Following its debut in 2025, The Lab Press is building on that momentum with a new slate of 2026 releases and a remarkable collection of awards recognizing its first year of publishing original graphic novels.

Built around fearless storytelling, human moments in untethered worlds, and beautifully designed books intended to feel like literary artifacts, The Lab Press released four hardcover graphic novels during its inaugural year: Essentials Volume 1 by Luke Arnold, Chris “Doc”Wyatt, and a host of artistic talents; Super Science Volume 1 by N. Alessandro K .and M.K.Perker; Hunger by Nihaarika Negi, Joe Bocardo, and José Villarrubia; and Creatures &Corridors by Brandon Auman and Andrea Mutti.

At the prestigious IPPY Awards, honoring the best independent publishers and creators from around the world, The Lab Press received a Gold Medal recognizing all four of its 2025 releases in the Outstanding Books of the Year category. The honor capped an already exceptional awards season that included numerous wins and finalist placements across publishing, storytelling, and design.

Alongside this major recognition from the IPPY Awards, The Lab Press received honorsacross a wide range of publishing and design categories, including:

• Best Horror Graphic Novel for Hunger at the Zelda Awards;
• Book Cover Design and Comics & Graphic Novels for Essentials Volume 1, and Best Interior Design for Hunger at the National Indie Excellence Awards;
• Science Fiction Gold Medal for Essentials Volume 1, Graphic Novels & Comics Silver Medal for Hunger, and Fantasy Bronze Medal for Creatures & Corridors at the Foreword INDIES Awards;
• Best Overall Design for Hunger at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards;
• Graphic Novel Gold Medal and the Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book for Essentials Volume 1; Fiction: Horror Gold Medal and Graphic Novel Silver Medal for Creatures & Corridors; and Graphic Novel Bronze Medal for Super Science Volume 1 at the Independent Book Publishers Association Awards;
• Cover: Large Format Gold Medal for Creatures & Corridors, and Cover: Large Format Silver Medal and Cover: Graphic Novel/Manga Bronze Medal for Hunger at the IBPA PubWest Book Design Awards.
• Book Cover Design: Fiction and Comics & Graphic Novels winner for Essentials Volume 1, and Book Interior Design: Fiction winner for Hunger at the National Indie Excellence Awards.
• Graphic Novel winner for Essentials Volume 1, and Regional: World Fiction winner for Hunger at the Storytrade Awards

The recognition also reflects the work of the in-house team responsible for shaping The Lab Press’s distinct editorial and visual identity, including Editor-in-Chief Dagen Walker and designers John J. Hill and Emma Price, alongside the extraordinary creators who brought each of these books to life.