Best Xmas Prog Ever?

[AlexF]

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

(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
Ranks 22-20
Ranks 19-16
Ranks 15-13
Ranks 12-10

[Southstreeter]

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 Mind of Wolfie Smith]

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.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Alls I'm saying is that this is going to come down to one thing. The Damage Report

[Colin YNWA]

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.

[AlexF]

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...

[Swerty]

Well I'd rather have an Annual then any of the Christmas Progs

[matty_ae]

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.

[Trooper McFad]

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

[Proudhuff]

I've never see this before:

[AlexF]

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...

[AlexF]

Ranks 6 and 5

[Trooper McFad]

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.😁

[AlexF]

Ranks 4 and 3

(and rank 3.5, which may contain spoilers for anyone who hasn't yet sampled the latest Prog...)

[Colin YNWA]

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?