The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping a year in 2001 due to the show's cancellation after the September 11 attacks. SPX has been held in either Bethesda, North Bethesda, or Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Ignatz Awards are named in honour of George Herriman and his strip Krazy Kat, which featured a brick-throwing mouse named Ignatz.
Awards criteria As one of the few festival awards rewarded in comics, the Ignatz Awards are voted on by attendees of the annual Small Press Expo (SPX, or The Expo, its corporate name), a weekend convention and tradeshow showcasing creator-owned comics. Nominations for the Ignatz Awards are made by a five-member jury panel consisting of comic book professionals.
The jury panel remains anonymous (from both the public as well as each other) until the announcement of the awards. After a 1999 controversy involving juror Frank Cho, jurors are now prohibited from nominating their own work. However, there is no prohibition of one jury member's work being nominated for an award by his or her fellow jurors.
History The first comics industry awards given the title "Ignatz" originated at the OrlandoCon, held in Orlando, Florida, from 1974 to 1994. The current Ignatz Awards are not connected with OrlandoCon. The SPX Ignatz Awards were conceived in 1996 by SPX organizer Chris Oarr and cartoonist Ed Brubaker. Their original mandate, to set the Ignatz apart from "mainstream" awards like the Eisner Awards, was that the work nominated be creator-owned, and focus more on work done by a single writer/artist.
The Award was administered by Jeff Alexander from 1998 to 2006, when they were taken over by Greg McElhatton. During his tenure as Ignatz Award Coordinator, Alexander drew a strip for the annual award program in George Herriman's style.
Award categories The Ignatz is awarded in the following categories: Outstanding Artist Outstanding Anthology (added in 2017) Outstanding Collection (added in 2017) Outstanding Graphic Novel (added in 2005) Outstanding Story Promising New Talent Outstanding Series Outstanding Comic Outstanding Minicomic Outstanding Online Comic (added in 2001)
Discontinued categories Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection (1997–2004, replaced in 2005 by two separate awards) Outstanding Debut Comic (2000–2008) Outstanding Anthology or Collection (2005–2016, replaced in 2017 by two separate awards)
Award winners Outstanding Artist +Outstanding Artist award winnersYearAuthorWorkPublisher1997SethPalookavilleDrawn & Quarterly1998CerebusAardvark-Vanaheim1999Liberty Meadows #1Insight Studios Group2000WeaselFantagraphics Books20012001 Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Artichoke Tales #1; Non #5Highwater Books; Red Ink Press2003Shutterbug FolliesDoubleday Graphic Novels2004BlanketsTop Shelf Productions2005Epileptic; BabelPantheon; Drawn & Quarterly2006Billy HazelnutsFantagraphics Books2007Love & RocketsFantagraphics Books2008Do Not Disturb My Waking DreamSelf-published2009Swallow Me WholeTop Shelf2010Alec: The Years Have Pants (A Life-Sized Omnibus)Top Shelf Productions2011I Will Bite YouSecret Acres2012Love and Rockets: New StoriesFantagraphics Books2013Lose #4Koyama Press2014Fantasy Basketball2015Through The Woods20162017My Favorite Thing Is Monsters2018That Box We Sit On2019Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me2020Don't Go Without Me2021Stone Fruit2022Alexander, the Servant & the Water of LifeHiveworks Comics2023Darlin' and Her Other NamesSelf-published2024Black Josei Press2025Tongues Supplement #1 NoMiracles2026Fantagraphics Outstanding Anthology +Outstanding Anthology award winnersYearEditor(s)Title2017Elements: Fire – An Anthology by Creators of Color2018, Whit Taylor, and Ø.K. FoxComics for Choice2019 and Jeanne ThorntonWe're Still Here: An All-Trans Comics Anthology2020Be Gay, Do Comics2021Glaeolia 22022 and Benji NateGood Boy Magazine #12023 and Ashanti FortsonShades of Fear2024, Jon Iñaki, Jonathan Rotsztain, Mitch Lohmeier, and Paterson HodgsonPulping2025Rust Belt Review vol. 62026LAAB: A Comics Anthology No. 3
