Welcome to the first annual Lighthouse Awards! Every week, our team of critics at the Ninth Art lighthouse has been casting a light over the Diamond shipping list and guiding readers to the safety of the best new releases. This week, the team has put its critical expertise to special use, picking the very best comics, creators and publishers of the past year.

As well as naming the winners, our crew has also named a 'Roll of Honour' for each category, listing those nominees who didn't make it to the winner's circle, but who also deserve respect for their achievements this year.

So, without further ado... the envelope please.

THE GOLDEN SALMON AWARD FOR BEST PUBLISHER: ONI PRESS

The boys - and girls - done good. Oni wins the Golden Salmon hands down for having the highest proportion of excellence to output of any publisher this year. At least one of us fisherfolk had had good things to say about every Oni book that came out this year, including THE COFFIN, HOPELESS SAVAGES, QUEEN & COUNTRY, ALISON DARE, MAGIC PICKLE and BLUE MONDAY. What is Oni doing so right? Attracting and fostering new talents. Creating a diverse range of comics with not a sniff of spandex. Offering great writers and great art for grown ups and kids alike. And all this in black and white! Three cheers for Oni. We take our sou'westers off to you!

The Roll Of Honour:

Humanoids: 2001 saw Humanoids continue its mission to translate the best of its French product line into English-language editions. With titles as wild and fantastic as THE INCAL, LEO ROA, METABARONS, and NEGATIVE EXPOSURE, it seems like only Humanoids' constantly delayed shipping schedule is holding it back from true greatness.

Marvel: It's been a remarkable year for the House of Ideas, and for the first time in a long time that particular sobriquet doesn't sit so uneasily. OK, Marvel 's output is still uneven, and much of its new talent was poached from DC (most notably, editors Stuart Moore and Axel Alonso), but where 'New Marvel' succeeds, it excels. Marvel is taking risks, exploring opportunities, and behaving in a way that has taken everyone by surprise and got everyone talking. So, in addition to naming it one of the best publishers of the year, Ninth Art is pleased to name Marvel Most Improved Publisher 2001.

Top Shelf: Top Shelf has continued to quietly put out some of the best alternative books on the racks. Old titles like BOX OFFICE POISON were thrust back into the spotlight, this year, while new talent like Matt Kindt and Jason Hall made their debut (see below). Never grandstanding or stirring up controversy, Top Shelf focuses its energy on quality books.

THE FRESH FISH AWARD FOR BREAKTHROUGH TALENT: TIE - MIKE CAREY AND JASON HALL & MATT KINDT

It may surprise some to learn that Mike Carey has been writing for a while now. His credits include CARVER HALE for 2000AD, several works for Caliber, and even an OZZY OSBOURNE comic. Never one to shout from the rooftops, Carey just didn't seem the type to have his own spotlight - until the ongoing LUCIFER series for Vertigo debuted in 2000, and earned a loyal following and widespread acclaim in 2001. Carey has confounded critics and SANDMAN-bandwagon haters by producing a story that firmly respects Neil Gaiman's mythos, while making the comic very much his own. The continued critical and popular success of LUCIFER is testament to Carey's skill.

The creative team of Jason Hall and Matt Kindt made a splash this year with the release of the graphic novel PISTOLWHIP and the shorter story MEPHISTO AND THE EMPTY BOX from Top Shelf. With their strong design sense, they've produced books that look like nothing else out there; they tell compelling stories employing narrative techniques that we don't often see in comics. They're planning more stories set in their PISTOLWHIP universe for next year, so be sure to keep an eye on what this undeniably talented duo get up to. Based on the strength of their work this year, it'll be worth your time.

The Roll Of Honour:

'The continued success of LUCIFER is testament to Mike Carey's skill.' Marcelo Frusin: Frusin is an artist possessed of a simplicity that belies his skills in storytelling and atmosphere. Like Risso, Mazzuchelli and Toth, his work is never 'flashy', but his clean line, framing techniques and confident blacks are indicative of an artist who believes in the form's validity. 2001 saw him earn critical acclaim for his continuing stint on Brian Azzarello's HELLBLAZER.

Igor Kordey: CABLE artist Igor Kordey seems to have come from nowhere in 2001. His fluid lines and remarkable speed have earned him a slot on Grant Morrison's NEW X-MEN, bringing that book back on schedule. Artists with speed and talent are thin on the ground. Kordey is one to watch in 2002.

