The nominees for the 2023 Ignatz Awards have just been announced. Online-only ballots will be sent out via email on August 14, with winners declared at the Ignatz Awards ceremony on September 9.

In a press release this afternoon, SPX said:

“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 2023 nominees for the annual presentation of the Ignatz Awards, a celebration of outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning.”

Following the changes introduced last year, the Ignatz Award ballot is open to “all fans of indie comics” who either sign up to the SPX mailing list or via request. No in-person ballot is being offered on SPX weekend. The ballot for the 2023 Ignatz Awards will close 5PM (EDT) on Friday, September 8. 

The judging panel that determined this year’s ballot included Ellen Lindner, Juniper Kim, L. Nichols, Ally Shwed, Jason Little, and Kotaline Jones. The 2023 Ignatz Awards are sponsored by crowdfunding platform Crowdfundr.

OUTSTANDING ARTIST

  • Caroline Cash, PeePeePooPoo issue no. 420 (Silver Sprocket)
  • Curt Merlo, That Distant Fire, with J.R. Hughto writing (Black Eye Books)
  • Benjamin Schipper, Joe Death and the Graven (Image, Dark Horse Comics)
  • Olivia Stephens, Darlin’ and Her Other Names (self-published)
  • Noah Van Sciver, Joseph Smith and the Mormons (Abrams Comic Arts)

OUTSTANDING ANTHOLOGY

  • Cram Comics Issue no. 1, edited by Andrew Alexander (Cram Books)
  • Glaeolia, edited by Emuh Ruh (Glacier Bay Books)
  • Home: a comics anthology on belonging in Ireland today, edited by Katherine Foyle (Dublin Comic Arts Festival)
  • NOW no. 12, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
  • Shades of Fear, edited by Allison O’Toole & Ashanti Fortson (Balustrade Press)

OUTSTANDING COLLECTION

  • Boodle Fight, Ashley Topacio (self-published)
  • Cankor, Matthew Allison (self-published)
  • Griz Grobus and the Tale of Azkon’s Heart, Simon Roy, Jess Pollard & Sergey Nazarov (self-published)
  • Upside Dawn, Jason, (Fantagraphics)
  • Who Will Make the Pancakes?, Megan Kelso (Fantagraphics)

OUTSTANDING COMIC

  • Gordita: Built Like This, Daisy Ruiz (Black Josei Press)
  • Lemon Yellow, Ciari Quilty-Harper (Kus!)
  • Platonic Love, A ee mi (Paradise Systems)
  • Forget Me Not, Gabriel Howell (Secret Acres)
  • Live Rock Part 1: Aquarium Life (Issue #1), Ross Jackson (Secret Room Press)

OUTSTANDING GRAPHIC NOVEL

  • Ducks, Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Mimosa, Archie Bongiovanni (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Last Chance to Find Duke, Shang Zhang (PEOW)
  • Nervosa, Hayley Gold (Street Noise Books)
  • The Man in the McIntosh Suit, Rina Ayuyang (Drawn & Quarterly)

OUTSTANDING MINICOMIC

  • Farewell, Joao Fazenda (self-published)
  • Death Bloom, Yasmeen Abedifard (self-published)
  • Sacred Grove, Celine Loup (self-published)
  • Hares on the Mountain, Lee Dean & Salvador Aguilera (self-published)
  • You’re the Center of Attention, Gina Wynbrandt (Kus!)

OUTSTANDING ONLINE COMIC

OUTSTANDING SERIES

  • Fizzle no. 4, Whit Taylor (Radiator Comics)
  • Maple Terrace no. 1, Noah Van Sciver (Uncivilized Books)
  • Venomyths, Joshua Ray Stephens (self-published)
  • Tales of Old Snake Creek, Drew Lerman (self-published)
  • Viewotron Comics and Stories, Sam Sharpe & Peach S. Goodrich (Radiator Comics)

OUTSTANDING STORY

  • Weeds, Kit Anderson (Parsifal Press)
  • The Impatient Ms. S, Koyubi (self-published)
  • I Owe It to My Parents to NOT Come Out, Richard Mercadi (self-published)
  • Wash Day Diaries (chapter: “Ride or Die“), Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith (Chronicle Books)
  • Inversion, Lily Thu Fierro & Generoso Fierro (self-published)

PROMISING NEW TALENT

  • Grayson Bear, Pokey (Bred Press)
  • Leo Fox, My Body Unspooling (self-published)
  • Deb J.J. Lee, In Limbo (First Second)
  • Richard Mercado, I Owe It to My Parents to NOT Come Out (self-published)
  • Shanti Rai, Sennen (Avery Hill Publishing)

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