Ignatz Award Submissions Open

The Ignatz Awards are given out at the Small Press Expo, an excellent comic festival held every fall in Bethesda, Maryland (Washington D.C. area). It used to be a festival prize, meaning that the voting was done by those attending the show, based on a set of nominees selected by a panel of judges. However, the Ignatz Awards page currently says “Voting will be be via emailed ballot. You do not need to attend SPX in person in order to vote.”

They are named after a character from the Krazy Kat comic strip by George Herriman, and in physical form, they are a brick.

Submissions are open now and due by May 31. Submissions are now made to a particular category (although you can submit to more than one.) To submit, select the category from the drop-down menu under “Ignatz Awards” at the show website.

There are 10 categories, some for format (Outstanding Anthology, Outstanding Series, Outstanding Minicomic, Outstanding Online Comic) and some for creator (Outstanding Artist, Promising New Talent). Currently, they list “Outstanding Story” and “Story” separately, and I have no idea why. (Oh! It’s probably because there are two #3s.) But it’s not that way in the actual choice list.

This digital submission method will be permanent going forward. There are some other rules, including file name and size requirements — read the submission page carefully! You are also required to submit a physical copy for display at the show; it will then be given to the Library of Congress.

The awards will be given out at a ceremony at the show on September 17, 2022. If you’re eligible, submit your work! If nothing else, it’s a way to preserve what you’re doing for future generations. (Did that scare you? It shouldn’t. Anyone willing to create deserves to be known for doing it.)