The Ignatz Awards presentation took place on September 26, during the Small Press Expo (SPX) in Bethesda, Maryland. Named after Ignatz, George Herriman's brick-wielding mouse, the awards aim to recognize outstanding work that challenges popular notions of what comics can achieve, both as an art form and as a means of personal expression. A panel of five cartoonists (Michael Cohen, Tom Devlin, Tom Hart, Marc Hempel and Dylan Horrocks) selected the nominations, and winners were voted on by SPX attendees. The winners are:


Outstanding Artist: Dave Sim ("Cerebus," published by Aardvark-Vanaheim).


Promising New Talent: Carla "Speed" McNeil ("Finder," self-published).


Outstanding Story: "Ghost World" by Dan Clowes, serialized in "Eightball" (published by Fantagraphics Books).


Outstanding Series: "Acme Novelty Library" by Chris Ware (published by
Fantagraphics Books).


Outstanding Comic: "Acme Novelty Library #9" by Chris Ware (published by
Fantagraphics Books).


Outstanding Minicomic: "Amy Unbounded" by Rachel Hartman.


Outstanding Graphic Novel or Collection: "Ghost World" by Dan Clowes (Fantagraphics Books).