Small Press Expo Announces the Ignatz Award Nominees for SPX 2009

Small Press Expo Announces the Ignatz Award Nominees for SPX 2009 For Immediate Release                                        Contact: Warren Bernard                                                                           Phone: 301-537-4615                                                                           E-Mail: warren@spxpo.com Bethesda, Maryland; August 24, 2009 - The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, is pleased to announce nominees for the thirteenth annual presentation of the Ignatz Awards, a celebration of outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning. The Ignatz, named after George Herriman's brick-wielding mouse, recognizes exceptional work that challenges popular notions of what comics can achieve, both as an art form and as a means of personal expression. The Ignatz Awards are a festival prize, the first of such in the United States comic book industry. The nominees for the ballot were determined by a panel of five of the best of today's comic artists, Lilli Carre, Vanessa Davis, Robert Kirby, Scott Mills and Laura Park with the votes cast for the awards by the attendees during SPX. The Ignatz Awards will be presented at the gala Ignatz Awards ceremony held on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at 9:00 PM. SPX will be held Saturday, September 26 from 11AM to 7PM and Sunday, September 27, noon-6PM at The North Bethesda Marriott Convention Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Admission is $8 for a single day and $15 for both days. For further information on the Ignatz Awards, the nominees or to request an interview, please contact Warren Bernard at warren@spxpo.com. For more information on the Small Press Expo and the Ignatz Awards, please visit http://www.spxpo.com. Outstanding Artist Tim Hensley, Mome (Fantagraphics), Kramer's Ergot #7 (Buenaventura) Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf) Richard Sala, Delphine (Fantagraphics/Coconino) Josh Simmons, Mome (Fantagraphics) Carol Tyler, You'll Never Know, Book One: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics) Outstanding Anthology or Collection Abandoned Cars, Tim Lane (Fantagraphics) Against Pain, Ron Rege Jr.. (Drawn & Quarterly) Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Book 5, T. Edward Bak, Anneli Furmark, Amanda Vähämäki (Drawn & Quarterly) Fuzz and Pluck: Splitsville by Ted Stearn (Fantagraphics) Kramer's Ergot 7, ed. Sammy Harkham (Buenaventura) Outstanding Graphic Novel Acme Novelty Library #19, Chris Ware (Drawn & Quarterly) Disappearance Diary, Hideo Azuma (Fanfare/Potent Mon) Drop-In, Dave Lapp (Conundrum) Nicolas, Pascal Girard (Drawn & Quarterly) You'll Never Know, Book One: A Good and Decent Man, Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics) Outstanding Story "The Carnival," Mome #14, Lilli Carre (Fantagraphics) Disappearance Diary, Hideo Azuma (Fanfare/Potent Mon) "Seeing Eye Dogs of Mars," Acme Novelty Library #19, Chris Ware (Drawn & Quarterly) "Untitled," Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Book 5, Amanda Vähämäki (Drawn & Quarterly) "Willy," Papercutter #10, Damien Jay (Tugboat) Promising New Talent T. Edward Bak, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Book 5 (Drawn & Quarterly) Colleen Frakes, Woman King (self-published) Hellen Jo, Jin & Jam #1 (Sparkplug), "Diamond Heights," Papercutter #9 (Tugboat) Ed Luce, Wuvable Oaf (self-published) Amanda Vähämäki, Drawn & Quarterly Showcase Book 5 (Drawn & Quarterly) Outstanding Series Danny Dutch, David King (Sparkplug) Delphine, Richard Sala (Fantagraphics/Coconino) Interiorae, Gabriella Giandelli (Fantagraphics/Coconino) Reich, Elijah Brubaker (Sparkplug) Uptight, Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics) Outstanding Comic Danny Dutch #1, David King (Sparkplug) Dead Ringer, Jason T. Miles (La Mano) Interiorae #3, Gabriella Giandelli (Fantagraphics/Coconino) Reich #6,  Elijah Brubaker (Sparkplug) Uptight #3, Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics) Outstanding Mini-Comic Claptrap #2, Onsmith Just So You Know #1, Joey Alison Sayers Stay Away From Other People, Lisa Hanawalt Stewbrew, Kelly Froh & Max Clotfelter Xoc, Matt Dembicki Outstanding Online Comic Bodyworld, Dash Shaw (www.dashshaw.com) Danny Dutch, David King (www.flickr.com/photos/kingkomics/sets/72157603500714748) Thingpart, Joey Alison Sayers (www.jsayers.com/thingpart/thingpart.html) Vanessa Davis's comics for Tablet (www.tabletmag.com/author/vdavis/) Year of the Rat, Cayetano Garza (www.magicinkwell.com)