AGE OF ACES had a banner year this year at PulpFest! We sold more books than ever before––selling out of our two new books, as well as selling a lot of books from the back catalog. It’s always gratifying when someone stops by one year and buys one of our books just to check it out and then comes back the following year to pick up some more. Thanks to all who stopped by and bought some books or just stopped by to chat.

But that’s not the big news. The big news is that our co-founder and designer, Chris Kalb, won the prestigious MUNSEY Award this year! Congratulations!

The PulpFest website presented the news thus:

Chris Kalb has been named the winner of the 2026 Munsey Award. Nominated by the general pulp community, Chris was selected by previous winners of the Lamont, Munsey, and Rusty Awards.

The Munsey is a fine art print created by David Saunders and published by Dan Zimmer of The Illustrated Press. It is presented annually to an individual or organization that has bettered the pulp community. The award was presented by Ray Walsh, winner of our Rusty Award in 2025. Last year’s Munsey Award winner, John DeWalt, was unable to attend PulpFest 2026.

Chris is well-known in pulp circles for his hero pulp websites, like The 86th Floor and The Spider Returns, ventures that have helped to attract people who are new to the pulps. There isn’t anyone out there making better use of all the new technology while still preserving the “oldness” of pulps and popular culture. He has become the person to go to for publishers who want a retro-design for their books or website, including Ed Hulse’s Murania Press. Chris is the lead designer for Age of Aces Books, a pulp reprint house that specializes in air war fiction. In 2010, Age of Aces received two National Indie Excellence Awards for Chris’s work on the bestselling The Spider vs. The Empire State. Chris was the designer of PulpFest‘s original website and for many years, put together the convention’s print advertisements. Additionally, he has been one of the leading members of New York’s Gotham Pulp Collectors Club, welcoming new members into a group of humorous, knowledgable, and engaging personalities. A freelance designer and illustrator, he was formerly the Art Director of Sci Fi Magazine. Chris has been a PulpFest presenter and panelist several times, including our salute to The Spider.

Congratulations to Chris!

PulpFest has posted a video of Chris’ acceptance speech!

First time PulpFest attendee but long time author and publisher of Gryphon Books and Paperback Parade, Gary Lovisi, has uploaded a Tour of PulpFest 2026 to his YouTube channel. (He stops by the Age of Aces table about 33 minutes in.)