Bethesda, Maryland; August 18, 2016 Media Release

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 2016 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. This year’s Ignatz image is by 2015 Promising New Talent winner, Sophia Foster-Dimino.

The nominees for the ballot were determined by a panel of five of the best of today’s comic artists, Tony Breed, Summer Pierre, Keiler Roberts, C. Spike Trotman and J.T. Yost., 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 17, 2016 at 9:30 P.M.

Additional information on the nominees can be found at www.smallpressexpo.com/spx- 2016-ignatz-nominees

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 athttps://submit.comixology.com.

The 2016 Ignatz Award Nominees

Outstanding Artist

Daniel Clowes for Patience

Ryan Heshka for Mean Girls Club

Kevin Huizenga for Ganges

Noah Van Sciver for Disquiet

Tillie Walden for The End of Summer

Outstanding Anthology or Collection

Beverly by Nick Drnaso

Beyond: The Queer Sci Fi and Fantasy Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster and Taneka Stotts

The Complete Wimmen’s Comix edited by Trina Robbins

Killing And Dying by Adrian Tomine

Step Aside Pops by Kate Beaton

Outstanding Graphic Novel

Hot Dog Taste Test by Lisa Hanawalt

Nod Away by Josh Cotter

Sick by Gabby Schulz

Soldier’s Heart by Carol Tyler

Trashed by Derf Backderf

Outstanding Story

The Hunter by Joe Sparrow

Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine

“Megg & Mogg In Amsterdam” from Megg & Mogg in Amsterdam and Other Stories by Simon Hanselmann

My Hot Date by Noah Van Sciver

“Shrine of the Monkey God” by Kim Deitch from Kramers Ergot 9

Promising New Talent

Kevin Budnik for Handbook

Maia Kobabe for Tom O’Bedlam

Sara Lautman for The Ultimate Laugh, Grape Nuts

Carolyn Nowak for Radishes

Tillie Walden for I Love This Part

Outstanding Series

Cartozia Tales edited by Isaac Cates

Demon by Jason Shiga

Ganges by Kevin Huizenga

Megg & Mogg & Owl by Simon Hanselmann

Powdered Milk by Keiler Roberts

Outstanding Comic

As the Crow Flies by Melanie Gillman

Be Good by John Martz

Fantasy Sports No. 1 by Sam Bosma

Patience by Daniel Clowes

“Shrine of the Monkey God” by Kim Deitch from Kramers Ergot 9

Outstanding Minicomic

The Experts by Sophie Franz

Laffy Meal by Pranas T. Naujokaitis

Maps to the Suns by Sloane Leong

Radishes by Carolyn Nowak

The Unofficial Cuckoo’s Nest by Luke Healy

Outstanding Online Comic

SPX will be held Saturday, September 17 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, September 18, 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, atspxignatz@gmail.com or SPX executive director, Warren Bernard atwarren@spxpo.com. For more information on the Small Press Expo, please visithttp://www.spxpo.com.