The Law In Order: The Tower Of Babbil

Hooray! We’re over a big chunk of the Daily Dredds and onto the specials for 1982. This one sees a fairly decent stab at the folly of invention when an uppity citizen decides to ignore the advice of Dragon’s Den and go straight for the law-breaking…

DATELINE:
June 2104 (Sci-Fi Special 1982).

WHO’S RESPONSIBLE?:
John Wagner writes it and Jose Casanovas does his best.

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT (IN ONE SENTENCE)?:
Orvin Babbil demonstrates his new Munce Gloo by constructing a huge tower.

IT’S CULTURAL, INNIT?:
Harry Hyams was an English millionaire real estate developer.
Remy Martin is a world famous brand of cognac. Despite that it still tastes like liquid ass sauce.

CANON FODDER?:
The H-Wagon pilots have “H Police” on their helmets, which makes them look like they are cracking down on heroin.

WHAT THE DROKK?:
Babbil’s construction droids attack Dredd. Even if he could make them obey him and build the structure, how was Babbil able to overcome their programming?
Apparently in the 22nd Century they use a cauldron on building sites. What is this, South Shields?

WHAT’S THE ART LIKE?:
Too dense for my personal taste and it looks like the first page was intended to be in colour. The robot designs are nice but there’s also about a billion links on the chain which will have Burdis tearing the pages in rage.

HOW MANY LINKS?:
The nice nod to Sector 403 lifts this above the norm, but apart from that it is overpadded for what we get. We do get an example of Dredd’s asshole nature when he fines the reclamation officer for ceiling damage but top marks go to the panels of Dredd dealing with a tap gang as he is plummeting. There is also the first occasion of Dredd being saved from a splatty death by an H-Wagon, too. Overall, three links.