Every week, Ninth Art's crew of pundit critics shine a light over the choppy waters of the comic industry to steer you towards a selection of the best books on offer. Every year, we look back over the highlights to pick out the very finest titles and creators out there. In this, the fifth annual Lighthouse Awards, we announce our winners for 2005.

BEST PUBLISHER

Winner: DC

Some might be surprised that we should recognise DC in a year when it's been joined with Marvel in perpetrating the crime of dubious extended crossovers on a suffering readership. However, look beyond the CRISIS and you'll find a publisher keen to explore new ideas, draw in new talents, expand its audience and serve its readership all at once. A lot of its efforts have fallen flat, but while other publishers withdraw into dull conservatism, DC has of late kept coming back to try again. The Vertigo and WildStorm imprints remain incubators for talent and ideas, the All Star line was one of the year's big talking points, and SEVEN SOLDIERS demonstrated a willingness to be bold even in its main DCU. Hell, even DC's crossovers feel genuinely eventful. If you're looking for a house of ideas, look no further than DC.

The Roll of Honour

Dark Horse:

The comics market has grown tougher and leaner than ever before, and yet Dark Horse is firmly in the black thanks to clever licensing and tent-pole names. The SIN CITY movie tie-ins were a windfall, despite problems with meeting demand, and CONAN continues to be a reliable seller. This year, more movie shenanigans with an adaptation of Frank Miller's 300.

Oni Press: 2005 saw Oni Press cement their position as the indy comics publisher with something for everyone. From the audaciously freeform SHARKNIFE to the artfully sophisticated CAPOTE IN KANSAS and the boyish charm of OFF ROAD, Oni Press continues to prove, without nearly enough fanfare, that there's nothing better in comics than a good story well told.

Top Shelf: From charming all-ages books like Andy Runton's OWLY and Aaron Renier's SPIRAL-BOUND, to Alex Robinson's multiple-character TRICKED and Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele's science-fiction epic THE SURROGATES, the one common thread uniting all of Top Shelf's releases is quality. If it's Top Shelf approved, it's always worth your attention. That's a claim very few publishers live up to, but Top Shelf manages every year.

BREAKTHROUGH TALENT

Winner: Bryan Lee O'Malley

Though the first SCOTT PILGRIM book came out a year and a half ago, 2005 was the year everyone started paying attention to Bryan Lee O'Malley, as the second SCOTT PILGRIM book proved that the humour and charm of the first were no fluke. 2005 was the year he won the inaugural Doug Wright award for Best Emerging Talent, and it was the year he got mentioned on just about every comic-related blog and website at least once a week, including his own. In amongst all that, he still managed to find time to co-letter LOCAL. Talented lad.

The Roll of Honour

James Jean: FABLES had a great year, and adding to the appeal of the story and art were the gorgeous cover illustrations by James Jean. An in-demand illustrator whose work can be found everywhere from the New York Times to Sigur Ros CDs, James picked up his second Eisner while managing to create memorable covers for even forgettable books such as MACHINE TEEN. It's been a while since a new Dave McKean or Brian Bolland emerged, but Jean is surely the new master of offbeat covers, and there's a sense that the best is yet to come.

Dan Slott: Slott is comics' slowest overnight sensation, but he's come a long way since his start for Marvel writing REN & STIMPY in the mid-1990s. A gig on an ARKHAM ASYLUM mini-series, followed by runs on SHE-HULK, GLA and now THE THING have established him as that remarkably rare creature - an almost universally well-regarded new writer at the Big Two.

Zeb Wells: NEW WARRIORS and BIG IN JAPAN may not have set sales records at Marvel, yet both were among the best things Marvel published this year. They shared a great sense of breezy humour, and they pushed artists Skottie Young and Seth Fisher to produce their best work yet. With a solid grasp of storytelling, great wit, and a knack for writing to an artist's strengths, Wells has become a writer to watch.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

Winner: Grant Morrison

It's been a busy year for the Morningside Magus. After concluding his creator-owned trilogy with collected editions of WE3, SEAGUY, and the delightfully manic VIMANARAMA, Grant Morrison returned to his spiritual home with the high stakes superhero cycle SEVEN SOLDIERS. Between that and the refreshing ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, it almost seems as if Grant Morrison has been the only thing stopping the DC superhero line from succumbing completely to Infinite Crisis. This year sees Morrison continue his regeneration work, finishing SEVEN SOLDIERS while helping plot the anthology series 52, and it seems likely that he will every bit as consistent this year as he was last.

