First things first: If you haven't checked out the first annual Ninth Art Lighthouse Awards, then you owe it to yourself to do so now. It's our guide to the very best comics and creators of 2001. What was the best new comic? Who won the outstanding achievement award? Who was the year's number one publisher? The Lighthouse Awards have all the answers.

And then, of course, come back here for the pick of the best new comics hitting stores this week. The Shipping Forecast is compiled with help from the Diamond shipping list. Check out the Diamond website for the most up-to-date information.

Note that the comic shipments are back on schedule this week, and the new books should be hitting US stores on Wednesday.

GERMAN BIGHT PICKS:

SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE THESSALIAD #1 (DC Vertigo)
I've commented before on the dichotomy of Vertigo dragging as much as they can from the remnants of the Sandman mythos, yet turning up stuff that's worth reading. Still, I looked at this week's solicitations and originally read it as SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE SALAD, which I thought was taking the piss somewhat. A closer look revealed something that I'd much rather get my teeth into. Bill Willingham's sense of humour floats my boat, and he's used it to bring a pleasingly light touch to Sandman properties before (THE DREAMING, EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DREAMS). So, marry a Willingham script to art by Shawn McManus, who originally drew Thessaly way-back-when in SANDMAN, wrap it up in some beyoootiful McKean covers, and I for one am positively drooling in anticipation of this book's arrival at the lighthouse.

TRANSMETROPOLITAN #52 (DC Vertigo)
It's a fallow week, so here's something I recommended on its last outing. Which isn't to say that it doesn't deserve recommendation, because it does, but I prefer to push something that's just starting out rather than coming to the end of its mortal span. Nonetheless, TRANSMET is as good now as it's ever been, with Spider Jerusalem facing the dying of the light and raging against it as only he can. Issue #51 was a particular blinder, and #52 sees a three-parter kick in that promises elements of political thriller with a TRANSMET twist. And prostitutes. Fasten your seatbelts.

FISHER PICKS:

MOMENT OF SILENCE (Marvel)
Sick of Marvel's silent comics? Yeah, me too. But this one's different, and a little more promising, and the proceeds go to the families of the New York police and fire departments, so I feel compelled to give it a chance. This is Marvel's second Sept 11 charity book, following the decidedly uneven HEROES poster book. MOMENT OF SILENCE features four silent stories based on real Sept 11 events. The creative teams are Joe Quesada and Igor Kordey, Brian Michael Bendis and Scott Morse, Kevin Smith and John Romita Jr, and, because you can't have everything, Bill Jemas and Mark Bagley. The introduction is by former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. The previews at Newsarama look excellent.

CABLE #101 (Marvel)
A new story, set in Albania, and the perfect jumping-on point for new readers. CABLE got a handful of nods in the Lighthouse Awards last week, as one of the most improved books of last year, and as a book with a creative team composed of breakthrough talents David Tischman and Igor Kordey. It hasn't yet totally fulfilled the potential evident in both its core concept and the passion of the people behind it, but that hopefully means the best is yet to come. Don't be put off by the X-MEN baggage. This is really the story of a transcendent Buddhist guerrilla with a proactive political agenda and a heavily stamped passport. It's not about mutants; it's about the world we live in today. Here's your chance to come on board.

PLYMOUTH PICKS:

KINDRED #1 (DC Wildstorm)
Ok, this is a bit odd. I thought that Brett Booth had dropped off the face of comics, to be honest... and these characters from the Wildstorm Universe were really hot five or six years ago. Maybe it's just this fisherman's imagination, but this sure smacks of, "Old completed project that's been gathering dust for years that someone decided to just print and get it over with." If nothing else, I guess everyone can decide once and for all if this catch is one that deserves to have been thrown back into the sea.

POWER COMPANY: WITCHFIRE (DC Comics)
I have no idea if the POWER COMPANY one-shots are actually going to taste any good, but one drawn by Matt Haley sure will be pretty. Ever since his art started showing up in places like Dark Horse's GHOST and DC's ELSEWORLD'S FINEST, I've been impressed with how he was able to draw really beautiful women that actually look, well, real. Heck, even if you're avoiding POWER COMPANY, you may want to just stop and admire this book for a while.

