Let's go back to right at the begging of the prog, it is the year 1977. So, which was your favorite story in the first year of the prog (the last prog of that year was prog 45 published 31 December 1977):
- Invasion
- Dan Dare
- Flesh
- Harlem Heroes
- M.A.C.H 1
- Judge Dredd
- Bonjo from Beyond the Stars
- Tharg's Future Shocks
- Shako
The first two Dan Dare stories are magnificent nonsense, but Flesh is the standout star of the first year of the Prog.
11 year old me loved M.A.C.H. 1. (and so 56 year old me bows to the youth and allows the little b*stard a vote).
I have to vote SHAKO, but we all know Flesh should be the winner. Of the initial line-up it was Flesh that brought me back for prog 2 and kept me reading week by week. But, for me Shako, when it came along, was pure unfiltered thrill power.
SBT
Harlem Heroes
I've always had a soft spot for MACH One and really liked Invasion & Harlem Heroes at the time but then and now Flesh is the clear winner for me.
Dredd is all over the place in that first year.
Flesh!
dan dare
Was not alive at the time, but I have read these Progs on a Prog Slog some decades back. Going on those vague memories, and the fact that I haven't re-read half of the stories, I'm pulling for
Dan Dare
-which is surely the worst story at first, but Belardinelli more than makes up for it, and then I genuinely enjoy the GF-D / Gibbons sequence.
For anyone who hasn't read it, this review of Shako by American comics critic Tegan O'Neil is an interesting perspective:
https://shelfdust.com/2021/06/08/shako-in-america/
I'm amazed how few of these first-year thrills I've actually read! Just Invasion, Flesh and Dredd.
Of those... I suppose Flesh takes it.
Whilst Flesh is probably better, I can't vote against Shako. First time I read this I was mesmirised.
When it comes to the overall impact on the Prog and in shaping it's future it's absolutely no contest. Yes it was still finding it's feet in the first year but it's got to be Judge Dredd.
Judge Dredd. I still enjoy the fun and artwork of those early Dredds, regardless of the strip still trying to find itself.
We have a clear leader here but you have the whole weekend to decide which beginning was the best
Judge Dredd without question.
There's a reason we're all still here.
We have our winner at the end a certain lawman almost arrested the result but that was not enough
Voting closed the winner:
Felsh