The BRZRKR Bloodlines Hardcover Edition form BOOM! Studios collects all four stories in the spin-off/prequel series of Keanu Reeves’ bloodthirsty action comic. Each story is a self-contained adventure spanning the long life of the Berserker himself, Unute (aka B). Unute is a man who’s been cursed to roam the world in an effort to satisfy his demonic side with violence. The longer he goes without killing, the more unstoppable he becomes, leading to pages full of ultra violence, dismemberment and head squashing.
The original creative team of Reeves, Matt Kindt and Ron Garney are all involved but for the most part. they’ve teamed up with writers Steve Skroce, Mattson Tomlin and Jason Aaron to produce an anthology of four stories set throughout B’s tumultuous and violent past. These are separate from the main series, and while no prior knowledge of BRKRZR is needed, this probably isn’t the book to be jumping in with. If you are au fait with Unute’s journey so far, then this book will flesh out some of his motivations and how his powers work.
We begin the anthology with the Mongol Empire and B’s dealings with a power hungry Genghis Khan before BRZRKR Bloodlines whisks us on a journey through Kansas, the lost city of Atlantis, and a mysterious desert Kingdom of Olos. Each story employs themes of powerful dictators taking advantage of Unute’s unique abilities before it all goes catastrophically wrong.
I found the latter two stories, both firmly rooted in fantasy, more enjoyable. Poetry of Madness is set in the lost city of Atlantis, drawing on Aristotle’s long rumoured continent and peppering it with a touch of Lovecraftian lore that climaxes in an epic battle. The story also gives way to Unute’s best scene where he fulfills a brutal promise with a petty savagery one he can enact. Likewise, Fallen Empire explores the consequences when The Kingdom of Olos decides to take advantage of B and his otherworldly powers. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t end well.
While the fantastical stories appeal more, that’s not to say the other stories aren’t worth your time. A Faceful of Bullets not only has one of the best titles in comics, but is a solid western that manages to give B a human side. The Lost Book of B explores the inner workings of Genghis Khan’s empire and how he enlisted the BRZRKR to help move along Asia. As an anthology of how B moved through history, each stopping point is a worthwhile addition as he works his way to the modern day where the main series takes place.
The fantastical elements do threaten to pull the reader out of the immersion, but when you’re dealing with an 80,000-year-old invincible warrior, historical accuracy isn’t necessarily at the top of your list, especially with Poetry of Madness where there’s more than one epic showdown full of flesh and gore. The artwork throughout the anthology is satisfyingly gory, with limbs and guts flying around the pages with aplomb. Wide shots usually present a 1 Vs 1000-style epic and the close-ups recreate Keanu Reeves’s iconic face in detail. The action throughout is frantic but you never lose sight of what’s going on. The end result for BRZRKR Bloodlines is that it’s a fast paced page turner jam packed with action and a fun read.
Thanks to the copious amounts of violence and blood smattered across most of the 225 pages, reality and accuracy can be suspended in favour of silly fun. BRZRKR Bloodlines might be a spin off from the main series but the four collected stories flesh out Reeves’ undying antihero perfectly. Sure, it’s not the next Alan Moore book with a scathing commentary on social issues but BRZRKR Bloodlines is a comic that knows exactly what it is and unashamedly so. No matter how ridiculous the plot gets, with each page turn, I could vividly see how a BRZRKR film would play out, right down to Keanu’s mannerisms with Unute. Bloodlines might not be for newcomers to the series, but if you’re a fan of Keanu Reeves and his unchained rage monster, then this is a worthy addition to your collection.
BRZRKR Bloodlines Hardcover Edition Collects:
- BRZRKR: Lost Book of B #1
- BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets #1
- BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness #1
- BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1