The Roll of Honour

Charles Burns: It's been a decade and it's spanned three publishers (Black Eye, Fantagraphics, Pantheon), but Charles Burns's opus BLACK HOLE is complete, its twelve issues collected into a single volume. Burns's slick, almost oily art is fascinating as he draws the story of physically deformed teenagers whose changes are sexually transmitted. It's the creepiest metaphor for puberty you'll ever find, and Burns' dedication to this amazing project has been truly admirable.

Mark Chiarello: DC's SOLO anthology series was one of the highlights of 2005, a blank canvas for some of comics' brightest minds to pour their hearts into. From the neoclassicism of Tim Sale to the neo-manga stylings of Paul Pope, SOLO has provided something for everyone. And it's all thanks to editor Mark Chiarello, who assembled a roster of artists (and writers) to make anyone with a fondness for comics go weak at the knees.

Frank Miller: The SIN CITY adaptation was a stunning achievement, losing nothing in translation from page to screen, and there are several sequels in the pipeline. Miller's collaboration with Jim Lee for ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN has sold very healthy numbers, despite the derisory reaction from critics. Miller has become the first comics professional who won't get out of bed for less than a million dollars.

BEST NEW SERIES

Winner: SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY

Grant Morrison's thirty-part superhero epic, in which seven unrelated people must join forces without ever meeting to thwart a voracious otherworldly foe, has been the most compelling superhero story for quite some time. The stories follow broadly similar structures: initiating the protagonists into new worlds, redeeming them for past sins, or both in varying proportions. The series are tightly plotted, right down to the timing of events and the movement of characters, allowing each series to interact with a lightness of touch that rewards the dedicated reader. SEVEN SOLDIERS is about renewal: some characters, such as Zatanna, are broken down and reborn with a clear sense of purpose. Others, such as The Manhattan Guardian, are almost completely reinvented, in this case along traditional Marvel lines. But it's not just about fumigating the corporate toy box: SEVEN SOLDIERS is about renewal of faith; in oneself, in the idea of heroism, and in the notion that there's no such thing as no way out.

The Roll of Honour

DESOLATION JONES: In a prolific year for writer Warren Ellis, two of his books have stood out thanks to a combination of formal experimentation, emotional depth and superb art. Desolation Jones' world is cold and duplicitous, but peppered with moments of quiet sentimentality. JH Williams III, chameleonic artist on ABC's PROMETHEA, exploits the protagonist's damaged physiology to create a world of mind-bending visual fluidity, punctuated by stark, crippling violence.

FELL: Ellis' other standout work this year was FELL, the best pure police procedural since Paul Grist's KANE, a maddening parade of horrors made bearable by the lead's warm rationality. Artist Ben Templesmith's command of the page and the palette, coupled with the self-contained story format and the attractive price, have made Fell one of the surprise hits of the year.

NEW WARRIORS: Few projects divided fans as sharply as Marvel's latest revamp of their teen hero also-ran team. The 'reality TV' concept, mixed with the animation-influenced art, had traditionalists baying for blood. Ironically, those who gave it a chance found that it was a smart, funny, gorgeous revamp that even managed to stay true to the characters. Who'd have thunk?

BEST CONTINUING SERIES

Winner: GOTHAM CENTRAL

It's a sad irony that we come to celebrate this continuing series just weeks before it's finally dis-continued, a victim both of inter-company wrangling (Marvel poached co-creators Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark) and of the bigger picture universe rebuilding that's so in vogue at the moment. Still, it's something of a miracle that we got to enjoy this under-appreciated gem for as long as we did. A police procedural series set in Gotham was never likely to be a massive hit, but none the less, this book was as good as it could possibly have been, and it never found the audience it deserved.

