BRZRKR: Bloodlines vol. 1

Keanu Reeves’ first comic series “BRZRKR,” co-written with Matt Kindt and illustrated by Ron Garney, was something of a misfire.  The story of an immortal berserker named Unute was very self-serious and more concerned with dishing up bloody action than an interesting story.  I liked the parts where the story threatened to get weird in vol. 2, but the first three volumes aren’t something I’d recommend to people who aren’t die-hard fans of Reeves or his collaborators.

“BRZRKR” sold extremely well due to the actor’s involvement, though.  While there’s been no indication that the story from the first twelve issues of the comic will be followed up on anytime soon, publisher BOOM! Studios realized that there’s room for plenty of other stories about an immortal warrior before we catch up to him in the present day.  Which is what we get in this collection which brings together the first two one-shots “Poetry of Madness” from Steve Skroce, and “Fallen Empire” from writer Mattson Tomlin and artist Rebekah Isaacs.

“Poetry of Madness” doesn’t waste any time in going big as it tells us that Unute was once the sole guardian of Atlantis.  It was his job to keep the place safe from the raiders that tried to plunder its riches, and he did that in a way that was as violent as it was successful.  However, as his job was to protect the city from threats without, he wasn’t able to protect it from threats within.  Which include the obviously suspicious religious cult that has wormed its way into the king’s good graces with the intent of summoning a legendary power that will let them control the world.

There are a lot of “Conan” vibes in this story with the ancient fantasy setting, hack-and-slash action, and otherworldly magical threats.  Creator Skroce also offers up a clever twist in having the real villain come from one of Robert E. Howard’s “Weird Tales” contemporaries.  Yet the best part about this story is how it doesn’t take itself as seriously as you’d expect from “BRZRKR.”  There’s an irreverence to the dialogue and action which helps the story come off as a fun adventure even as it scales up to be a giant kaiju-slaying adventure.  Skroce’s art is as impressively detailed as you’d expect, but it feels more cartoonish than gritty which helps convey the light tone that makes this the most enjoyable story I’ve read featuring Unute.

That would include the story it follows in this collection, “Fallen Empire.”  Taking place in a vaguely Middle-Eastern prehistory setting, it finds Unute brought as a slave to the kingdom of Olos.  After his remarkable abilities are discovered, the king keeps him in chains until the berserker will agree to fight for him.  Feeling sympathy for the man’s plight, the queen of Olos frees Unute and the two escape into the desert.  It’s there that love blooms between them, but is it the kind that’s destined to last?  Or to not end in tragedy?

Writer Tomlin and artist Isaacs at least get credit for trying to do something different with the character here.  Where “Poetry of Madness” was a spectacle of action, this is meant to be a sweeping romantic adventure.  With some twists, of course, and I’ll admit that there is some novelty to be had in re-reading this story with the full knowledge of how it turns out.

That’s said, it’s all pretty basic in its execution and the creators seem to think that they’re telling a story that’s more profound than it actually is.  Isaacs does do good work here, as she’s good with the expected level of violence from this kind of story, and in the more romantic scenes between Unute and the queen.  It’s not quite enough to sell me on the idea that this is a romance for the ages, however, as most readers are likely to see the ending coming long before it actually happens.

So if there’s one story here that points the direction for future “BRZRKR” tales, it’s “Poetry of Madness.”  It’s the one story in this burgeoning franchise that actually has the ambition to tell a fun story instead of a ridiculously straight-faced one.  While I wouldn’t mind seeing Skroce come back to tell more stories in this universe, BOOM! looks to be following his lead for the next one-shot “A Faceful of Bullets” which is being written by Jason Aaron with art from Francesco Manna.  Aaron’s sensibilities sound like a good fit for the kind of “BRZRKR” stories I’d like to read so I can only hope that this next one-shot is paired with another that has similar vibes for vol. 2.