Paul Nadjmabadi, Committee Co-Chair for the SPX Animation Showcase, on Fictional Frontiers Podcast

June 17th, 2010

Our very own Paul Nadjmabadi appeared on the Fictional Frontiers podcast to talk about the new SPX Animation Showcase. Take a listen here!

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SPX 2010 Exhibitor Space is Sold Out

March 22nd, 2010

SPX 2010 exhibitor space is sold out.  We are starting a wait list.  To join the wait list, fill out and send in the exhibitor form with payment. Your check will not be deposited unless we are able to offer you space and you accept it.  Position on the wait list is determined by post mark rather than date received so please don’t feel obligated to use more expensive mailing methods.

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2009 Ignatz Award Recipients

September 27th, 2009
  • Outstanding Artist
    Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf)
  • Outstanding Anthology or Collection
    Kramer’s Ergot #7, ed. Sammy Harkham (Buenaventura)
  • Outstanding Graphic Novel
    Acme Novelty Library #19, Chris Ware (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Outstanding Story
    “Willy,” Papercutter #10, Damien Jay (Tugboat)
  • Promising New Talent
    Colleen Frakes, Woman King (self-published)
  • Outstanding Series
    Uptight, Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics)
  • Outstanding Comic
    Uptight #3, Jordan Crane (Fantagraphics)
  • Outstanding Mini-Comic
    Stay Away From Other People, Lisa Hanawalt
  • Outstanding Online Comic
    Year of the Rat, Cayetano Garza

The Ignatz Awards, named for the character in the classic comic strip Krazy Kat by George Herriman, is a festival prize that recognizes outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning. The ballot is created by a panel of five cartoonists and is then voted on by the attendees at the event. This offers a unique reflection of the views the professionals and their fans.

The award winners were announced at the Ignatz Awards gala on September 26th, 2009 at 9pm.

2009 Ignatz Award Nominees

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/Ponent 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/Ponent 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
Danny Dutch, David King
Thingpart, Joey Alison Sayers
Vanessa Davis’s comics for Tablet
Year of the Rat, Cayetano Garza

2009 Ignatz Jury
Lilli Carre
Vanessa Davis
Robert Kirby
Scott Mills
Laura Park

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Small Press Expo This Weekend with Gahan Wilson, Carol Tyler, Kate Beaton, Jerry Moriarity and Josh Neufeld

September 24th, 2009

Bethesda, Maryland; September 24, 2009 – The Small Press Expo (SPX), the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comics, graphic novels and alternative political cartoons, will be held this weekend, Saturday Sept 25 from 11AM-7PM and Sunday, September 26 from noon-6PM. The guest list this year includes Gahan Wilson, Paul Karasik, Carol Tyler, Josh Neufeld, John Porcellino,  Peter Kuper, Kevin Huizenga, Kate Beaton, Al Columbia, Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak and Joshua Cotter .

There will be 11 panel discussions on a wide variety of comics topics as well as one on one sessions with Gahan Wilson, Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak, John  Porcellino and Carol Tyler, amongst others.

SPX culminates with the presentation of the Ignatz Awards for outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning which will occur Saturday night, September 26 at 9PM. Attendees at SPX get in free to the Ignatz Awards. The Ignatz is the first Festival Prize in the US comic book industry, with winners chosen by balloting by attendees during SPX.

For detailed information about guests, panels and the Ignatz Awards, visit the SPX web site at www.spxpo.com.

SPX brings together more than 300 artists and publishers to meet their readers, booksellers and distributors each year. Graphic novels, political cartoon books and alternative comics will all be on display and for sale by their authors and illustrators.

As in previous years, profits from the SPX will go to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), protecting the First Amendment rights of comic book readers and professionals. For more information on the CBLDF, go to their website at http://www.cbldf.org/.

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Full 2009 Programming Schedule Now Available

September 22nd, 2009

SATURDAY, September 26th

12:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Jerry Moriarty: Jack Survives

Jerry Moriarty is a painter, illustrator and cartoonist who has been teaching at the School of Visual Arts since 1963. Several episodes of his “Jack Survives” series of comics pages appeared in issues of RAW Magazine. This year, Buenaventura Press has published a definitive hardcover collection of Jack Survives, including never before published work. Publisher Alvin Buenaventura will discuss Jerry’s life and work with him in a rare spotlight session.

12:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Debut Cartoonists

Comics critic Rob Clough will lead a discussion with cartoonists who are debuting new books at SPX this year. These artists will talk about their new releases, what they represent to them, and how they fit into their work so far. Join us for a revealing conversation with Ken Dahl (Monsters), Eleanor Davis (The Secret Science Alliance), Hans Rickheit (The Squirrel Machine), and Zak Sally (Like A Dog).

1:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
R. Sikoryak’s Masterpiece Comics

For twenty years, stylistic chameleon R. Sikoryak has been producing literary adaptations in comics form that marry the plots of Western literary classics with the stylistic tics and tropes of classic comics. Originally appearing in RAW and numerous other anthologies, Sikoyrak’s parodistic adaptations have been collected in a book titled Masterpiece Comics, published by Drawn and Quarterly. He will discuss his work and working methods in a special slideshow presentation.

1:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Comic Strips: Online and In Print

The history of comics parallels and participates in the greater history of mass communication. As traditional print media struggles, the online medium has proved to be a hospitable site for the durable, traditionally formatted comic strip. But online cartoonists have increasingly found both material and creative rewards in republishing their work in print editions. Kate Beaton, Erika Moen, R. Stevens, and Julia Wertz will talk about the challenges and opportunities of working both online and in print with moderator Marc Singer.

2:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
John Porcellino Q & A

John Porcellino has been self-publishing his ongoing mini-comics series King-Cat Comics since 1989. His spare but elegant style, insightful self-reflection, and DIY ethic have been an inspiration to countless cartoonists. His His comics have been collected in several books, and in 2008 Hyperion published Thoreau at Walden, a graphic novel for young readers. This year, Drawn and Quarterly has published Map of My Heart, a new collection of work from his King-Cat series. John will discuss his work with friend, cartoonist and publisher Zak Sally.

2:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Now Make It Funny

Now that comics are finally being taken seriously, a new generation of cartoonists are bringing back the funny. Tucker Stone will talk to Emily Flake (Lulu Eightball), Matt Furie (Boys Club), Sam Gaskin (Fatal Faux-Pas) and Lisa Hanawalt (I Want You) about comics’ historical and ongoing aptitude for humorous effect, the deeper meanings of humor, and the struggles of producing comedy on a deadline.

3:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Spotlight on Peter Kuper

Peter Kuper is the co-founder of World War 3 Illustrated, the artist behind Mad Magazine’s Spy Vs. Spy, and the author of comics collections and graphic novels including The System, Speechless, and an adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. In this presentation introduced and moderated by comics scholar Marc Singer, Peter will discuss his career to date and his new book Diario de Oaxaca, a visual journal of two years in Mexico that coincided with a violently repressed teachers’ protest.

3:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Critics’ Roundtable

A murderers’ row of comics critics will address general issues facing comics criticism today and will candidly discuss several new and recent works in a lively, no-holds-barred, roundtable conversation. Rob Clough, Sean T. Collins, Gary Groth, Chris Mautner, Joe McCulloch, Tucker Stone and Douglas Wolk will share their acute critical insights with moderator Bill Kartalopoulos.

4:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Paul Karasik and the Fletcher Hanks Experience

Cartoonist, editor and educator Paul Karasik has spent the last several years tracking down the idiosyncratic, visionary work of comic book artist Fletcher Hanks, now collected in its entirety in two volumes published by Fantagraphics. Karasik will speak about discovering the work of Fletcher Hanks, and will present “The Fletcher Hanks Experience,” an illustrated tour over the brutally surreal Hanks mindscape narrated by the late Fletcher Hanks, Jr.

4:30 | Brookside Conference Room
The New Action

For decades, independent cartoonists have labored to distinguish their work from the corporately-controlled material popularly associated with the form. In the process, artist-driven comics have frequently avoided genres such as adventure, fantasy, and science fiction. Recent years, however, have seen a wave of cartoonists who embrace genre and have explored new ways to activate comics’ ability to depict movement, action, and spectacle. Sean T. Collins will discuss these topics and more with Shawn Cheng, Benjamin Marra, Brian Ralph, Frank Santoro and Kazimir Strzepek.

5:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Gahan Wilson in the Spotlight

The unmistakably macabre and hilarious Gahan Wilson was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1930. His work first appeared in Amazing Stories in 1954. Since then, his cartoons, illustrations and comic strips have appeared in Collier’s, Punch, National Lampoon, and, principally, Playboy and The New Yorker. This year, Fantagraphics publishes Gahan Wilson: Fifty Years of Playboy Cartoons, a three-volume slipcased set collecting his contributions to that magazine. He will be joined onstage by publisher and editor Gary Groth to discuss his life and work.

SUNDAY, September 27th

12:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Time-Constrained Comics

Since Scott McCloud formulated the 24-hour comic in 1990, countless cartoonists have tried their hands at this form of endurance-based cartooning. As this practice has grown into an annual worldwide event, other cartoonists have experimented with other forms of time-constrained cartooning, from the hourly to the minute-by-minute. Cartoonist and educator Marek Bennett will discuss the various permutations and productive pleasures of time-constrained comics with John Campbell, James McShane, Chris Piers, Maxime de Radigues and Robert Ullman.

1:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Carol Tyler Q & A

Born in 1951, Carol Tyler trained as a painter, earning an MFA from Syracuse University. In 1987 she published her first comics story in Weirdo. Since then her work has appeared in anthologies including Twisted Sisters, Drawn and Quarterly, Zero Zero, and Kramers Ergot. Her work has previously been collected in the books The Job Thing and Late Bloomer. This year Fantagraphics published her book You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man, the first in a series of books recounting her father’s World War II experiences and their resonant effect on his – and her – life today. Carol will discuss her work with comics critic Douglas Wolk.

1:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Source-Based Comics

Works that draw on external sources – whether historical, literary, or otherwise – present artists with the twin burdens of faithfulness and creativity. Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant), Paul Karasik (City of Glass), Ed Piskor (Wizzywig), and R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics) will discuss what it means to make creative works of adaptation, parody, and historical fiction in this wide-ranging panel discussion with moderator Bill Kartalopoulos.

2:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Josh Neufeld After the Deluge

Josh Neufeld has published several non-fiction comic books and series, including his 2004 Xeric Award–winning graphic novel A Few Perfect Hours. In 2005 he volunteered with the American Red Cross in Biloxi, Missouri following the Hurricane Katrina disaster. From 2007 to 2008 he serialized via the web A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, a non-fiction story relating the experiences of Katrina survivors. This year Pantheon Books has published A.D. in a print edition. In this presentation moderated by Gina Gagliano, Josh will discuss his work and the process of producing this comics document of recent events.

2:30 | Brookside Conference Room
Comics and Community

Dylan Williams (Sparkplug Books) leads an open and audience-inclusive discussion about the role independent comic creators, publishers, and distributors play in the comics community and how they can work together using principles of community organizing and resistance. Sally Bloodbath, Robyn Chapman, Benn Ray and Frank Santoro will talk about the internet, drawing nights, DIY networks, stores, distributors, publishers, friends, fans, clients, media outlets, tours, pooled resources, conventions and convention. Audience members are encouraged to bring their ideas.

3:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Understanding Dutch and Flemish Comics

Gert Jan Pos from The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture and Els Aerts, Grants Manager for Graphic Novels at the Flemish Literature Fund, will give special dual presentations about the comics cultures of their respective countries. Pos will tell us what inspires Dutch comics authors today, and Aerts will talk about contemporary Flemish comics.

3:30 | Brookside Conference Room
The Future of the Comic Book

The economics and distribution of the comics specialty market have made the traditional comic book format an endangered species, even as book stores and libraries have become increasingly hospitable to long-form work. Moderator Bill Kartalopoulos will discuss the future of the comic book format with publisher Alvin Buenaventura, cartoonists Kevin Huizenga and Matthew Thurber, who have recently self-published their own serial comic book series, and Hellen Jo and Noah Van Sciver, two emerging artist who have recently launched titles in the embattled format.

4:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Jeffrey Brown Q & A

Jeffrey Brown entered the School of the Art Institute’s Masters program to study painting; by the time he earned his MFA, he had begun drawing sensitive autobiographical comics about life and lost love. Since then he has published several autobiographical books Clumsy, Unlikely, AEIOU, Little Things, and Funny Misshappen Body. His range of work also includes short fiction, humorously observant cat comics, superhero parody, and fantasy. He was recently the subject of an award-winning short documentary film. Heidi MacDonald will join Jeffrey onstage to discuss his diverse and evolving body of work.

4:30 | Brookside Conference Room
The Aesthetics of Mini-Comics

Modestly-produced and hand-made comics have been the major point of entry for young cartoonists since the advent of cheap xerography. As comics have gravitated more towards bookstore-ready formats, some artists continue to find in hand-made comics a valuable, and even preferred, method of production. Moderator Bill Kartalopoulos will discuss the unique qualities of hand-produced formats with Dina Kelbermann, Jason Miles, John Porcellino, Jon Vermilyea and Dan Zettwoch.

5:00 | White Flint Amphitheater
Center for Cartoon Studies Comics Workshop

Robyn Chapman and Jon Chad join us from the Center for Cartoon Studies, a two-year educational institution for budding cartoonists in White River Junction, Vermont. This hands-on cartooning workshop will focus on the basics of a comics page construction, from thumbnail to final draft. No matter how little experience you have, you will leave this workshop having composed a comics page!

Small Press Expo Announces Peter Kuper, Kevin Huizenga, Kate Beaton, and Al Columbia as Guests for SPX 2009

September 18th, 2009

Bethesda, Maryland; September 17, 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 Peter Kuper, Kevin Huizenga, Kate Beaton and Al Columbia as guests for SPX 2009. This completes the guest list for one of the best SPX’s ever, adding these great creators to our previously announced guests Gahan Wilson, Paul Karasik, Carol Tyler, Josh Neufeld, John Porcellino, Willy Linthout Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak and Joshua Cotter .

kuperPeter Kuper is a contributor to Time, Newsweek, The New York Times and many other publications as an illustrator. He is the co-founder of the long running World War 3 Illustrated as well as being the main artist on Mad’s long running series Spy vs. Spy. Peter’s latest creation is Diario de Oaxaca: A Sketchbook Journal of Two Years In Mexico published by PM Press. Diario is a combination of comics, sketches, photography and a journal of the time he and his family lived in Oaxaca, Mexico during a time of political turmoil there. This work comes on the heels of his critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical Stop Forgetting To Remember-The Autobiography of Walter Kurtz released in 2007 by Crown Publishers. Peter will only be at SPX on Saturday, September 26 in the afternoon.

huizengaKevin Huizenga has just released the latest stories of the philosophical sage Glen Ganges, with #3 published recently by Fantagraphics. Kevin twice made Time Magazines Top Ten Comics and is a weekly contributor to the irreverent and always humorous Amazing Facts and Beyond with Leon Beyond. Visit Kevin at his blog The Balloonist at http://kevinh.blogspot.com/.

beatonKate Beaton is the winner of the 2009 Doug Wright Award for Best Emerging Talent. Her History Comics takes an irreverent and comical view of history and historical figures, this leading to coverage in Wired MagazineBitch and Macleans. Kate is responsible for the all of the banners on the SPX site, for which SPX has received rave reviews. Kate’s work can be viewed at her web site http://harkavagrant.com/.

columbiaAl Columbia is the creator behind the just released Pim & Francie: The Golden Bear Days from Fantagraphics, which is a collection of excavations, comic strips, animation stills, storybook covers, and other output over the years. Al started as an assistant to Bill Sienkiewicz, then moved on to create the Biologic Show.

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 $10 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.

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Small Press Expo Announces Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak and Joshua Cotter as Guests for SPX 2009

September 9th, 2009

Bethesda, Maryland; September 9, 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 Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak and Joshua Cotter as guests for SPX 2009.

jerrymoriartyJerry Moriarity will be making only his second festival appearance ever at this years SPX. 