David Tischman: Like Mike Carey, Tischman has been around a while, but only in 2001 did he finally become a familiar name. With the relaunch of Marvel's CABLE, Tischman has emerged from the shadow of AMERICAN CENTURY collaborator Howard Chaykin as a talent in his own right.

THE BIG FISH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: BILL JEMAS & JOE QUESADA

The crew at the lighthouse was unanimous in its decision to name Marvel president Bill Jemas and editor-in-chief Joe Quesada as this year's outstanding achievers, even if a few of the judges were a little begrudging about it. Love them or hate them, Marvel's dynamic duo has done more than anyone to stretch the limits of the industry this year, effecting a turnaround in the company's fortunes - both critically and commercially - that has been nigh-on miraculous. Sure, their first loyalty is to Marvel, but no-one can question their enthusiasm for the medium. Whether you think they' re the new Stan and Jack or just Tweedledum and Tweedledee, these are the guys who are making things happen.

The Roll Of Honour:

Brian Michael Bendis: 2000 was the breakthrough year for Bendis, and 2001 saw him go from strength to strength, writing no less than six monthly titles, and maintaining high quality across the board. More importantly, his 'definitive' trade paperback collections, packed with extras, have become the standard for the rest of the industry to strive for.

Dan Clowes: Proving that movies based on comics can be good, Dan Clowes' GHOST WORLD is being proclaimed as one of the surprise top movies of the year, and has thrust Clowes' criminally-underrated work into the spotlight. With director Terry Zwigoff, Clowes has pulled smart, literate people into comic stores. Now that's an outstanding achievement.

P Craig Russell: Russell is a talent to watch in any year, but in 2001 he completed a breathtaking work with his RING OF THE NIBELUNG cycle for Dark Horse. Unconventional and exquisite, it's a work of such accomplished skill that only a recognised industry great could pull it off.

THE WAVEMAKER AWARD FOR BEST NEW SERIES: QUEEN & COUNTRY (Oni Press)

In an industry where action books are all too often confined to the genre of superheroes, or implausibly beautiful people doing unreal things Greg Rucka's series about life at the sharp end of the spy game is a welcome breath of fresh air. Firmly grounded in a very real - and often very, unpleasant - world, this comic mixes action with political intrigue and infighting in a manner we don't often see. QUEEN & COUNTRY doesn't shy away from the uglier aspects of the job, either. It's far closer to a good thriller than it is to any of the other 'spy' comics we've seen. A genuinely innovative and exciting new series.

The Roll Of Honour:

THE DISCIPLES (Image Comics): THE DISCIPLES arrived mid-2001 with little publicity and less fanfare. A contemporary story of warring magical societies, the comic is thoroughly researched, skilfully told and expertly drawn. Reminiscent of early Vertigo (but without the angst), THE DISCIPLES is a prime example of intelligent, dynamic comics.

HOPELESS SAVAGES (Oni Press): Jen Van Meter's warm and funny story about families and growing up certainly kept us entertained this year, and with Christine Norrie and Chynna Clugston-Major providing the art, these punk kids certainly deserve a mention as an excellent series that's telling the sort of story that's rarely seen in comics.

SLOW NEWS DAY (Slave Labor Graphics): An ambitious Californian reporter gets stuck at a small, unglamorous regional paper in the British Midlands in this brilliant character-driven comic, which perfectly captures the powerplay between finances and journalism found at every media organisation. Combining creator Andi Watson's beguilingly simplistic art with his subtle sense of character, it's a real charmer of a comic.

THE CHANGING TIDES AWARD FOR MOST IMPROVED SERIES: X-FORCE (Marvel Comics)

Some company-owned books improve by increments. The transition between creative teams can be a slow, delicate process. Not with X-FORCE. Writer Peter Milligan and artists Mike and Laura Allred blithely threw away over a hundred issues of the old X-FORCE to bring in their twisted and subversive tale of short lives and celebrity. A lot of fans hated it, but a lot more new fans were born. Such radical surgery can't always work, but on this occasion the risk paid off. X-FORCE is as clever, fresh and engaging as comics get.

The Roll Of Honour:

CABLE (Marvel Comics): Considering the character was created by Rob Liefeld as a generic man-with-gun, then dragged into the overcomplicated soap opera of X-Men genealogy, David Tischman and Igor Kordey's politically astute reinvention of the character is truly a breath of fresh air. With maybe a whiff of napalm.

