In the 1950s, EC Comics became famous, even notorious, for the content of their science fiction and horror comics. They pushed boundaries with stories and artwork that could be grotesque and risqué or challenge social issues and inequalities. To this day, EC Comics remain popular with readers and collectors, especially for keys like Weird Science #12 – the first issue in the series.

Saddle Romances was retitled Weird Science, which is why the first issue of the new title is designated #12. When the sci-fi comic launched in 1950, it had a cover price of 10¢. Twenty years later when Robert M. Overstreet wrote the first Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, he valued a Near Mint copy at $30.

By 1980, that key issue’s price had grown by more than 12 times to $375. Its progress slowed down by the Guide #20 when it reached $600. In 2000, for the 30th edition of the Guide, Overstreet priced Weird Science #12 at $1,600.

It continued to steadily climb in value and in the Guide #40, it was up to $4,500. When the Guide’s milestone 50th edition was published in 2020, a Near Mint copy of Weird Science #12 was up to $5,300.