View source for Action Lab Comics

{{Short description|American comic book publisher}}
{{primary sources|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Action Lab Entertainment / Action Lab Comics
| logo             = Action Lab Comics Logo.jpg
| caption          =
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| foundation       = {{Start date and age|October 2010}}
| founder          = Shawn Pryor, Dave Dwonch, Shawn Gabborin
| defunct          =
| location_city    = [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
| location_country = United States
| location         =
| locations        =
| area_served      =
| key_people       = Shawn Pryor, Dave Dwonch, Shawn Gabborin, Chad Cicconi
| industry         = [[Publishing]]
| products         = [[Comic book]]s
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| homepage         = {{Official website|http://www.actionlabcomics.com}}
| footnotes        =
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}}
'''Action Lab Entertainment''' (also known as '''Action Lab Comics''' or '''ALE'''), is an American publisher of comic books, known primarily for the publication of the all-ages fantasy title ''[[Princeless]]'', as well as a wide range of titles from all genres. The company is also known for embracing digital comics<ref>http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2011/07/28/action-lab-acquires-digital-comics-distribution/{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Action Lab Comics blog post regarding digital distribution, Accessed 4/8/12</ref> and is recognized as one of the first publishers to release a digital-only [[Free Comic Book Day]] title.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alverson |first1=Bridgid |title=Shawn Pryor on Action Labs' digital FCBD comic |url=https://www.cbr.com/shawn-pryor-on-action-labs-digital-fcbd-comic/ |website=Comic Book Resources |access-date=April 2, 2022 |date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
Action Lab Entertainment was founded in October 2010<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2012-04-08 | archive-date=2012-03-17 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317204742/http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2010/10/24/welcome-to-the-lab/ | url=http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2010/10/24/welcome-to-the-lab/ | title=Welcome to the Lab! | url-status=dead}}</ref> by [[Shawn Pryor]], [[Dave Dwonch]] and [[Shawn Gabborin]]. All three of the founding members had prior experience in [[self-publishing]]<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2012-04-08 | archive-date=2012-03-09 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309150657/http://www.actionlabcomics.com/about/ | url=http://www.actionlabcomics.com/about/ | title=About|website=Action Lab Comics | url-status=dead}}</ref> and had worked together to publish [[small press]] comic books under Pryor's [[PKD Media]] imprint.

Action Lab's first release was ''Back In The Day'', an original [[graphic novel]] written by Dave Dwonch, with art by [[Daniel J. Logan]] (an artist who had also previously worked with PKD Media), and released in February, 2011.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130202224633/http://spacetimecondo.com/2010/12/08/sorry-about-the-delay/] Dave Dwonch's blog regarding current projects, Accessed 4/8/12</ref> This inaugural publication was available for pre-order through Discount Comic Book Service and marked the company's first foray into nationwide distribution.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2012-04-08 | archive-date=2011-03-01 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301231938/http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2011/02/06/pre-order-back-in-the-day-at-dcbs/ | url=http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2011/02/06/pre-order-back-in-the-day-at-dcbs/ | title=Pre-order 'Back in the Day' at DCBS! | url-status=dead}}</ref>

During the same time period as ''Back In The Day'''s launch, Pryor ran a [[Kickstarter]] fundraiser to both promote and gather funds for the company's second title, ''Fracture'', described as a "superhero dark comedy";<ref>[https://archive.today/20120912062407/http://www.thedaonline.com/a-e/action-lab-entertainment-to-release-first-comic-1.2256187] Daily Athenaeum Newspaper article May 25, 2011. Accessed 4/8/12</ref> ''Fracture'' was written by Shawn Gabborin, with art by Chad Cicconi and Dave Dwonch. Pryor's campaign surpassed its funding goal by nearly 10%, allowing Action Lab to schedule the book's first issue for a July, 2011 release; the release would also mark Action Lab's entrance into the [[direct market]].<ref>http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/23808096/action-lab-entertainment-presents-fracture Fracture Kickstarter page, Accessed 4/8/12</ref>

In October 2011, the company released two books: the horror-suspense [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] ''Snowed In'', written by Shawn Gabborin with art by [[Rick Lundeen]], and the first issue of the all-ages fantasy title ''Princeless'', written by [[Jeremy Whitley]], with art by [[Mia Goodwin]].<ref>http://www.majorspoilers.com/sneak-peek-snowed-in Major Spoilers, Sneak Peek at Action Lab's October titles. Accessed 4/8/12</ref> ''Princeless'', featuring the teenage Princess Adrienne (a princess who decides that she does not need a prince to rescue her and becomes a hero in her own right), became a major hit for the company, garnering five nominations in the 2012 [[Glyph Comics Awards]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parkin |first1=John |title=2012 Glyph Comics Awards nominees announced |url=https://www.cbr.com/2012-glyph-comics-awards-nominees-announced/ |website=Comic Book Resources |access-date=April 2, 2022 |date=March 8, 2012}}</ref> ("Story of the Year", "Best Writer", "Best Artist", "Best Female Character" and "Best Cover") and two nominations at the 2012 [[Eisner Awards]] ("Best Single Issue" and "Best Publication for Kids"),<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2017-03-07 | archive-date=2010-08-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813210308/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.php | url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.php | title=The 2010 Eisner Awards: Winners | url-status=dead}}</ref> giving the company both industry and worldwide recognition.