CATWOMAN (DC Comics): For years, it seems the only thing keeping the CATWOMAN comic afloat were the gigantic breasts that artist Jim Balent delighted in drawing. Ed Brubaker and Darwyn Cooke have found something even better - a dark psychological rollercoaster story with some of the slickest animation-influenced art out there.

NEW X-MEN (Marvel Comics): The team of Grant Morrison and (occasionally) Frank Quitely was never likely to disappoint, but no-one ever expected the book to be quite this good. Witty, thrilling and sophisticated, NEW X-MEN fulfils a promise we'd all long ago given up on: it makes Marvel's mutants seem relevant again.

THE BIGGER BOAT AWARD FOR BEST BOOKSHELF COMIC: ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST (Top Shelf)

Eddie Campbell has been diligently plying his trade for years, but 2001 saw him step into the spotlight. Capitalising on the widened audience for his work after the success of FROM HELL, Campbell collected more of his diary-style social commentary in the ALEC books, of which HOW TO BE AN ARTIST is the best. It's a selective, fascinating and very accessible potted history of his life thus far in the world of comics, and Campbell's skill lies in his spinning of anecdotes and wry observations worthy of a stand-up comedian. HOW TO BE AN ARTIST uses Campbell's talents to the full. Like all good biographies, it amuses, entertains, captivates and elates in equal measure.

The Roll Of Honour:

AGE OF BRONZE: A THOUSAND SHIPS (Image Comics): Eric Shanower's exquisite linework and exhaustive research have made AGE OF BRONZE one of the most impressive series around. A THOUSAND SHIPS collects the first nine issues of this incredible retelling (and interweaving) of the histories and legends of the Trojan War. An epic undertaking that really hits its mark.

BONE: GHOST CIRCLES (Cartoon Books): There was once a time when BONE was regarded as a nothing more than a humorous fantasy comic, but GHOST CIRCLES proves there's a dark heart to Jeff Smith's compelling epic. A powerful, rewarding study of life in the aftermath of disaster, it suggests BONE is sure to become a classic in the history of comics.

BREAKFAST AFTER NOON (Oni Press): The collected edition of Andi Watson's story of unemployment, and the strains it places on a relationship, is something that belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who likes good stories about real people. Slice-of-life without descending into navel-gazing, this was one of the most well received collections of the year.

ZERO GIRL (Homage Comics): Sam Kieth is already well known for being 'quirky', but ZERO GIRL still came as a complete surprise. It showed Kieth channelling his weirdness into a story with a lot of heart, and dealt with issues such as generation-gap love, alienation and insanity with a more mature hand than we've come to expect from him.

THE DAYBREAK AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT: PISTOLWHIP (Top Shelf)

Jason Hall and Matt Kindt's compelling story of private detectives and femme fatales that aren't quite what they seem was easily the best 'first book' of the year. With a unique art style, and showing a command of narrative technique that many well established creators don't seem to have, this is the sort of thing that really raises the bar for entry-level works in the medium. Anyone with any interest in old noir pulps should already own this, but even if the genre doesn't appeal, the skill evident in the book's execution still marks this out as an essential addition to the shelves.

The Roll Of Honour:

PRIVATE BEACH (Slave Labor Graphics): David Hahn used to chronicle the life of Trudy Honeyvan in self-published comics. Then he took a bit of a break, and came back with a publisher behind him, which meant distribution, which meant - ta daa! - an expanded audience. Only two issues have come out so far, but they're real attention grabbers, with a style that, if it must be pigeonholed, owes a little to early LOVE AND ROCKETS - but is mostly very much Hahn's own.

SHADES OF BLUE (Amp Comics): The people over at Amp Comics take their work - though not themselves - pretty seriously. Funny, lively, sometimes touching, SHADES OF BLUE is a comedic superhero parody that's also a coming-of-age story. Amp deserves special notice for making the effort to actually market the book properly. This is self-publishing with real professionalism.

ZOOM'S ACADEMY FOR THE SUPER-GIFTED (Astonish Comics): In Jason Lethcoe's ZOOM'S ACADEMY, his animation-inspired art flows across the page, and his story of a school for superpowered children manages to convey a sense of wonder contagious to both children and adults. Our only regret is that this wasn't published when we were much smaller, because it would almost certainly have been a fast favourite.

