I agree that Punch Drunks was the first great Curly short, and I also think that the first great Shemp short was
Hold That Lion!, It had just about everything, a great side cast, several locations, and a Curly cameo!
If I were pressed to say what was the first "great" Joe short I would say that A Merry Mix-Up was
the first [and one of the only] "great" joes.