Ignatz AwardsMedia Release -- In order to give honor to people that have outstanding achievement in comics and cartooning, the Ignata Awards are awarded at SPX (Small Press Expo), held on September 14 and 15, 2013 at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Ignatz was awarded in nine categories, were created by a panel of five cartoonists, and were voted on by attendees of this year's SPX. This year's judges were Lisa Hanawalt, Dustin Harbin, Damien Jay, Sakura Maku, and Jason Shiga. The ceremony was hosted by New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly.

Artist Michael Deforge was the big winner for this year, taking the Oustanding Anthology award for his collection Very Casual and Outstanding Series for Lose (both published by Koyama Press) as well as being named Outstanding Artist.

The winners of the Ignatz Awards for 2013 are:

Outstanding Mini Comic: The End of the Fucking World by Chuck Forsman (Fantagraphics Books)

Outstanding Story: "Gold Star" John Martz (Retrofit Comics)

Outstanding Comic: Pope Hats #3 by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse Books)

Outstanding Anthology: Very Casual by Michael DeForge (Koyama Press)

Most Promising New Talent: Sam Alden

Outstanding Online Comic: SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki

Outstanding Series: Lose by Michael DeForge (Koyama Press)

Outstanding Graphic Novel: Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust (Fantagraphics Books)

Outstanding Artist: Michael DeForge