Emma Withington reviews Bill & Ted Go to Hell #4…
Final issue! Napoleon has totally taken over heaven, and he brought with him all the nasty nightmares from hell, including the Easter Bunny.
SEE ALSO: Check out a preview of Bill & Ted Go to Hell #4
Previously, north of Hell…
After taking the not-so-scenic purgatory route, the gang are confronted with the dilapidated, askew, astral plane formally known as Heaven and the Good Robot Bill and Ted lie in pieces. Where are little Bill and Ted? The babes’ babies have been kidnapped and the telephone booth has been destroyed. Their three main objectives: Locate Napoleon, repair the telephone booth, and recover little Bill and Ted.
Currently, in Napoleonic Heaven…
Napoleon has achieved God status and little Bill and Ted are ‘not so little any more’. They are now in the employ of Napoleon; appearing like Hockey players in low level World of Warcraft gear. All hope seems lost, the gang are separated; waging their own personal wars, while an attempt to fix the telephone booth is made, but wait! Stumbling across Napoleon’s trophy room after fleeing their offspring, Bill, Ted and Death find God in a jar – maybe the power of Divine Enlightenment is the key to victory, alongside a final wager between Death and Napoleon. Is bowling Death’s game…?
Bill and Ted Go to Hell #4 pulls out all the stops to bring you a most excellent finale. Some personal highlights include: an epic clash between Abraham Lincoln and his assailant John Wilkes Booth, Station reveals not only can he become one gargantuan Station, but multiply into innumerous small Stations with excellently tiny martian butts, and a conversation between God and Satan – one that can only exist in the Bill and Ted universe.
Boom! comics’ Bill and Ted Go to Hell #4 is what this miniseries has been aiming to be from the beginning – while paying homage to the Bill and Ted franchise in bucket loads, it firmly places itself in the universe as a familiarly unfamiliar standalone adventure. However, If you are expecting a continuation from Bill and Ted’s Most Triumphant Return, or an entirely new storyline for the duo – you are in for much of the same of what we have experienced on screen in Bill and Ted Go to Hell. Being the 25th anniversary year of Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, It really is as a celebration of all things Bill and Ted, which is a must read for any fan of the franchise.
Brian Jones, Bachan and the team give us 24 fast paced and packed pages, the script and humour flowing at paramount Bill and Ted worthy quality – continuing and surpassing the standard set in Bill and Ted Go to Hell #3. The first two issues were foundation blocks, but worth investing in for this most non-non-heinous climax. We are also given a lot more Death this issue (my favourite character from Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey ) who I felt was a little underused up until now. Death bowling is well worth my time.
In this 25th anniversary year of Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, we are presented with a miniseries which is not just a spin-off or comic retelling, but a lovingly crafted adventure for the fans. In Bill and Ted Go to Hell #4 it’s time to unleash the Granny Kraken and Party on, dudes!
Rating: 8.5/10
Emma Withington – Follow me on Twitter
. url=”.” . width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]
Originally published May 25, 2016. Updated November 13, 2019.
