You may have noticed the conspicuous absence of a WWE review last month. That’s because it felt unfair to me to judge a story before I’d actually reached the end. So I waited the extra month to deliver unto you my judgement of this weird bayou-based two-parter.

When Sasha and Dean decide to make a quick pit stop on the way to Money in the Bank, they end up having to tangle with cult leader Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt Family at their compound deep in the swamplands. In a tale that’s a mix of horror tropes, action movies, and specifically Mad Max: Fury Road, this is downright fun. Add in the appearances from Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, and Braun Strowman as well Charlotte Flair, Dana Brooke, and one other special guest? This ends up being fun as all hell. Writer Dennis Hopeless’ Bray Wyatt speeches have the same sort of flow, cadence, odd references, and mild confusion as the Eater of Worlds himself.

The art in issue #7 features four guest pages by Tim Lattie along with Serg Acuña. I would have never picked up on it without being told by the credits. The transitions are near seamless and I only spotted the slight differences with several minutes of effort. Aside from those pages, this verse is the same as the first. There are some cute if slightly out of place panels in issue #8 that were enchanting but confusing. I never thought I’d find Charlotte and Dana engaged in vehicular combat with Sasha Banks and Dean Ambrose adorable but here we are.

Once again, Doug Garbark’s colors are a perfect enhancement to the art and story. In fact, they’re even more of a standout to me than normal for capturing the earth-toned moodiness of the Wyatt Family compound in all its swampy glory. Bright attention grabbing pops in the perfect spots really pulls the eyes and bundles everything with a neat if creepy bow.

Jake “the Snake” Roberts and the Undertaker’s backfill stories are wonderful little tidbits of wrestling history. If you have even some of the context for these, it’s a great retelling of key moments in their careers. Without it, both highlight very different strange moments in the strange world of professional sports entertainment.

And that, friends, brings us to the end of Dean & Sasha’s Excellent Americana Roadtrip Adventure. This arc was even more delightful than I would have guessed at the start and I’m glad I went along with this ride.

The next arc, starting with the Roman Empire, will be about the final member of the Shield: Roman Reigns. I’m definitely looking forward to where this one will go, considering Roman’s tumultuous relationship with the crowds and the events that came to pass with Money in the Bank 2016. If you want spoilers and context, check out that pay-per-view.

Story: Dennis Hopeless Art: Tim Lattie and Serg Acuña Color: Doug Garbark
Story: 9.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy it and the TPB of Seth Rollins’ arc

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review