The Roll of Honour

AGE OF BRONZE: Eric Shanower's necessarily epic retelling of the story of the Trojan War is also necessarily slow, given the depth of research, the detail of the art and the impressive effort to reconcile different versions of this ancient legend. The book's third arc, Betrayal, got underway in 2005, and who knows how long it'll take to get to the end - but it's certain to be worth the wait. AGE OF BRONZE is one of the most impressive and rewarding artistic undertakings in comics today.

PUNISHER: It remains extraordinary that Garth Ennis was able to milk not one, but two successful and markedly different runs out of this seemingly one-note character. It's even more extraordinary that he's still writing it. No one expected Ennis to spend so long on an old Marvel trademark, yet with the Punisher he's found a perfect vehicle for his over-the-top tales of vengeance, violence and bloody retribution, and in Leo Fernandez he's found a great collaborator to explore the inky darkness with. This is exactly what the Punisher should be, and it's always entertaining.

THE ULTIMATES: Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's tale of 21st century super soldiers took a dark twist last year. Where the first series was a satire of military adventurism and media manipulation, the second volume has been an indictment of post-911 military paranoia. This, coupled with a plot that can best be described as labyrinthine, has resulted in a gripping, meaty read, thanks in part to Bryan Hitch's powerful, ultra-realistic art, but also because of Millar's airtight, mature scripting.

BEST BOOKSHELF COMIC

Winner: THE COMPLETE CALVIN & HOBBES

It's a bit of a gamble to collect together ten years of cartoons and publish them in an archive edition of three leather-bound volumes. That kind of thing will easily set you back over a hundred smackers, which is far too extravagant for a disposable artform like the newspaper strip. But this is CALVIN & HOBBES we're talking about; no other strip (including PEANUTS) holds the same degree of veneration among its readers, and these handsome editions make a fitting tribute to Bill Watterson and his work. If you're a cheapskate, you can always go and buy the flimsy paperback collections. It's not like they're going out of print anytime soon.

The Roll of Honour

BLACK HOLE: Charles Burns' opus finally finished? And collected into a beautiful hardcover? And published by a 'mainstream' publisher? Who would have thought they'd ever see the day? Thankfully, Pantheon believed, and Burns' decade-long masterpiece of love and other diseases is available to all, almost everywhere. There's a strange thrill to be had walking past a bookshop window and seeing that creepy, censored girl grinning out at you.

THE FORTY-NINERS: Alan Moore and Gene Ha's long-awaited follow-up/prequel to their superhero cops series TOP TEN traded in that book's costumed HILL STREET BLUES approach for a sense-of-wonder look back at the creation of the city where the heroes of the 1940s went to retire. Featuring dozens of background cameos and hilarious concepts (a crossword-themed villain who only speaks in clues), along with the best work of Gene Ha's distinguished career, THE FORTY-NINERS was not only worth the wait, but ranks among Moore's best works, superhero or otherwise.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD: This is as far away from traditional indie slice-of-life comics as you can get without involving Superman. It's a slice of the life many comics readers dream of having - rock bands, dangerous wimmin, video game battles and pop culture references. It's fun, funky and frenetic - recommended reading for anyone who's fed up of misery in their indies.

BEST DEBUT

Winner: SHARKNIFE

Corey Sutherland Lewis' SHARKNIFE wears all its influences on its not-quite zipatoned sleeve, marrying manga/animé structure to videogame logic and then getting them good and high on Slush Puppies before turning them loose. SHARKNIFE is a breathless race from first page to last, moving from smashing action sequences to chibi-style romantic scenes and back without missing a beat. The digest format almost seems too small to contain Lewis' energy. The pages are densely packed with an astounding amount of information and motion. Exhausting it may be, but SHARKNIFE is like a good solid workout: you'll ache in the morning, but you'll feel great for it, all the same.

The Roll of Honour

ELK'S RUN: Let's set the record straight. There are no elk in this comic. If there were, they would not run, unless it was to escape from the pseudo-moral militia who are building up to unleash tragedy in a tiny American town in this tense, slow-burning series. Fialkov, Tuazon and Keating have created a story that's genuinely foreboding, chilling and creepy. It is most assuredly not a funny animal book.

