The Small Press Expo, or SPX, has announced the nominees for the 2025 Ignatz Awards.
The Ignatz Awards recognize independent/alternative comics, graphic novels and more, and are typically given out during the Small Press Expo every Fall. Named for the mouse that appears in the Krazy Kat comics by George Herriman, the logo changes each year as a new artist draws the mouse and his weapon of choice, the brick. The logo for this year was drawn by Léa Murawiec, who won the award in 2024 for Most Promising New Talent.
Anyone can vote in the Ignatz Awards, as it is all done over email. Ballots were mailed to the existing SPX mailing list today, and those not on their list can sign up for a ballot and get added to our email lists at the SPX website. Voting ends on Friday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Congrats to all the nominees:
OUTSTANDING ARTIST
- Sarah Airriess, The Worst Journey in the World (Iron Circus Comics)
- Deb JJ Lee, Death Fiddles and We Dance (Self-Published/Shortbox)
- Kazimir Lee, Low Orbit (Top Shelf Productions)
- Lomig, JOHN MUIR: To the Heart of Solitude (NBM Graphic Novels)
- Anders Nilsen, Tongues Supplement #1 (NoMiracles)
OUTSTANDING ANTHOLOGY
- Braba: A Brazilian Comics Anthology ed. Rafael Grampá and Janaína de Luna (Fantagraphics)
- Come Find Me ed. Will Dennis and Sean Edgar (DSTLRY)
- Datura Magazine vol. 3 ed. Sunmi and Mar Julia (Self-Published)
- Loud: Stories to Make Your Voice Heard ed. Brett Israel (Dark Horse Comics)
- Rust Belt Review vol. 6 by Sean Knickerbocker (Self-Published)
OUTSTANDING COLLECTION
- I Ate the Whole World to Find You by Rachel Ang (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Milk White Steed by Michael D. Kennedy (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Preparing to Bite by Keiler Roberts (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Them-Shaped Cloud by Max Huffman (CRAM Books)
- World Within the World by Julia Gfrörer (Fantagraphics)
OUTSTANDING COMIC
- Belly Full of Heart by Madeline Mouse (Silver Sprocket)
- Big Gamble Rainbow Highway by Connie Meyers (CRAM Books)
- Lucky Cap Scouts by O. Stevens (Silver Sprocket)
- The Re-Up #6 by Chad Bilyeu and Juliette de Wit (Bistro Books)
- Tongues Supplement #1 by Anders Nilsen (NoMiracles)
OUTSTANDING GRAPHIC NOVEL
- Adrift on a Painted Sea by Tim Bird (Avery Hill Publishing)
- Land of Mirrors by María Medem (translated by Aleshia Jensen & Daniela Ortiz) (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Precious Rubbish by Kayla E. (Fantagraphics)
- Processing: 100 Comics That Got Me Through It by Tara Booth (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Skin by Mieke Versyp and Sabien Clement (Fantagraphics)
OUTSTANDING MINICOMIC
- Allodynia by Violet Kitchen (Self-Published)
- Big Apple Matinee by A. T. Pratt (Self-Published)
- The Connoisseurs by Alex Swift (Frog Farm)
- The Mole by Arantza Peña Popo (Self-Published)
- Szarlotka by Jas Hice (Frog Farm)
OUTSTANDING ONLINE COMIC
- 3rd Voice by Evan Dahm
- An Ode to People by KC Councilor
- Home by the Rotting Sea by Otava Heikkilä
- Jake Spooky by Michael Grover
- Kiss the Cook by Barbara Perez Marquez and Rhinosnax
OUTSTANDING SERIES
- Disciples of Soil by B. Mure (Avery Hill Publishing)
- PeePee PooPoo by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)
- The Re-Up by Chad Bilyeu & Juliette de Wit (Bistro Books)
- Tongues by Anders Nilsen (NoMiracles)
- Wedding Juice by Sanika Phawde (Self-Published)
OUTSTANDING STORY
- A Pillbug Story by Allison Conway (Black Panel Press)
- Ballad for Black Cassandra by Olivia Stephens (Self-Published)
- Boy Island by Leo Fox (Silver Sprocket)
- How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico (Tundra Book Group)
- Ruin of the House of the Divine Visage by Spire Greenwood and Eve Greenwood (Self-Published)
PROMISING NEW TALENT:
- Trishelle Jeffery, Best Breasts in the West (Fieldmouse Press)
- Mili St. John, The Edge of Autumn (Self-Published)
- Ricky Lima and Daniele Aquilani, Undergrowth (Top Shelf Productions)
- Connie Meyers, Big Gamble Rainbow Highway (CRAM books)
- Vicky Yang, Unmoored (Self-Published)