Weird West is a term used for the hybrid genres of fantasy Western, horror Western and science fiction Western. The term originated with DC's Weird Western Tales in 1972, but the idea is older as the genres have been blended since the 1930s, possibly earlier, in B-movie Westerns, comic books, movie serials and pulp magazines. Individually, the hybrid genres combine elements of the Western genre with those of fantasy, horror and science fiction respectively.
Scene from The Wild Wild West television series
Space Western number 44, Charlton Comics, June 1952. Artist: Stan Campbell.
Weird Western Tales is a Western genre comics anthology published by DC Comics from June–July 1972 to August 1980. It is best known for featuring the adventures of Jonah Hex until #38 when the character was promoted to his own eponymous series. Scalphunter then took Hex's place as the featured character in Weird Western Tales.
Cover of Weird Western Tales #12 (June - July 1972), the first issue of the series under that title; art by Joe Kubert.