Press Release: Small Press Expo Announces 2014 Ignatz Award Nominees

The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, is pleased to announce the 2014 nominees for the annual presentation of the Ignatz Awards, a celebration of outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning.

 The Ignatz, named after George Herriman's brick-wielding mouse from his long running comic strip Krazy Kat, recognizes exceptional work that challenges popular notions of what comics can achieve, both as an art form and as a means of personal expression. The Ignatz Awards are a festival prize, the first of such in the United States comic book industry.

The nominees for the ballot were determined by a panel of five of the best of today’s comic artists, Darryl Ayo, Austin English, Melissa Mendes, Thien Pham and Whit Taylor, with the votes cast for the awards by the attendees during SPX. The Ignatz Awards will be presented at the gala Ignatz Awards ceremony held on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 9:30 P.M.

Additional information on the nominees and previews (as available) can be found at http://www.spxpo.com/ignatz-awards.

Once again we want to thank our our friends at comiXology for sponsoring the Ignatz Awards. Information on comiXology and their self-publishing portal Submit can be found at https://submit.comixology.com.

Additional information on the nominees and previews (as available) can be found at http://www.spxpo.com/2014-ignatz-awards.

 SPX will be held Saturday, September 13 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, September 14, noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $15 for Saturday, $10 for Sunday and $20 for both days.

For further information on the Ignatz Awards, the nominees or to request an interview, please contact Ignatz Awards coordinator, Eden Miller, at spxignatz@gmail.com or SPX executive director, Warren Bernard at warren@spxpo.com.
For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visit http://www.spxpo.com.

Outstanding Artist

  • Sam Bosma for Fantasy Basketball
  • Kim Deitch for The Amazing, Enlightening and Absolutely True Adventures of Katherine Whaley
  • Sophie Goldstein for Darwin Carmichael is Going To Hell; Edna II; House of Women
  • Ed Piskor for Hip Hop Family Tree Vol. 1
  • Jesse Reklaw for Couch Tag

Outstanding Anthology or Collection

  • Amazing Facts and Beyond by Kevin Huizenga and Dan Zettwoch
  • The End by Anders Nilsen
  • Eye of the Majestic Creature Vol. 2 by Leslie Stein
  • Sock Monkey Treasury by Tony Millionaire
  • QU33R edited by Robert Kirby

Outstanding Graphic Novel

  • The Amazing, Enlightening and Absolutely True Adventures of Katherine Whaley by Kim Deitch
  • The Boxer by Reinhard Kleist
  • Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang
  • This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
  • War of Streets and Houses by Sophie Yanow

Outstanding Story

  • "Brownout Biscuit," Octopus Pie: Dead Forever by Meredith Gran
  • Destination X by John Martz
  • The Grassy Knoll by Nick Drnaso
  • “Jobs,"  Life Zone by Simon Hanselmann
  • “Mom,”  Viewotron #2 by Sam Sharpe

Promising New Talent

  • Luke Howard for Trevor
  • Cathy G. Johnson for Jeremiah; Boy Genius; Until It Runs Clear
  • Nick Offerman for Orange; Onions
  • Keiler Roberts for Powdered Milk
  • Daryl Seitchik for Missy

Outstanding Series

  • The Black Feather Falls by Ellen Lindner
  • Demon by Jason Shiga
  • Powdered Milk by Keiler Roberts
  • Sky in Stereo by Sacha Mardou
  • Towerkind by Kat Verhoeven

Outstanding Comic

  • Blammo #8 by Noah Van Sciver
  • Cosplayers by Dash Shaw
  • It Will All Hurt #2 by Farel Dalrymple
  • Misliving Amended by Adam Buttrick
  • Wicked Chicken Queen by Sam Alden

Outstanding Minicomic

  • The Grassy Knoll by Nick Drnaso
  • House of Women by Sophie Goldstein
  • Never Forgets by Yumi Sakugawa
  • Test Tube #1 by Carlos Gonzalez
  • Up to the Top by Ian Sampson

Outstanding Online Comic