FELON #2 (Top Cow Minotaur)
Poor Greg Rucka. He and Matthew Clark deliver a wonderful first issue of FELON, their new gritty crime series starring a convict out on parole... and Top Cow seems determined to bury it. Suddenly it's a 4-issue series. Then it's an 8-issue series. Then it's a 6-issue series. In colour. Mostly colour. Colour for the first three issues and then black and white. I have no idea why Top Cow seems so embarrassed by FELON, except for that #1 blew any other release of theirs from the last couple of years right out of the water. It may not be long for this world, but lovers of crime fiction definitely need to get FELON while they still can.

CROMARTY PICKS:

SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE THESSALIAD #1 (DC Vertigo)
Well, here we go - another in Vertigo's line of SANDMAN PRESENTS... miniseries, a concept which appears to now be firmly embedded in their schedule. And I find myself thinking, why not? They're obviously selling, and the quality seems to be going up with each series. Willingham wrote the quirky MERV PUMPKINHEAD send-up last year, but THESSALIAD promises to be something along more serious lines - more akin to the recent (and excellent) CORINTHIAN series. With Shawn McManus on board, I have high hopes for this one.

FELON #2 (Top Cow Minotaur)
And about bloody time. I was hesitant about picking up the first issue of FELON - Rucka's a good writer, but the concept - a jailbird is released, and shows no sign of renouncing her criminal ways, attempting to lose her smug parole officer along the way - didn't grab me. So I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be such a good read, with understated exposition, realistic artwork and some subtle characterisation. Having to wait three months for the second part hasn't really done Minotaur's image any favours, so let's hope FELON's schedule is back on track. Now, go pick up the first issue and get on board.

Comics shipping in the US on January 9th:

DARK HORSE

NOV010016 STAR WARS STARFIGHTER CROSSBONES #1 OF 3 $2.99

DC COMICS

NOV010572 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #600 (Note Price) $3.95
NOV010562 AZRAEL AGENT OF THE BAT #86 $2.50
NOV010556 BATGIRL #24 $2.50
NOV010561 BATMAN LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #151 $2.25
NOV010579 DEADMAN #2 $2.50
NOV010554 DETECTIVE COMICS #766 $2.50
NOV010585 GREEN LANTERN #146 $2.25
NOV010569 HARLEY QUINN #16 $2.25
NOV010592 JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES #3 $1.99
NOV010611 KINDRED #1 (Of 4) $2.50
NOV010557 NIGHTWING #65 $2.25
NOV010547 POWER COMPANY WITCHFIRE $2.50
NOV010630 SANDMAN PRESENTS THE THESSALIAD #1 (Of 4) (MR) $2.50
NOV010608 SCOOBY-DOO #56 $1.99
NOV010599 SUICIDE SQUAD #5 $2.50
NOV010633 TRANSMETROPOLITAN #52 (MR) $2.50

IMAGE

SEP011121 10TH MUSE CRUZ CVR #8 $2.95
SEP011122 10TH MUSE PHOTO CVR #8 $2.95
NOV011497 BLACK TIDE #2 $2.95
NOV011498 CREED UTOPIATE #1 $2.95
SEP011165 FELON #2 (Of 4) $2.95
NOV011510 GI JOE #3 $2.95
OCT011478 RISING STARS #17 (RES) $2.50
SEP011114 SAVAGE DRAGON #92 $2.95
SEP011120 TELLOS VOL 2 KINDRED SPIRITS TP $17.95
OCT011582 WARLANDS AGE OF ICE #5 $2.95

MARVEL

SEP011453 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #37 $2.25
NOV011839 AVENGERS CELESTIAL QUEST #5 (Of 8) $2.50
NOV011843 BLACK PANTHER #40 $2.50
NOV011819 CABLE #101 $2.25
NOV011840 FANTASTIC FOUR #51 $2.25
NOV011797 FURY #5 (MR) $2.99
NOV011842 IRON MAN #50 (Note Price) $3.50
NOV011799 MOMENT OF SILENCE PI
NOV011841 THOR #45 $2.25
SEP011435 ULTIMATE MARVEL MAGAZINE #11 $3.99

OTHER PUBLISHERS

OCT012211 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #131 $3.29
OCT012212 BETTY #108 $1.99
NOV012290 MYSTIC #20 $2.95

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

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.