THE UNDER THE SONAR AWARD FOR TALENT DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION: TIE - CARLA SPEED MCNEIL AND LELAND PURVIS

FINDER has been going for a few years now, and it's been steadily gathering more readers with every issue, primarily on word-of-mouth. Over the years, Carla Speed McNeil has grown from a better-than-average creator to one of almost embarrassing accomplishment. The art, which in FINDER No.1 was impressive, has become astoundingly detailed and full of flair. The scripting assumes intelligence on the part of the reader, and the characters are all fully realised from the moment they appear on the page. McNeil excels herself year on year. If word of mouth is the only way to spread FINDER, then so be it - we're telling you to buy it.

Like Athena from Zeus' forehead, Leland Purvis sprang fully formed (and dressed for battle) into comics in 2000. VOX #1, the first instalment of his "Narrative Image" quarterly anthology was both unexpected and unconventional - and predictably, it sold extremely poorly. Surreal, dream-like, yet utterly cohesive thanks to Purvis' consummate skill as an artist and storyteller, the stories in VOX range from oddball comedy to subdued rage. Purvis is an artist in every sense of the word, and the world's lukewarm reception to his work is a crime.

The Roll Of Honour:

'Carla Speed McNeil is a creator of almost embarrassing accomplishment.' Junji Ito: Whenever discussion is focused on horror comics, almost all that's mentioned are our conventional, western horror writers, which is a shame, because with works like TOMIE and UZUMAKI, Junji Ito is delivering some of the best horror works the medium has seen in years. If you like horror, you need to read Ito's work.

Mike Kunkel: Animator and Astonish Comics co-founder Mike Kunkel is the man behind the wonderful HEROBEAR AND THE KID, a series that has established him as a storyteller and entertainer of the first order. A true gem, HEROBEAR ought to be bringing smiles to a lot more faces than it currently does.

Sean McKeever McKeever is one of those writers that a few pestering friends always tell you deserves more recognition than he gets - and it's all true. McKeever is equally at ease on the small town realism of his own THE WAITING PLACE as he is on Marvel's INCREDIBLE HULK. Next year should be a good one for McKeever's profile in comics. We say, about time.

PICKS OF THE YEAR

In addition to the awards, we asked our five pundits to give their personal picks of their favourite books of the year.

CROMARTY PICKS: DISCIPLES (Image), 100 BULLETS (DC Vertigo), ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST (Top Shelf)
Three pretty damn different books. I could claim that this is testament to my diverse tastes and holy worthiness, but there are similarities here, and they are, quite simply, passion and quality. DISCIPLES is the work of young, gifted creators whose love and commitment to the comic shows through on every page. 100 BULLETS has a vitality in its script and story that is matched only by the dynamic, but restrained, artwork. And ALEC is an absolute labour of love by a creator at the top of his game, a man with enough chutzpah to believe we actually want to know how he got to where he is; and by the time we've finished the very first page, we're glad to know. These are the comics I simply couldn't put down this year, and if I had my way, the world would be full of comics with this much pulling power.

DOGGER PICKS: SNAKES AND LADDERS (Eddie Campbell Comics), UZUMAKI (Viz), LONE WOLF & CUB (Dark Horse)
SNAKES AND LADDERS is easily the best book of the year for me, but then, look at the creative team. Moore and Campbell provide a story about love, magic and the nature of the universe, while at the same time demonstrating exactly what the medium is capable of. UZUMAKI is the book no horror fan should be without. Junji Ito's stories about spirals deforming and deranging the people of a small Japanese town has produced some of the most disturbing visuals and ideas I've seen all year. I'm not easily horrified, but even I had to put this book down at times. LONE WOLF AND CUB is a story of honour and revenge in feudal Japan. It's a gripping read, and is finally being printed in English in the original format. Another masterclass of technique here, and a single instalment will keep you riveted for hours.

'ALEC is an absolute labour of love by a creator at the top of his game.' FISHER PICKS: X-FORCE (Marvel), OUTLAW NATION (DC Vertigo), ZERO GIRL (Homage)
I can't remember a year where I've ever enjoyed my weekly comics trawl so much as I have in 2001, and a large part of that is down to these three books. The darkly satirical X-FORCE has given this unreconstituted Marvel zombie more hope for the superhero genre than overhyped and undernourished works like DARK KNIGHT or ORIGIN ever could. OUTLAW NATION, Jamie Delano's sadly curtailed roadtrip down The American Way, is proof positive that Vertigo still knows how to produce the goods, even if it's forgotten how to sell them. And ZERO GIRL, Sam Kieth's surrealist high school fable, was my great love affair of the year, rewarding and surprising me with every turn of the page. A vintage year.

