Some stats as we move into Round 4, which I would ideally deliver in Wagnerian sports commentator patter if I had the skills...
64 thrills left, slightly over half of these are what you might call 'classic' , that began before Prog 1000 or so. There are at least 21 thrills still in play that are either in the Prog/Meg now, or due to return in the next year or so. On the flip side, just one Prog 1 thrill remains, and only 5 from the first 100 Progs. Despite the fine pedigree of eg. Alan Moore and Al Ewing, no anthology thrills are in play any more.
13 thrills are Dredd-related, including 5 that are exclusive to the Judge Dredd Megainze. Hang in there you Meggers!
It says something that Sancho Panzer seems to have become this Round's whipping boy, despite being a perfectly decent (if not spectacular) thrill. Wolfie Smith is hoping no one notices he's still lurking.
Top contenders writing-wise:
Dan Abnett and Gordon Rennie with 9 thrills each (although arguably Rennie's two best have fallen...)
Mills and Wagner keeping their hands in with 7 each,
Grant on 6 (although I could be misrepresenting various partnerships)
Edginton for the new guard has 6
Gerry Finley-Day and Peter Milligan both with 4
...and somehow Garth Ennis still has 2 thrills in contention, the same number as poor John Smith! (Although I don't think anyone who voted for Chopper was thinking especially of Earth, Wind and Fire...)
Artwise,
2000AD's greatest everyman Henry Flint still has 7 thrills in play
Massimo Belardinelli, Colin McNeil and Simon Davis all on 5
Ian Gibson and Patrick Goddard are both on 4