LOST DOGS: Jeff Lemire's Xeric award-winning graphic novel is a heart-wrenching tale of loss and despair. A giant-sized novel to match a giant-sized protagonist, LOST DOGS is told in powerful, inky strokes of black, white and blood red, a thematic palette that perfectly matches the story's sense of claustrophobic inevitability.

TALENT DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION

Winner: Damon Hurd

Most armchair critics sit at home and think to themselves, "I could do that". Damon Hurd is one of those exceptional people who actually sets out to prove it. Not only does he write and self-publish his own comics, he's also proven that he's really very good at it. MY UNCLE JEFF was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2003, but Hurd's continued to publish sharp, well-written comics like A SORT OF HOMECOMING, THE WHITE ELEPHANT, and his latest winner, TEMPORARY, the stories of a kleptomaniac, slightly-deranged temporary worker. In the comics industry it's hard to break in, doubly so when you only write and don't draw; Hurd's proven that if you've got the fortitude and the talent, it is possible.

The Roll of Honour

Rob G: Rob G's four projects in 2005 really showed his growth as an artist. It started with the collection of one of his first works, TEENAGERS FROM MARS, and continued with his return to the action of COURIERS (with added mullet), but we also got a glimpse of where he's going with the black, white and red noir of FILLER and the old school EERIE-style cowboys and zombies of DEAD WEST.

Jason Little: 'Bubblegum Noir' is how best to describe the adventures of Bee, the big-bottomed heroine whose adventures are chronicled in SHUTTERBUG FOLLIES and MOTEL ART IMPROVEMENT SERVICE. Jason Little has cleverly used the fledgling medium of web comics to catch the eye of reputable publishers, which in turn helps his work find the wider audience it most certainly deserves.

Sean Murphy: You never know where the bright new stars of tomorrow might crop up - in a Batman spin-off mini over here, or in a labour-of-love black and white indie comic over there. Murphy showcased his energetic animation-influenced artwork in both, with BATMAN/SCARECROW for DC and OFF ROAD for Oni. An extraordinarily gifted cartoonist, he ought to go far.

THE LIGHTHOUSE AWARDS 2005

Best Publisher: DC
Roll of Honour: Dark Horse; Oni Press; Top Shelf

Lighthouse Awards 2001
Lighthouse Awards 2002
Lighthouse Awards 2003
Lighthouse Awards 2004 Breakthrough Talent: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Roll of Honour: James Jean; Dan Slott; Zeb Wells

Outstanding Achievement: Grant Morrison
Roll of Honour: Charles Burns, Mark Chiarello, Frank Miller

Best New Series: SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY, by Grant Morrison et al (DC)
Roll of Honour: DESOLATION JONES, by Warren Ellis and JH Williams III (DC WildStorm); FELL, by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith (Image); NEW WARRIORS, by Zeb Wells and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series: GOTHAM CENTRAL, by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Stefano Gaudiano, Kano et al (DC)
Roll of Honour: AGE OF BRONZE, by Eric Shanower (Image); PUNISHER, by Garth Ennis and Leo Fernandez (Marvel); ULTIMATES, by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch (Marvel)

Best Bookshelf Comic: COMPLETE CALVIN & HOBBES, by Bill Watterson (Andrew McMeel)
Roll of Honour: BLACK HOLE, by Charles Burns (Pantheon); THE FORTY-NINERS, by Alan Moore and Gene Ha (DC WildStorm/ABC); SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD, by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press)

Best Debut: SHARKNIFE, by Corey Lewis (Oni Press)
Roll of Honour: ELK'S RUN, by Joshua Hale Fialkov, Noel Tuazon and Scott Keating (Hoarse and Buggy); LOST DOGS, by Jeff Lemire (Ashtray Press)

Talent Deserving Of Wider Recognition: Damon Hurd
Roll of Honour: Rob G, Jason Little, Sean Murphy

Special thanks to Greg McElhatton.

The Ninth Eight are Matthew Craig, John Fellows, Kieron Gillen, Alistair Kennedy, Zack Smith, Andrew Wheeler, Ben Wooller and Bulent Yusuf.

This article is Ideological Freeware. The author grants permission for its reproduction and redistribution by private individuals on condition that the author and source of the article are clearly shown, no charge is made, and the whole article is reproduced intact, including this notice.