Over on the Advent Calendar, I've been linking to a new blog three times a week.
Thought I'd give it its own topic as well, just in case anyone who's interested hasn't found it and wants to air their opinions...
Xmas Prog, Ranked (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com)
(And yes, I am aware that come tomorrow morning, subscribers will be treated to an all-new Xmas Prog. I won't get my digital or physical copies til Wednesday. If I'm lucky, it'll be REALLY GOOD, and then I can slot it into the ranking higher up the list...)
For the individual entries:
Start Here (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/start-here-biggest-is-best.html)
Ranks 22-20 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-22-20-worst-best-progs.html)
Ranks 19-16 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-19-16-great-stories-not-enough.html)
Ranks 15-13 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-15-13-more-good-stories-still-not.html)
Ranks 12-10 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-12-10-average-all-rounders.html)
Subscribers get it tomorrow? In my dreams. It's been months since I had a prog delivered before the following Wednesday. I was getting it 10 days late in October.
the usual top notch work, alex.
I feel a tad slighted, however, by your comments on the 2000ad annual 1980. that's such a nostalgic touchstone in my life. i spent days consumed by that rather odd cover.
but. however. i'm finding that in most of my thoughts (and votes!) about the prog, nostalgia always trumps textual analysis and artistic appreciation. this wonderful publication has convoluted itself around the warp and weft of my life even more comprehensively than a world cup.
in other words i love that annual. just seeing it gives a proustian rush. that the contents might be objectively meh is neither here or there. it doesn't matter.
however, thank you alex.
Alls I'm saying is that this is going to come down to one thing. The Damage Report
Okay this is getting especially fascinating as we head towards the top 10. As the quality of the thrills goes down in ranks 12-10 the overall score goes up, there's got to be a chart for that. The run 13-19 as you note have astonishing strong stories but lack that essential specialness that can make these issues standout and I love the fact that this is playing such a big part here. The quality has dipped significently, the specialness has charged them up the chart.
I think we rapidly head into terriorty were Tharg gets both right, but in the latest three its as though he knows the thrills aren't so strong so he's cranking up the paint to cover over the cracks.
Confession: I have never actually read the 1980 2000AD Annual. Picking on that particular effort was a poor choice on my part, although the listings on Barney of what's in it and who made it look REALLY odd. I don't think its controversial to contend that the Annuals are ALL worse than any given Xmas Prog, and indeed contain a worse concentration of thrills than almost any weekly Prog...
Well I'd rather have an Annual then any of the Christmas Progs
Quote from: AlexF on 11 December, 2021, 08:15:21 AM
I don't think its controversial to contend that the Annuals are ALL worse than any given Xmas Prog, and indeed contain a worse concentration of thrills than almost any weekly Prog...
2000AD-wise I'd agree but the 1981 & 1982 Dredd Annuals are astonishing with three fully-painted McMahon stories in each. So they are rather special.
The blog is great by the way. Love it.
I agree that story wise and the reprints of story's from the early progs may not have endeared the Annuals to all but speaking from personal experience it was these tomes that I looked forward to each year as I was unfortunately not in the position to get the weekly prog 🙁 (only picking up batches in second hand book shops along with commando books).
I think the fact that the annual is HC and was so different to the paper progs held it as a bit "special". Maybe that's why I still buy HC when produced/printed and digital for everything else.
To this day I do read throughs at Christmas and I'm transported back to the 80s scoffing my way through the selection box😁.
Back on topic the blogs are great and I look forward to seeing who comes on top.
