PORTLAND, OR (JUNE 26, 2026) WHEN LIFE BECOMES A GAME, YOU HAVE TO PLAY TO WIN! Oni Press, the multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-winning publisher of groundbreaking comics and graphic novels since 1997, is proud to announce
GameLad, the debut middle-grade graphic novel from
Norm Grock (
Choose Your Own Adventure’s Fairy House series illustrator). Perfect for fans of Trapped in a Video Game and The Last Kids on Earth, GameLad is a playful and boredom-busting story about leveling up and facing your fears—in stores April 2027!
“Growing up I loved video game magazines,” said creator Norm Grock. “I learned to read and draw from the ones that showed up in my mailbox every month. There was something magical about being stuck on a level and then having the answer arrive in the mail a few weeks later. I wanted to share a little of that magic with a new generation. GameLad is a story about how a game guide can help you beat a game, but also how the things we love can help us face bigger challenges. Maybe even help you save the world.”
When twelve-year-old Nessa moves to the town of Boring, Oregon, she expects everything to be, well, boring. If she can just hide away with her dad’s retro GameLad console and play her favorite video games, maybe things won’t be so bad. But Nessa’s plans take a sharp turn when the console screen is cracked and she has no idea how to get it fixed. That’s not all—strange things start happening all over town. Power-ups, gold coins, and all sorts of 8-bit pixel critters are popping up all over the place. When Nessa discovers that her favorite video games have escaped through her broken GameLad screen and invaded the town, she’ll have to do whatever it takes to collect the broken pieces and send everything back where it came from before Boring gets turned into a real-life video game for good. Joined by new friend Dani, a few lost video game characters, and her trusty gaming guide, Nessa will uncover the truth behind the GameLad console and its mysterious creator. But when she faces the final boss, defeating him won’t be as easy IRL as it is in the game…
“GameLad is a story I wish I had when I was a kid,” said editor Grace Scheipeter. “I grew up playing video games with my siblings, and now I play them with my own kids. Norm’s debut graphic novel perfectly captures the fun, energy, and excitement of what it would be like if a video game came to life and invaded your town. I hope readers level up and enjoy Nessa’s adventure as much as I did!
Level up next spring when GameLad respawns in stores everywhere on April 14, 2027!
