Lee Lai, Michael DeForge, Pa-Luis and more win 2021 Ignatz Awards

Annual awards typically presented at the Small Press Expo honor excellence in independent comics, graphic novels and minicomics.

The Small Press Expo, or SPX, has announced the winners for the 2021 Ignatz Awards.

The Ignatz Awards, which have been handed out since 1997, celebrate the outstanding achievements of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons. Named for the mouse that appears in the Krazy Kat comics by George Herriman, the logo changes each as a new artist draws the mouse and his weapon of choice, the brick. This year’s logo was created by Theo Stultz, last year’s winner in the “Most Promising Newcomer” category.

Nominees were determined by a jury that included Sunmi, Daniel Elkin and Nguyên Khôi Nguyễn. Anyone could register online to vote for the winners.

Congratulations to all the winners:

Logo by Theo Stultz

Outstanding Artist

  • Ashanti Fortson – Leaf Lace (Hiveworks)
  • WINNER: Lee Lai – Stone Fruit (Fantagraphics)
  • Arantza Peña Popo – Lavender Scare (self-published)
  • Damien Rodeau – Crude (Graphic Mundi)
  • Karl Stevens – Penny (Chronicle)

Outstanding Anthology

  • A Queer Prisoner’s Anthology IV – ed. by Casper Cendre (ABO)
  • Bystander (Kadak Collective)
  • Confined Before Covid: A Pandemic Anthology by LGBTQ Prisoners (ABO)
  • First Wave: Comics from the Early Months of China’s Outbreaked. by Xinmei Liu (Paradise Systems)
  • WINNER: Glaeolia 2 (Glacier Bay Books)

Outstanding Collection

  • Sami Alwani – The Pleasure of the Text (Conundrum Press)
  • Ancco – Nineteen (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • WINNER: Abby Howard – The Crossroads at Midnight (Iron Circus Comics)
  • Tess Scilipoti – Do You Think I Look Like a Girl? (self-published)
  • Kuniko Tsurita – The Sky is Blue with a Single Cloud (Drawn & Quarterly)

Outstanding Comic

  • EA Bethea – Francis Bacon (Domino Books)
  • WINNER: Ashanti Fortson – Leaf Lace (Hiveworks)
  • Maddi Gonzalez – Rhapsodie (self-published)
  • Adam Szym – A Cordial Invitation (self published)
  • Dominique Duong – The Dog & The Cat (self-published)

Outstanding Graphic Novel

  • Jim Terry – Come Home, Indio (Street Noise Books)
  • WINNER: Lee Lai – Stone Fruit (Fantagraphics)
  • Sloane Leong – A Map to the Sun (First Second)
  • Nico Harriman – Mr. H: Portrait of a High School Art Teacher (self-published)

Outstanding Minicomic

  • Brendan Leach – Slum Clearance Symphony (Grindstone Comics/Czap Books)
  • WINNER: Casey Nowak – Bodyseed (Diskette Press)
  • Arantza Peña Popo – Lavender Scare (self-published)
  • Whit Taylor – Montana Diary (Silver Sprocket)
  • Leda Zawacki – The Drain Pipe

Outstanding Online Comic

  • WINNER: Michael DeForge – Birds of Maine
  • Ashanti Fortson – Leaf Lace (Hiveworks)
  • Shing Yin Khor – I Do Not Want to Write Today
  • Susannah Lohr – Shadows Become You
  • Alec Robbins – Mr. Boop

Outstanding Series

  • WINNER: Ex.Mag (Peow Studios)
  • Malarkey – November Garcia (Birdcage Bottom Books)
  • Ley Lines – ed. by L Nichols & Kevin Czap (Grindstone Comics/Czap Books)
  • Tongues – Anders Nilsen (self-published)
  • A Queer Prisoner’s Anthology IV – ed. by Casper Cendre (ABO)

Outstanding Story

  • Raquelle Jac – Misguided Love from Now #9 (Fantagraphics)
  • Ancco – Nineteen (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Yeong-shin Ma – Moms (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • WINNER: Freddy Carrasco – Personal Companion from Ex.Mag #1 (Peow Studios)
  • Stan Stanley – The Hazards of Love (Simon & Shuster)

Promising New Talent

  • Royal Dunlap
  • Nico Harriman
  • Zoe Maeve
  • WINNER: Pa-Luis
  • Tess Scilipoti

You can watch the complete awards presentation below:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.