Well done AlexF
I've never see this before:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNedBdoF7KsKI3GboQotrkrqD-LSGVRjPy_FAYbeowKvHx1xuyRq9aL1JTJqQsIBASXT_E83sVyv5bwaOYz8-rUD40a1KL2YF_rFYsM0jkG26e7t0cO_VH4qz_vhi-XbL11D5P0ODuvWA_yFiOh-ttgUQATn-s1fR0tEKJY9vIHw_LMk68_mZafjhN=s768)
Definitely Better than the 2000AD 1980 Annual
(and probably better than the first 3 Judge Dredd Annuals):
The 9th, 8th and 7th best Progs Ever... (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-9-7-still-not-perfect-but-getting.html)
Ranks 6 and 5 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-6-5-seriously-scrotnig-progs.html)
Don't know whether to post on here or the Advent comments - another great read and a reminder how through the years these specials are more seasons start than an end of year wrap up. The excitement is building.😁
Ranks 4 and 3 (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranks-4-3-so-much-thrill-power.html)
(and rank 3.5, which may contain spoilers for anyone who hasn't yet sampled the latest Prog...)
Quote from: AlexF on 17 December, 2021, 07:57:12 AM
SPOILER WARNING for anyone who doesn't want to see what's in Prog 2262.
I'm saving Prog 2262 so have read that write up yet but great to see it ranking so highly against some fantastic opposition.
Quick question would Prog 2003 have moved up if you'd have counted the text story as 'extra materials' so 'Non thrills' as I think of them? It scored so low and as such brought the average thrill-score right down, but was that enough to make a difference I wonder?
It's a fair question, but I think the way it's presented in this Prog (and in Prog 2004), the Sinister Dexter text stories ARE meant to be treated as just another dose of the series, rather than as suprise treats as in the Dredd text story from Prog 2013 (or whichever one it is). But yes, if I had scored it as a non-thrill it'd have dragged that score down but allowed the Thrill score to be noticeable higher! But not as much higher as all that, it's only 1 bad stip out of 9 great ones. So I don't think it'd have knocked the Prog to a higher rank overall.
Not sure I'd be willing ot live in a Universe where a COMIC with a text story in it was ever declared as 'best' :D
Time to reveal the BEST Xmas Prog EVER! (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/top-ranks-maximum-thrill-power.html)
(But stay tuned for a different statistical analysis, and a diversion into the best 'any' Prog ever...p)
No but really, which Xmas Prog has the best collection of stories (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/ranking-done-right.html) in it?
This has been a great read. If you feel a sequel coming on any time soon, may I humbly suggest a look into the best APNIAMOFJOP of all time? See the review thread for prog 2250 if my jargon eludes you.
Well, I didn't specifically pull out all the APNIAMOFJOPs, but I will get into a bit of discussion about them, and indeed pick out a couple of faves, tomorrow morning...
And without further ado, never mind the best XMAS Prog, what's the single best PROG (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/best-prog-ever-contenders.html)?
Hope you enjoyed the ride!
Bold move, glad you dodged it! Fantastic article.
Quote from: AlexF on 24 December, 2021, 08:01:09 AM
And without further ado, never mind the best XMAS Prog, what's the single best PROG (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/best-prog-ever-contenders.html)?
Hope you enjoyed the ride!
I very much enjoyed this! And agree with you about 500. I remember having to wait until finishing my paper round to read this, and having to deliver it to a few homes before I could settle down to read it properly! What a great line up, especially artistically with Talbot, Fabry and Ewins/McCarthy leading the charge.
And you're so right about prog 723, the first all-colour one. What a disappointment! I cancelled my regular order a few weeks later.
On a more positive note, the run beginning with Prog 650 was a classic, and totally agree with your 5/5 rating.
My own personal faves are the run starting with prog 335 and the run circa 400. 335 onwards started a run of Nemesis Book 3, Dredd The Graveyard Shift, Strontium Dog The Moses Incident and shorter Slaine and Rogue Trooper stories.
Quote from: AlexF on 24 December, 2021, 08:01:09 AM
And without further ado, never mind the best XMAS Prog, what's the single best PROG (https://2000adbestever.blogspot.com/2021/12/best-prog-ever-contenders.html)?
Hope you enjoyed the ride!
I loved it, thanks, Alex! And I'm with you on the top pick. Merry Christmas!