Ignition Press at San Diego Comic-Con 2026: Inside the Publisher’s Mission to Empower Creators

San Diego Comic-Con 2026 is always a place where fans discover new characters, stories and creators, but this year, one of the most interesting stories happening outside the convention center is the continued growth of Ignition Press.

Founded by industry veterans Filip Sablik, Jeremy Haun and Jamie S. Rich, along with their CEO Eric Gitter, Ignition Press was created around a simple but ambitious idea: give creators the freedom to tell the stories they are passionate about while helping them build sustainable careers.

During Comic-Con 2026, we sat down with Sablik, Haun, and Rich to learn more about the company's origins, its rapid growth and what it hopes to accomplish with the Ignition Pavilion.

How Late-Night Comic-Con Conversations lead to Ignition Press

The idea for Ignition Press didn't appear overnight.

The company's founders have spent decades working in different areas of the comics industry. Haun has primarily worked as a creator, Rich has experience as both a creator and on the business side, while Sablik has spent much of his career working in publishing, distribution, and the business side of comics. For years, the group would find themselves having conversations at conventions about the challenges facing the industry.

Eventually, those conversations turned into something more.

They explained, they reached a point where they essentially asked themselves: if we believe parts of the industry are broken, why not try to fix them?

That philosophy became one of the foundations of Ignition Press. The company wants to address what its founders see as repeated and systemic problems affecting creators, fans, distributors and the comics press. But there's another equally important part of the company's mission: creator ownership.

Why Creator-Owned Comics Matter

For Ignition Press, creator-owned comics aren't simply another publishing category. They're at the center of the company's identity. The founders believe creators shouldn't have to choose between pursuing the stories they're passionate about and earning enough money to make a living.

That philosophy is reflected in the company's approach to working with creators. When creators ask Ignition Press what type of projects the publisher is looking for, the answer is surprisingly simple: Tell the story you want to tell. The company wants creators to bring their passions to the table rather than trying to fit their ideas into a predetermined publishing formula.

According to the founders, that creative freedom needs to be accompanied by the support and security that allows creators to continue making those stories.

Ignition Press Has Grown Quickly

Ignition Press made its first public appearance at Comic-Con 2025.

At the time, the company was still in its early stages and hadn't even announced all of its selected creators.

This year represents a very different Ignition Press. The publisher has already released—or is preparing to release—approximately 18 additional books since its initial launch. That growth is something the founders are clearly proud of.

One of the company's early collections, Materials, is also getting a paperback collection, giving readers another opportunity to discover the publisher's work. For a company that was still introducing itself to the public just two years ago, the growth has been significant.

Ignition Pavilion at Comic-Con

One of the biggest differences between Ignition Press' first Comic-Con appearance and its 2026 presence is the Ignition Pavilion.

Rather than simply talking about what the company planned to do, the founders were able to return with actual publications, creators, and a growing body of work to showcase. For Sablik, that is one of the most important accomplishments.

The message is essentially: We told you what we were going to do—and now we're showing you that we did it.

The company also sees Comic-Con as an opportunity to establish its identity within the larger comics industry.

A Comic Experience for Everyone

One of the things that stood out during our conversation was how broad the Ignition Press catalog is. The founders don't want readers to think they have to be fans of one specific type of comic to find something at Ignition.

Ignition Press has something for you:

Science fiction? Of Course.

Romance? Check.

Fantasy? Absolutely.

Heist stories? Yes.

Comedy? Definitely.

The variety is intentional.

For the founders, the appeal of creator-owned comics is precisely that they can exist across genres and offer readers stories that might not fit neatly into the traditional publishing categories. See the variety for yourself.

What's Next for Ignition Press?

After decades in the comics business, the founders describe Ignition Press as a significant new chapter in their careers.

There's a sense that they're taking everything they've learned throughout those years and using it to build the type of publisher they wanted to see. Now two years into the company's journey, the results are already visible, and they see their risks paying off.

The founders have grown the publisher's catalog, expanded its creator lineup, and brought Ignition Press to a much larger Comic-Con presence. But the bigger goal remains the same.

Let creators make the stories they want to make—and help them build careers while doing it. That philosophy may ultimately be what sets Ignition Press apart. Rather than asking creators what the market wants first, Ignition Press wants to know what the creators themselves are passionate about telling.

How the Ignition Pavilion was Received

For comic book fans, visiting San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the Pavillion was a substantial resource for fellow creators and attendees alike. The Ignition Pavillion offered an air-conditioned location, space to create, and caffeine to keep us going!

I'm excited to see what is coming from Ignition Press over the next year - looks like there are many more stories to be told and I look forward to reading them!

If you missed them at Comic-Con you can visit their store online.