Jerry has exhibited his work at Corridor Gallery, Kamikaze, Printed Matter, at the Visual Arts Museum of the School of Visual Arts, and, most recently, in a 2004 show at the CUE Art Foundation curated by Art Spiegelman. Jerry has worked as a painter, an illustrator, and a cartoonist. Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly first published several episodes of Jerry’s “Jack Survives” series of comics pages in issues of RAW Magazine, and published a now deeply out of print “Jack Survives” collection in 1984. This year, Buenaventura Press has published an updated, definitive hardcover collection of “Jack Survives,”  including never before published comics pages and paintings with an introduction by Chris Ware.

R. Sikoryak is a contributor to Tmasterpiecehe New Yorker, Nickelodeon Magazine, Drawn & Quarterly, The Onion, Mad Magazine and LA Weekly in addition to Art Spiegelman’s ground breaking Raw. His work has also been featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His long running series of literary masterpieces re-imagined in the style of various famous comic characters and cartoon artists has been collected by Drawn and Quarterly and published as Masterpiece Comics. Masterpiece Comics collects all of the previously released collisions between fine literature and the comics world, in addition to new pieces added to the series.

SKY.COL.COVER.FRONTJoshua Cotter is the creator of the mini-comics Fun and Self Help. He won the Isotope Award for mini-comix in 2004 for Skyscrapers of The Midwest, which was collected into a graphic novel and published by Adhouse Books, with both the mini-comics and full graphic novel garnering rave reviews. Joshua was also nominated for Ignatz, Harvey and Eisner Awards. He is currently doing commercial work and painting while developing his next comics oriented project,  tentatively called Nod Away.

Jerry Moriarity, R. Sikoryak and Joshua Cotter are in addition to the previously announced guests Gahan Wilson, Paul Karasik, Carol Tyler, Josh Neufeld, John Porcellino and Willy Linthout.

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 $10 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.

Small Press Expo Announces Paul Karasik as a Guest for SPX 2009

August 31st, 2009

bookcover_ishall

Paul Karasik is a contributor to both The New Yorker and Nickelodeon magazine. He is the former associate editor of the ground breaking RAW Magazine and a former teacher at the Rhode Island School of Design. As a graduate of the School of Visual Design, he studied with Art Spiegelman, Will Eisner and Harvey Kurtzman. He was the co-creator of the graphic novelCity of Glass”, in collaboration with David Mazzucchelli. Paul’s critically acclaimed “I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets” on the works of Fletcher Hanks won the 2008 Eisner Award for the category Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books. His latest book is another collection of the works of Fletcher Hanks “You Shall Die By Your Own Evil Creation!” published by Fantagraphics Books.

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 $10 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.

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Small Press Expo Announces Carol Tyler and Josh Neufeld as Guests for SPX 2009

August 31st, 2009

bookcover_latebBethesda, Maryland; August 27, 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 Carol Tyler and Josh Neufeld as guests for SPX 2009.

Carol Tyler is one of the original “Wimmen” cartoonists, has contributed to Weirdo, Drawn & Quarterly, Zero Zero, along with the anthologies Wimmens Comix and Twisted Sisters. She will be at SPX to talk about her latest graphic novel, You’ll Never Know Book One “A Good and Decent Man”, released by Fantagraphics. You’ll Never Know has received acclaim from critics and librarians alike for its portrayal of not only her fathers story of his experiences in World War 2, but how those experiences shaped Carol and her family. See more of Carol’s work at her web site http://www.bloomerland.com.

adJosh Neufeld, author of the Xeric Grant winner A Few Perfect Hours, spent time as a volunteer for the Red Cross in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This resulted on the online graphic novel A.D. New Orleans After The Deluge, which is now a full color book published by Pantheon that has garnered rave reviews. Josh also created the series The Vagabonds and as well as collaborating with Dean Haspiel on Keyhole. Visit Josh at his website at http://joshcomix.home.mindspring.com/.

Both Josh and Carol will be on discussion panels to talk about their works, in addition to being available for book signings while at SPX.

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 $10 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.

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2009 Ignatz Awards Nominees

August 24th, 2009

SPX 2009 hosts 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 are determined by a panel of five comic artists, which are voted on 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.

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
Danny Dutch, David King
Thingpart, Joey Alison Sayers
Vanessa Davis’s comics for Tablet
Year of the Rat, Cayetano Garza

2009 Ignatz Jury
Lilli Carre
Vanessa Davis
Robert Kirby
Scott Mills
Laura Park

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