had to follow the tight standards of the Comics Code, which was created in 1954 to censor the controversial comics of that time. Eventually the Comics Code would spell the end of not only this comic, but all comics produced by EC. When a story in issue 33 did not meet the standards of the Code, publisher Bill Gaines and editor Al Feldstein decided to reprint the story "Judgment Day!" (originally in '' Weird Fantasy'' #18). A powerful anti-racism story, "Judgment Day!" was also rejected because Judge Charles Murphy, the Comics Code Administrator, demanded that an illustration of a black astronaut be altered. Gaines refused and threatened to take the matter to the Supreme Court. The Comics Code backed down, and Gaines then printed the story without any changes. But Gaines had seen the writing on the wall, and he left the comic book industry soon after. ''Incredible Science Fiction'' #33 was the last comic book he would publish.

Reprints

''Incredible Science Fiction'' has been reprinted by EC-fan and publisher Russ Cochran on a couple of occasions. It formed part of his '' Complete EC Library'' (in 1982), published (in black and white) as a slipcased hardcover two-volume set alongside '' Weird Science-Fantasy''. It was also reprinted issue-by-issue between August 1994 and May 1995 by Cochran (in association with Gemstone Publishing). This complete run was later rebound, again alongside ''Weird Science-Fantasy'', with covers included, in a pair of softcover '' EC Annuals''.

Dark Horse A dark horse is a previously lesser-known person, team or thing that emerges to prominence in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals, that is unlikely to succeed but has a fighting chance, unlike the underdog who is exp ...

reprinted ''Incredible Science Fiction'' as part of the ''

EC Archives The ''EC Archives'' are an ongoing series of American hardcover collections of full-color comic book reprints of EC Comics, published by Russ Cochran (publisher), Russ Cochran and Gemstone Publishing from 2006 to 2008, and then continued by Cochr ...

'' series in 2017.

Resurfacing

The title resurfaced in a 1974 fantasy story, "Present Perfect", by Thomas F. Monteleone. The story focuses on William Rutherford, who is the editor of a speculative fiction magazine titled ''Incredible Science Fiction''. After rejecting one story after another, he picks up a manuscript which is Monteleone's "Present Perfect". This tale was published in ''Fantastic'' (September 1974).NESFA: Recursive Science Fiction
/ref> Such recursive plotting was employed several times by EC, including "The Aliens", illustrated by

Al Williamson Alfonso Williamson (March 21, 1931 – June 12, 2010) was an American cartoonist, comic book artist and illustrator specializing in adventure, Western, science fiction and fantasy. Born in New York City, he spent much of his early childhood in ...

for ''Weird Fantasy'' #17 (January–February 1953).

Media Adaptations

HBO's '' Perversions of Science'' was a science fiction/horror anthology series with episodes adapted from stories found in ''Incredible Science Fiction,'' '' Weird Fantasy,'' and '' Weird Science.'' Only one episode in the series was adapted from an ''Incredible Science Fiction'' story; "Ultimate Weapon" (Incredible Science Fiction #32).

Issues

References

External links

"The Worlds of Science Fiction Comics" by Steve Stiles
{{EC Comics EC Comics publications Science fiction comics Comics anthologies