The list of nominees for the 2014 Ignatz Awards are in, and it is a hell of a showing. The cartoonists who’re up for the award run the gamut from seasoned pro to relative unknown, which is one of the many reasons I find the Ignatz so exciting. The awards feel like the playing field has been completely leveled, with selections being made based on merit and not notoriety. It’s because of this that you see artists like Adam Buttrick and Dash Shaw nominated in the same category. All who attend the first day of SPX are invited to cast a ballot. Fans, creators, publishers and press all have equal say in who gets to take home an award.
There are nine categories with some stellar nominations. A couple of personal highlights are seeing both Meredith Gran and Simon Hanselmann nominated for Outstanding Story, and Noah Van Sciver’s nod for Outstanding Comic. Jason Shiga’s “Demon” got a pair of nominations, Outstanding Series and Outstanding Online Comic. Another comic to get two noms is Nick Drnaso’s “The Grassy Knoll”. This is something completely new to me, but seeing it up for both Outstanding Minicomic and Outstanding Story suggests that I get familiar with it.
The nominees are selected by a rotating jury. Each year, a new group comes together to review the mountains of submissions and select those that they feel deserve the nomination. This year’s Ignatz jury was made up of Darryl Ayo, Austin English, Melissa Mendes, Thien Pham and Whit Taylor. The awards, red bricks on wooden stands, will be handed out on Saturday, September 13 at 9:30 pm, and the ceremony is open to the public.
The Ignatz are a part of the 2014 Small Press Expo, which takes place September 13 and 14 at the Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland. Since 1997 the Ignatz and SPX have recognized outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning. The Ignatz are named for the brick throwing character from the George Herriman comics strip Crazy Cat. Congratulations to all who are nominated!
The 2014 Ignatz nominees are:
Outstanding Artist
Sam Bosma, Fantasy Basketball
Kim Deitch, The Amazing, Enlightening and Absolutely True Adventures of Katherine Whaley
Sophie Goldstein, Darwin Carmichael is Going To Hell; Edna II; House of Women
Ed Piskor, Hip Hop Family Tree Vol. 1
Jesse Reklaw, Couch Tag
Outstanding Anthology or Collection
Amazing Facts and Beyond, Kevin Huizenga and Dan Zettwoch
The End, Anders Nilsen
Eye of the Majestic Creature Vol. 2, Leslie Stein
Sock Monkey Treasury, Tony Millionaire
QU33R, edited by Robert Kirby
Outstanding Graphic Novel
The Amazing, Enlightening and Absolutely True Adventures of Katherine Whaley, Kim Deitch
The Boxer, Reinhard Kleist
Boxers and Saints, Gene Luen Yang
This One Summer, Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
War of Streets and Houses, Sophie Yanow
Outstanding Story
“Brownout Biscuit,” from Octopus Pie: Dead Forever, Meredith Gran
Destination X, John Martz
The Grassy Knoll, Nick Drnaso
“Jobs” from Life Zone, Simon Hanselmann
“Mom” from Viewotron #2, Sam Sharpe
Promising New Talent
Luke Howard, Trevor
Cathy G. Johnson, Jeremiah; Boy Genius; Until It Runs Clear
Nick Offerman, Orange; Onions
Keiler Roberts, Powdered Milk
Daryl Seitchik, Missy
Outstanding Series
The Black Feather Falls, Ellen Lindner
Demon, Jason Shiga
Powdered Milk, Keiler Roberts
Sky in Stereo, Sacha Mardou
Towerkind, Kat Verhoeven
Outstanding Comic
Blammo #8, Noah Van Sciver
Cosplayers, Dash Shaw
It Will All Hurt #2, Farel Dalrymple
Misliving Amended, Adam Buttrick
Wicked Chicken Queen, Sam Alden
Outstanding Minicomic
The Grassy Knoll, Nick Drnaso
House of Women, Sophie Goldstein
Never Forgets, Yumi Sakugawa
Test Tube #1, Carlos Gonzalez
Up to the Top, Ian Sampson
Outstanding Online Comic
Band for Life, Anya Davidson
Big Dogs at Nite, Dane Martin
Demon, Jason Shiga
On Hiatus, Pete Toms
Vattu, Evan Dahm
