Today in Comics History, November 22: And that's why the Soviets missed the premiere of Doctor Who

"Success" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #16 (EC, November 1950), creator uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 24: Happy birthday, Al Feldstein!

Born on this day in 1925: comic book writer, editor, artist and cover designer Al Feldstein (Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Science, Weird Fantasy, Weird Science-Fantasy, and many more) and executive editor of MAD magazine from 1956 to 1985. As the kid standing before the poster of superheroes said, wow!


from Crime SuspenStories (1950 series) #10 (EC, April 1952), text by Al Feldstein (signed as Wm. M. Gaines)

Today in Comics History, October 4, 1952: The Beginning of The End

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
Hey, you'll see this page again on October 19! Who sez comics are your worst entertainment value?

Today in Comics History, August 8, 1951: Free — Free / A Trip to Mars / For 900 / Empty Jars / Burma-Shave

Facing a blank page in this month's issue of Weird Fantasy, EC co-editors Bill Gaines (in the brown suit) and Al Feldstein (blue) concoct the ultimate special bonus: a gag advertisement offering a free trip to Mars!


from "The Ad!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #14 (EC, July 1952); co-plot by Bill Gaines; co-plot, script, pencils and inks by Joe Orlando; colors by Marie Severin; letters by Jim Wroten
How'd that work out for ya, guys?

Today in Comics History, December 8, 1952: EC's experimental new comic book Tales of Inconsequence is not a success

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, November 12: Well, they predicted 2022 pretty well

"Year of the Flood!" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #13 (EC, May 1950), creators uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, October 24, 1951: And that's how Jimmy Neutron wound up testifying before the January 6 Committee

from "7 Year Old Genius!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #7 (EC, May 1951), co-plot by Bill Gaines; co-lot, co-lot, script, pencils and inks by Al Feldstein; letters by Jim Wroten
Of course Al Feldstein would pick October 24 on which to set this story: it's his birthday! (Next year: a full birthday post, I promise, Al!)

Today in Comics History, September 5: Soviets finally learn secret of putting the tunnel of chili inside the hot dog

"Success" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #16 (EC, November 1950), creator uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, August 29, 1953 and 1974: Why the Last Man?

Happy birthday, Adam Akly!...you're the last baby in the world. Hope Earth survives the experience!


from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
Say, does EC Comics think exceptionally highly of themselves, even as the planet dies out?

Today in Comics History, August 12: A cautionary tale, but obviously only applicable in the 1950s, not now

from "Year of the Flood!" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #13 (DC, May 1950), creators uncredited and unknown
You know what to do on November 12.

Today in Comics History, August 5, 2026: Geez, those things must have Energizer batteries

from "There Will Come Soft Rains..." in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #17 (EC, January 1953), script by Al Feldstein from a story by Ray Bradbury, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, August 4, 2026: Good to know that even after the apocalypse four years from now, our Alexas still work

from "There Will Come Soft Rains..." in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #17 (EC, January 1953), script by Al Feldstein from a story by Ray Bradbury, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten

Today in Comics History, July 25, 1946: Oh, your hair is beautiful / Ah, tonight / Atomic

from "Atom Bomb Thief" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #14 (EC, September 1950; script, pencils and inks by Harvey Kurtzman; colors by Marie Severin; letters by Jim Wroten
Weird Fantasy #14 appears to have been EC's extra-explosive "Atomic Bomb" issue:


cover of Weird Fantasy #14, pencils and inks by Al Feldstein, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
In fact, the very first story in the issue is about Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein plotting such a story:


from "Cosmic Ray Bomb Explosion!" in Weird Fantasy #14; co-plot, script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein, co-plot by Bill Gaines, colors by Marie Severin; letters by Jim Wroten
They are delighted by the plotline that emerges, starring Flattop, Mr. Lodge, and Frank Nelson:


Needless to say, the true-life Feds in the real world are not amsued at Gaines' and Feldstein's comic book. Everybody's a critic!


Now these comics panels, you'll find in the dictionary next to a picture of Alanis Morrissette and the word "ironic":


That was of course the final story by Gaines and Feldstein, and the complete end of the EC Comics line. Not to mention all other comic books. However, these stories were recently reprinted in a lovely trade hardcover, and for that we can now thank the Atomic Supermen Who Rules Over Us. All, hail, Atomic Superman! We are definitely not plotting ways to overthrow you!

Today in Comics History, July 15, 2023: Do you want Identity Crisis? Because that's how you get Identity Crisis.

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
Come on by next year and see if all this really happens!

Today in Comics History, July 12: In Russia, atoms split scientists

"Success" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #16 (EC, November 1950), creator uncredited and unknown

Today in Comics History, June 17, 1953: You're (Not) Havin' My Baby

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
June 17 is also Wally Wood's birthday, and it's likely not coincidence that's the date used in this story!

Today in Comics History, June 17, 1972: Birthday of a kid, who, since he's born in an EC Comic, is probably a mutant or an alien or Hitler*

from "Child of Tomorrow!" in Weird Fantasy (1950 series) #17 (EC, January 1951); co-plot, script, pencils, and inks by Al Feldstein; co-plot by Bill Gaines; colors by Marie Severin; letters by Jim Wroten
The entire story was redrawn by Reed Crandall for the third EC 3-D issue, but it went unpublished until EC fanzine Squa Tront published it in 1970:


from "Child of Tomorrow!" in Squa Tront (1967 series) #4 (Jerry Weist, 1970), co-plot and script by Al Feldstein, co-plot by Bill Gaines, pencils and inks by Reed Crandall, letters by Jim Wroten
*It was a mutant.

Today in Comics Comet History, January 10, 1953: Mouse extermination project continues as planned

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten