It’s Up To The Robot Usses To Save The Day: Reviewing ‘Bill And Ted Are Doomed’ #4

‘The evil metal band Vile Empire unleashes a horde of chaotic trolls to destroy Bill and Ted, while back in San Dimas, the Stations and robots form a plan to try to save their friends. But can help arrive in time to save our most harried heroes, not to mention our totally excellent universe?’

In Bill and Ted are Doomed #4, the metal band that is trying to kill Bill and Ted attempt to summon demons to dispatch the Wyld Stallyns, but end up accidentally summoning giant mountain trolls instead. The trolls, angry at being woken, start smashing stuff indiscriminately. Vile Empire is still more interested in hunting down Bill, Ted, and Death than fleeing for their own lives, because, well… you got me.

I really just don’t get this ending. In the last chapter, it seemed like Evan Dorkin was spinning too many threads to tie up in this final installment. Turns out, all those little side gigs do end up reaching their conclusions, at the expense of actually solving the one giant problem this mini was supposed to center on, actually writing the song that’s supposed to change the course of history.

Roger Langridge’s art is still pretty fantastic. I really wish there were a more coherent storyline to match his goofy, caricatured style. 

If you’ve made it this far, you may as well grab this last chapter to get some closure, but there’s really nothing here to write home about. This was really weird for me. I just couldn’t get into it. Something was really off after the first chapter, and then it spiraled further out of control until this really unsatisfying blowoff.

Bill and Ted are Doomed #4, Dark Horse Comics, 09 December 2020. Script by Evan Dorkin, art/letters by Roger Landridge.