Outstanding Collection +Outstanding Collection award winnersYearCreator(s)Work2017 and Yuko OtaOur Cats Are More Famous Than Us: A Johnny Wander Collection2018Sex Fantasy2019Girl Town2020GLEEM20212022Mr Boop2023Who Will Make The Pancakes?2024Offshore Lightning2025World Within the World2026All the Cameras in My Room
Outstanding Graphic Novel +Outstanding Graphic Novel award winnersYearCreator(s)WorkPublisher2005Persepolis 2: The Story of a ReturnPantheon 2006TrickedTop Shelf Productions 2007Don't Go Where I Can't FollowDrawn & Quarterly 2008 and Jillian TamakiSkimGroundwood Books 2009Acme Novelty Library #19Drawn & Quarterly 2010Market DayDrawn & Quarterly 2011Gaylord PhoenixSecret Acres 2012Big QuestionsDrawn & Quarterly 2013Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your LifeFantagraphics Books 2014 and Mariko TamakiThis One Summer20152016Hot Dog Taste Test2017My Favorite Thing is Monsters2018Why Art?2019 and Rosemary Valero-O'ConnellLaura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me2020Hot Comb2021Stone Fruit2022No One ElseFantagraphics2023Ducks: Two Years in the Oil SandsDrawn & Quarterly2024 and Mariko TamakiRoamingDrawn & Quarterly2025Precious RubbishFantagraphics2026Cannon Giramondo Publishing
Outstanding Story +Outstanding Story award winnersYearCreator(s)WorkPublisher1997 and Eddie CampbellFrom HellKitchen Sink Press1998, EightballFantagraphics1999, Eightball #20Fantagraphics2000, Acme Novelty LibraryFantagraphics20012001 Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002TrenchesTop Shelf Productions2003FleepSparkplug Comic Books2004, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase, Vol. 1Drawn & Quarterly2005Dogs and WaterDrawn & Quarterly2006Ganges #1Fantagraphics Books2007, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase, Vol. 4Drawn & Quarterly2008Self-published2009, Papercutter #10Tugboat2010MonstersSecret Acres2011, Love and Rockets: New Stories #3Fantagraphics2012, Love and Rockets: New Stories #4Fantagraphics2013Gold StarRetrofit Comics2014, Octopus PieDead Forever2015, Frontier #72016My Hot Date2017Diana's Electric Tongue2018How the Best Hunter in the Village Met Her Death2019 and Rosemary Valero-O'ConnellLaura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me20202021Personal Companion2022Parsifal Press2023 and Jamila RowserWash Day DiariesChronicle Books2024, PulpingPulping Collective2025Boy IslandSilver Sprocket2026Drome23rd Street
Promising New Talent +Promising New Talent award winnersYearCreatorWorkPublisher1997NowhereDrawn & Quarterly1998Finder Lightspeed Press1999Fireball #7 Fort Thunder2000Boswash Luxurious Comics20012001 Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Catch as Catch CanHighwater Books2003Same Difference and Other Stories Self-published2004Kramers Ergot #4 Avodah Books2005Owly Top Shelf Productions2006Salamander Dream; Gray HorsesAdHouse Books; Oni Press2007I Will Destroy You2008How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or LessSelf-published2009Woman KingSelf-published2010, Papercutter #13 Tugboat Press2011House of Twelve Monthly #3 Comixology2012Hot Dog BeachSelf-published2013Hawaii 1997 & Haunter Self-published2014Jeremiah; Boy Genius; Until It Runs Clear2015Sphincter; Sex Fantasy2016I Love This Part2017, The Nib2018Mis(h)adra2019My Lil Sister Lena2020Canvas2021Pa-LuisWe Live on Earth2022DjeliyaTKO Studios2023In LimboFirst Second2024Drawn & Quarterly2025UnmooredSelf-published2026Fieldmouse Press