Also in October, 2011, Action Lab launched ''Globworld'', its first digital-only title,<ref>http://globworld.com/blog/2011/10/07/globworld-comic-book-to-release-next-thursday-oct-13/ Globworld.com's official press release, accessed 4/8/12</ref> based on the [[MMORPG]] specifically designed for children. This release also marked the company's first use of [[licensed character]]s and was also its first cross-company tie in.

February, 2012, marked Action Lab's largest single-month expansion since the publisher's inception, in which they released two graphic novels and a trade paperback: the graphic novels ''Exo-1 and the Rock-Solid Steelbots'', with story and art by Daniel J. Logan, and script by Shawn Pryor, and ''Monsters Are Just Like Us'', with story and art by [[SuperUgly]], and ''Space-Time Condominum'', a [[Trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]] collecting the first "season" of Dave Dwonch's [[webcomic]] of the same name. All three were released as part of the "Signature Series" line, which includes individual numbering and [[Signature|hand-signatures]] for each copy.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2012-04-08 | archive-date=2012-02-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208095950/http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2011/11/22/action-lab-introduces-the-signature-series-line-this-december/ | url=http://www.actionlabcomics.com/2011/11/22/action-lab-introduces-the-signature-series-line-this-december/ | title=Action Lab Officially Introduces The Signature Series Line This December! | url-status=dead}}</ref> Action Lab also announced at this time that it had taken over the publication of the series ''Jack Hammer'', written by [[Brandon Barrows]] with art by [[Ionic (artist)|Ionic]], from the small-press publisher [[Reasonably Priced Comics]], and that it would be part of the "Signature Series".<ref>http://comicrelated.com/news/15119/who-is-jack-hammer {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519194236/http://comicrelated.com/news/15119/who-is-jack-hammer |date=2012-05-19 }} Action Lab's Jack Hammer teaser posted on Comic Related, accessed 4/8/12</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brandonbarrowscomics.com/1/post/2012/02/well-then2012-news.html |title=Well, then...2012 News |publisher=Brandon Barrows Comics blog |date=2012-02-14 |access-date=2012-04-08 |quote=As of late 2011, Jack Hammer has moved to Action Lab Comics.}}</ref>

Action Lab partnered with the [[National Football League]] to release ''NFL Rush Zone'', a line of comic books based on the ''[[NFL Rush Zone: Guardians of the Core]]''. The first issue was released digitally during [[Super Bowl XLVII]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/action-lab-launches-first-nfl-rush-zone-comic-book-at-super-bowl-xlvii/ |title=Action Lab Launches First NFL Rush Zone Comic Book at Super Bowl XLVII |date=2013-01-31 |publisher=Comic Book Resources|access-date=2022-04-02}}</ref>

In 2021, Action Lab was the subject of numerous claims of late payments and predatory contracts.<ref>{{cite web |title=An Accounting of Action Lab Allegations |url=https://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/2021/09/an-accounting-of-action-lab-allegations/ |website=Women Write About Comics |date=6 September 2021 |access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=27 October 2021 |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/rich-johnston-talks-to-bryan-sealey-about-action-lab/ |title=Rich Johnston Talks To Bryan Seaton About Action Lab |website=Bleeding Cool|date=3 September 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=An Exploration of the Action Lab Contract |url=https://www.comicbookyeti.com/post/an-exploration-of-the-action-lab-contract |website=The Comic Book Yeti |date=26 October 2021 |access-date=27 October 2021}}</ref>

==Titles==
*''[[Amerikarate]]''
*''[[Going to the Chapel (Comic)]]'' - Written by David Pepose, Art by Gavin Guidry. Four-issue limited series, released September 2019 - February 2020.
*''[[Princeless]]'' - Written by Jeremy Whitley, Art by Mia Goodwin. Four-issue limited series, released October 2011 - February 2012.
*''[[Spencer & Locke]]'' - Written by David Pepose, Art by Jorge Santiago Jr. Four-issue limited series, released April 2017 - August 2017.
*''[[Zoe Dare]]''
*''NEW MEN'' - Written by Murewa Ayodele, Art by Dotun Akande. Ongoing series, started April 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-04-21|title=Action Lab Announces Nigerian 'Action/Biopunk' Comic Book|url=https://sodaandtelepaths.com/action-lab-announces-nigerian-comic-book/|access-date=2020-08-15|website=SODA & TELEPATHS|language=en-AU}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.actionlabcomics.com}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=publisher|id=4656|title=Action Lab Comics}}

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