14: SABs

The rise of the surveillance state was always ripe for exploring in the world of Judge Dredd, and SABs is a pretty solid look at a specific example of where a police state can take you. CCTV cameras are ubiquitous now in most major cities today, so of course they are widely used in Mega-City One.

SABs is pretty straightforward and uncomplicated, with our sympathies largely lying with the Surveillance Action Brigade group that are trying to retain a modicum of personal liberty. As John Wagner so regularly does, he adds a layer of complication in with one of the SAB members taking a small baby out with her. This is challenging to our sensibilities on the surface, but highlights how much of a struggle living in Mega-City One is for the ordinary citizens. This also gets to add some complexity to Dredd as he struggles to ensure the infant is not harmed while taking out the lawbreakers.

Overall I don't have much strong feeling about this one. It feels a little over-stretched to meet three episodes, and doesn't linger much in the memory after reading.