Outstanding Series +Outstanding Series award winnersYearCreator(s)WorkPublisher1997Acme Novelty LibraryFantagraphics1998Acme Novelty LibraryFantagraphics1999MaxDrawn & Quarterly2000WeaselFantagraphics Books20012001 Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Sketchbook DiariesTop Shelf Productions2003Black HoleFantagraphics Books2004FinderLight Speed Productions2005FinderLight Speed Productions2006OwlyTop Shelf Productions2007Mourning StarBodega Distribution2008Snake OilSelf-published2009UptightFantagraphics2010GangesFantagraphics Books2011Everything Dies2012Hernández brothersLove and Rockets: New StoriesFantagraphics2013LoseKoyama Press2014Demon2015Sex Fantasy2016Powdered Milk2017Chester 50002018Youth in DeclineFrontier2019 (ed.)2020Fizzle2021Ex.Mag2022 and Filipe AndradeBOOM! Studios2023Tales of Old Snake CreekSelf-published2024CosmoKnightsTop Shelf Productions2025Wedding Juice and Other MelodramasSelf-published2026Wedding Juice and Other Melodramas Self-published
Outstanding Comic +Outstanding Comic award winnersYearCreatorWorkPublication1997Eightball #17Fantagraphics1998Acme Novelty Library #9Fantagraphics1999Liberty Meadows #1Insight Studio Group2000Acme Novelty Library #13Fantagraphics Books20012001 Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 attacks2002Eightball #22Fantagraphics Books2003Rubber Necker #2Alternative Comics2004Eightball #23Fantagraphics Books2005Or Else #1Drawn & Quarterly2006Schizo #4Fantagraphics Books2007Optic Nerve #11Drawn & Quarterly2008Snake Oil #1Self-published2009Uptight #3Fantagraphics2010I Want YouBuenaventura Press2011Lose #3Koyama Press2012Pterodactyl HuntersTop Shelf2013Pope Hats #3AdHouse Books2014Wicked Chicken QueenRetrofit Comics/Big Planet Comics20152016Fantasy Sports #12017Your Black Friend2018Hot to Be Alive2019Check, Please!2020Cry Wolf Girl2021Leaf Lace2022I See A KnightShortbox2023Gordita: Built Like ThisBlack Josei Press2024My Body UnspoolingSilver Sprocket2025Tongues Supplement #1NoMiracles2026Zoo #5 Self-published
Outstanding Minicomic +Outstanding Minicomic award winnersYearCreator(s)WorkPublisher19971998Amy UnboundedPug House Press1999Fireball #7Highwater Books2000 (ed.)LowJinx #2Noe-Fie Mono-Media2001Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Artichoke Tales #1Highwater Books2003I Am Going to Be SmallSelf-published2004Lucky #3Self-published2005Phase 7Self-published2006Monsters2007P.S. Comics #320082009Stay Away From Other People2010Rambo 3.52011Ben Died of a Train2012Retrofit Comics2013, #16Fantagraphics2014House of Women2015Sex Fantasy #42016Radishes2017Tender-Hearted2018Say It With Noodles: On Learning to Speak the Language of Food2019Trans Girls Hit the Town2020Black Hole Heart2021Bodyseed2022PeePee PooPoo #69Self-published2023Death BloomSelf-published2024Manga CubeSelf-published2025AllodyniaSelf-published2026Uncoiling: A Japanese-American Family History Self-published
Outstanding Online Comic +Outstanding Online Comic award winnersYearCreator(s)Work2001Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Bee2003American Elf2004American Elf200520062007Achewood2008Achewood2009Year of the Rat2010Troop 1422011Hark! A Vagrant2012SuperMutant Magic Academy2013SuperMutant Magic Academy2014Vattu20152016Octopus Pie20172018Lara Croft Was My Family2019Full Court Crush2020Witchy2021Birds of Maine2022Ride or Die20232024Buuza!!2025Home by the Rotting Sea2026Blind Alley
Outstanding Anthology or Collection (discontinued) +Outstanding Anthology or Collection award winnersYearCreator(s)TitlePublisher2005Diary of a Mosquito Abatement ManLa Mano2006Black HolePantheon2007CursesDrawn & Quarterly2008 (ed.)Papercutter #7Tugboat Press2009 (ed.)Kramers Ergot #7Buenaventura2010Masterpiece ComicsDrawn & Quarterly2011I Will Bite YouSecret Acres2012Hark! A VagrantDrawn & Quarterly2013Very CasualKoyama Press2014 (ed.)QU33R2015How To Be Happy2016Step Aside Pops
Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection (discontinued) +Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection award winners Year Creator(s) Work Publisher1997Seth It's a Good Life, If You Don't WeakenDrawn & Quarterly1998Ghost WorldFantagraphics1999CagesKitchen Sink2000 and Eddie CampbellFrom HellEddie Campbell Comics, distributed by Top Shelf Productions2001Ignatz Awards cancelled after 9-11 Attacks2002Drawn & Quarterly2003Three FingersTop Shelf Productions2004BlanketsTop Shelf Productions
Outstanding Debut Comic (discontinued)