GERMAN BIGHT PICKS: SLOW NEWS DAY (Slave Labor Graphics), FINDER (Lightspeed Press), TOP TEN (Wildstorm ABC)
FINDER has been rocking my world since I first read an issue in 1998. 2001 was the year in which the 'Talisman' storyline concluded - Carla Speed McNeil's most emotionally resonant work to date - and we had a great one-off issue about Jaeger, the main protagonist and the start of a new storyline, 'Dream Sequence' which looks set to rival the emotional power of 'Talisman'. TOP TEN crept out on an excruciatingly erratic schedule, but every issue was worth the wait and then some. It concluded at last this year, and although it left me hungering for more, it promised it too. SLOW NEWS DAY is another step on the ever improving path of Andi Watson's comics. Realistic, intriguing, engaging and suspenseful, even when nothing much happens, this was my favourite new comic of the year and I'm looking forward to seeing the series through to its conclusion in 2002.

PLYMOUTH PICKS: DETECTIVE COMICS (DC Comics), FOUR WOMEN (Homage), LUCIFER (DC Vertigo)
If there's a link between these three books, it's that they each delight in taking a look at the psychological underpinnings of their characters... and what radically different characters we have! DETECTIVE COMICS brought back the detective angle to Batman's life (thanks to Greg Rucka), and is slowly pulling the Dark Knight apart to see what makes him tick. FOUR WOMEN has Sam Kieth putting four very different women through the most horrific car ride of their lives, forcing them to deal with a physical and emotional assault as best they can. LUCIFER is almost an essay on pride, looking at the fallen angel who dared defy God, and helps us try and understand just how someone could have that much hubris. Three dissimilar books... but having more in common than one would think.

THE WINNERS:

Best Publisher: Oni Press
Roll of Honour: Humanoids, Marvel, Top Shelf
Most Improved Publisher: Marvel

Breakthrough Talent: Mike Carey; Jason Hall & Matt Kindt
Roll of Honour: Marcelo Frusin, Igor Kordey, David Tischman

Outstanding Achievement: Bill Jemas & Joe Quesada
Roll of Honour: Brian Michael Bendis, Daniel Clowes, P Craig Russell

Best New Series: QUEEN & COUNTRY, by Greg Rucka and Steve Rolston
Roll of Honour: DISCIPLES, HOPELESS SAVAGES, SLOW NEWS DAY

Most Improved Series: X-FORCE, by Peter Milligan, Mike Allred and Laura Allred
Roll of Honour: CABLE, CATWOMAN, NEW X-MEN

The Friday Reviews
Read reviews of the following commended works at Ninth Art:
ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST
QUEEN & COUNTRY
LUCIFER POWERS
BREAKFAST AFTER NOON Best Bookshelf Comic: ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST, by Eddie Campbell
Roll of Honour: AGE OF BRONZE: A THOUSAND SHIPS, BONE: GHOST CIRCLES, BREAKFAST AFTER NOON, ZERO GIRL

Best Debut: PISTOLWHIP, by Matt Kindt & Jason Hall
Roll of Honour: PRIVATE BEACH, SHADES OF BLUE, ZOOM'S ACADEMY

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: Carla Speed McNeil; Leland Purvis
Roll of Honour: Junji Ito, Mike Kunkel, Sean McKeever

Picks of the Year:
Cromarty: DISCIPLES, 100 BULLETS, ALEC: HOW TO BE AN ARTIST
Dogger: SNAKES AND LADDERS, UZUMAKI, LONE WOLF & CUB
Fisher: X-FORCE, OUTLAW NATION, ZERO GIRL
German Bight: SLOW NEWS DAY, FINDER, TOP TEN
Plymouth: DETECTIVE COMICS, FOUR WOMEN, LUCIFER

The 9A Lighthouse Crew are Trafalgar, Shannon, Fastnet, Plymouth, Viking, German Bight, Finisterre, Forties, Dogger, Cromarty and Fisher.

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