Mike Mignola anthology Bowling with Corpses and Other Strange Tales from Lands Unknown picked up Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel at the 2025 Bram Stoker Awards over the weekend. Organised by the Horror Writers Association, the awards took place as part of StokerCon 2026 in Pittsburgh, PA. between June 4-7.
Published by Dark Horse, Bowling with Corpses is an anthology of original standalone supernatural folklore tales written and drawn by macabre master Mike Mignola, set completely apart from the overbrimming cup of continuity that is his expanded Hellboy universe (oft referred to as the Mignolaverse).
Bowling with Corpses came out on top in a category which also featured Cullen Bunn & Danny Luckert’s Jumpscare (Dark Horse); Sandy King edited horror anthology John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight Vol. 11, (Storm King); Daniel Kraus & Dani’s Athanasia (Vault); and Let This One Be a Devil, by Steve Foxe, James Tynion IV, and Piotr Kowalski (Dark Horse).
Unable to attend in person, Mignola sent a message to be read on his behalf, saying:
“At a very young age it was Bram Stoker’s Dracula that put me on the path I’m still on, so this award means the world to me. Thank you so much.”
Beyond the graphic novel category, longtime horror author Jonathan Maberry – who has comics among his extensive bibliography – was one of this year’s two recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, alongside screenwriter, author and editor Lisa Morton. Among Maberry’s many comics writing credits is work for Marvel, IDW, and Dark Horse, and he might be better known for a number of Marvel vs. mini series in the 2010s.
The movie Sinners continued its herculean run of award wins as it scooped up the 2025 Bram Stoker for Superior Achievement in a Screenplay. Ryan Coogler’s written and directed vampire-infused period drama beat out screenplays for Zach Cregger’s Weapons, long-awaited Alex Garland sequel 28 Years Later, Drew Hancock’s Companion, and Aussie folk horror Bring Her Back by Bill Hinzman & Danny Philippou.
Started in 1987, the Bram Stoker Awards are run by the Horror Writers Association to recognise genre work in multiple mediums. Predominantly focused on prose (short and long form), it today consists of thirteen categories – including middle grade novels, non fiction, poetry, anthologies – as well as the lifetime achievement award. Graphic novels have been a mainstay since 2011. Last year’s recipient in the graphic novel category was Gou Tanabe‘s manga adaptation H. P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu (Dark Horse Manga).
BRAM STOKER AWARDS 2025 – SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A GRAPHIC NOVEL
- WINNER: Bowling With Corpses and Other Tales from Lands Unknown, written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, colours by Dave Stewart (Dark Horse)
- Jumpscare, written by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Danny Luckert (Dark Horse)
- John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight Vol. 11, by assorted creators; edited by Sandy King (Storm King)
- Athanasia, written by Daniel Kraus, illustrated by Dani, colours by Brad Simpson (Vault)
- Let This One Be a Devil, written by Steve Foxe & James Tynion IV, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, colours by Brad Simpson (Dark Horse)
