As the saga comes to an end so does the miniseries developed by Evan Dorkin with lettering and illustrations by Roger Langridge. As a prequel to Bill & Ted Face the Music, the goal of Bill and Ted Are Doomed is to fill in the missing pieces of what fans missed out on in the 30-year gap between Bogus Journey and Face the Music — and as it set out to do, not only does it wrap up nicely as a whole, but Bill And Ted Are Doomed Issue #4 is the perfecting ending to the miniseries.
Warning: Spoilers from issue #4 below.
The Wyld Stallyns are still on the quest to narrowly escape from the metal bands at the Scandinavian death metal festival. The bands, on the lookout for the San Dimas trio, have set out to capture them and make them part of their ritual. Eventually, Station and the De Nomolos’ evil robot counterparts devise a plan to save them by constructing their version of rocket ships. After helping Bill, Ted, and Death defeat the ravaging trolls that are terrorizing the festival (not without the help of Joanna, Elizabeth, and Zahir), they say goodbye and fly their rocket ship homes back to outer space. This wraps up the storyline and fills a plot hole on what exactly happened to Station.
The issue has a bittersweet ending, with the addition of Rufus and his daughter having a heart to heart in which Rufus suggests that one day Kelly will get to meet the Great Ones. Which, if you’ve seen the third film, we now know that she ends up being the one to help Bill and Ted save the day with their song. The series as a whole honored Rufus and his relationship with Bill and Ted beautifully, but somehow Dorkin and Langridge were able to perfectly capture Rufus’ essence in this issue through the art (including a photo that he has hanging of him with Bill and Ted outside of Circle K) and one of his most iconic lines “Yes Way,” leading to a beautiful and touching tribute to George Carlin who played the lovable time-traveling emissary and one of the most integral characters in the Bill and Ted universe.
Although it was cut short, Dorkin and Langridge were able to fit so much into this miniseries that it not only answered a number of questions that many fans have had in regards to the third film, but it also filled the void of not knowing, and we are so glad that it did. This wasn’t without the assistance of other amazing artists that have made this series come to life, Sarah Dyer and illustrator Benjamin Dewey helped produce the stunning art on the covers that included some subtle (and some not subtle) nods for fans to uncover.
If you’ve watched Bill & Ted Face the Music even once over and are trying to piece things together by looking for answers, this miniseries is where you want to start. The comedic silliness, the characters, and the story are all there — it’s obvious the team took great care when sculpting this series. Dorkin has produced phenomenal Bill and Ted comic work in the past, and once again, he doesn’t miss.
Bill and Ted Are Doomed #4 is available digitally and in comic shops now. To find a shop near you, click here.
