Comic Book Review - BRZRKR #1

Rob Lake reviews BRZRKR #1...

Ever since it was announced last year the hype for BRZRKR has been non-stop. This is arguably down to Hollywood actor, Keanu Reeves being attached as co-writer (along with Matt Kindt). Now BRZRKR is finally out in the wilds, does this long-awaited comic deserve its hype? 

Well, the short answer is a resounding yes. The long-awaited collaboration between Reeves and Kindt kicks off as one giant 44-page action sequence. It's brutal, bloody and downright fantastic. It's an 80's action flick mixed with some good old-school mythology. But all this action comes with a sacrifice to the overall story. 

As opening issues go, there's very little in terms of plot development. What we do get is an almost explosive opening that doesn't pull any punches. You could arguably say that something as hyped as BRZRKR needed a kick-ass opening to grab the reader, and it certainly has that, just minus any semblance of a story.

While we don't get much substance from the story, we do get a good amount of character development. Apart from showing us that Berzerker is a highly efficient killing machine, Reeves and Kindt hint at the characters inner turmoil of being immortal. The series synopsis does state that immortality will be a deciding factor going forward, so seeing this play out is going to be interesting.

Ron Garney shines through the whole issue as he takes us into Berzerker's world. The whole action piece is a fantastic choreographed sequence that's drowning in violence and gore. Then you add Bill Crabtree's colour palette to the mix and the ending result is anything but subtle. 

BRZRKR #1 ends with a hint at what's to come. You could also construe that the shot also hints towards a future for the character should BRZRKR be successful. While this opening issue is light on the story, both Reeves and Kindt have done enough to garner the hype. BRZRKR #1 is full of violent delights that are no doubt a sign of things to come. 

Rating 8/10 

Rob Lake - For more comic book and video game chat why not follow Geek Culture Reviews on Twitter and Facebook @GeekCultureRev