Two stories of random civilizations that Keanu wiped out with his bloodlust. First he fights Cthullu in Atlantis and it's ridiculous. Then he destroys another ancient civilization by being the world's biggest dummy. There's one part where he hatches from an egg and I was just wondering WTF. The art in these two one shots is excellent. The story not so much without Keanu actually in them to entertain me.

Considering I only ever knew Keanu Reeves as an actor I was quite intrigued when I read his name on a comic book.
"BRZRKR: Bloodlines" includes two stories that are quite gorey but absolutely gripping from start to finish. This also is due to the
amazing art style. A true Must-have for every comic book enthusiast!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for review purposes.

As a prequel to the original BRZRKR series, Bloodlines compiles two stories of B's life through the ages. My rating is a 3.5 star out of five.

The first story, Poetry of Madness, was the stronger of the two. B is acting as a bodyguard to the once child, now adult, king of Atlantis. The King listens to some bad advice and conducts a ritual that raises something evil. I was drawn into the plot of this one and thought the art of the big bad was so cool. This one gets 4/5 for me.

The second story, Dead Empire, was weaker in my opinion. B is in a vaguely Middle Eastern location where different civilizations are at war. B of course can intervene to wipe out entire armies at a time, but refuses to do so for the ruler who imprisons him. He then escapes with help from the ruler's wife and must travel to satisfy his bloodlust. I thought this was too similar to the first story, with a less interesting payoff at the end and gratuitous nudity to boot. This one only gets a 3/5 from me.

Both of these stories combined appear to be set up for the announced movie; establishing a weakness to the main character when it comes to protecting/believing both women and children. If you were a fan of the original series and wanted to see more art of a Keanu Reeves character ripping people to shreds like I did, it is worth picking up. If you haven't read the original series, I would recommend that first and only diving into this if you are along for the ride.

Safe to say that the BRZRKR sparked anew my passion for reading comic books.
Gritty, gorry with amazing details telling a story about that immortal warrior with violence for his constant life companion while he loses those around him in battle or old age.
I love the fact that he is the one constant — he can't die, and he is the ultimate undying warrior, but everything gravitates and changes around him. That makes the dynamic interesting.
Bloodlines has two stories in it that tell his backstory of survival, different relationships, the struggle with his violent cravings and betrayal.

In Poetry of Madness, we start how he uses his “gift” for violence by protecting the people of Atlantis from the attacking enemies. The King is no other than the boy he saved a long time ago, but that doesn't help persuade him and avoid the disaster that is unleashed. Leading to an epic fight with Cthulu.

The second story—Fallen Empire, shows us his struggle with violence and refusing to be used and fight for his captors.
A queen with her people's story tattooed on her back, stepping in.
A sole survivor of a destroyed civilization begs the monks to write their history so they won't be forgotten.
And all that tangled in an interesting story that is even better than Poetry of Madness.
Needless to say that the graphics are gorgeous and detailed even the gorry once are done splendidly.
Definitely will follow his story.

So what if I told you that Keanu would battle Cthulhu? Is this the greatest story, nah... but it's pretty fun. I had heard of the BRZRKR but haven't read too much about it. I think I will check out more.

This collection includes 2 stories. They pretty clearly these are prequels to a character that seems should be familiar to readers. <i>Poetry of Madness</i> focuses on the BRZRKR a part of an ancient society at the cusp of an incident by some religious zealots. <i>Fallen Empire</i> is B as a gladiator in an ancient city. Both stories hint at some interesting themes of the challenges of immortality (mainly betrayal). Not sure if this is explored at some point, but the seeds are there.

I dig the art and the massively OP main character. Just needs more if this is a series to dig into.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I loved the illustrations, the colors, it was such a joy to read these two short stories. The berserkers in each story had such strong emotions and needs to kill, but they seemed to be able to control their urges and focus on specific targets. I just really had fun reading this graphic novel.

The design was really neat and the story was a blast to read! It didn't completely captivate me, but it was definitely an enjoyable experience.

Netgalley Review

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

KEANU!!!!!! I really wanted to give this a 5 Star all because of Kenau, but I have to be honest with myself and give it 4 stars. It was a good read and was hard to put down, but the story was just thinner than I expected. The 2nd part definitely Had a great twist which I enjoyed, but overall i thought ot was slightly lacking to be 5 Star.

I requested BZRKR: Bloodlines because I read and truly enjoyed the first one so why not keep a good thing going? Even if this is nothing more than a vanity project, just another celebrity branching out and lending their name to a project as an easy cash grab, it's still a very good graphic novel and that is why Keanu is the people's princess.

Bloodlines contains two short stories: one set in Atlantis and the second one set in a mythical African kingdom. Both stories feel like a love letter to classic fantasy and sci-fi. Both stories have very noticeable ties to classic fantasy stories and felt very much like a love letter to the genre.

"Poetry of Madness" was the first story in the volume and my favourite thanks to the personality of the secondary characters and their humour and levity slowly being snuffed by the tragic plot. I think I'll also always remember this story fondly because this is how I found out that Cthulu is now part of the public domain so I'll be running to Ao3 looking for the fics that would make the awful man who created it spin in his grave and rage in hell.

"Fallen Empire" reminded me a lot of reading classic Conan the Barbarian tales. I really loved the world-building and plot twist in this. The only thing I didn't like about this book, particularly in the second tale, was the way that female characters were drawn barely clothed at almost every point. It really wasn't necessary. This was a great read without having to resort to that to get readers interested.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book! Studios for this DRC.

Bloodlines is a strong follow up in this visual continuity. Matt Kindt is a major mind in comics and Mattson Tomlin is incredibly talented. Action and science fiction — not for the squeamish.

BRZRKR: Bloodlines lets other creators play in the BZRKR sandbox as it collects two one-shots that delve into the history of Unute. They were actually pretty good reads and if I'm really thinking about it, the two stories were more enjoyable than the final volume of the series proper. I could certainly hear Keanu speaking the dialogue out loud throughout. This one made the sting of the final volume hurt a little less and I think the world that Reeves and Kindt created is ripe for more stories like these.

Special Thanks to BOOM! Studios and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Pretty cool design and I liked the story. It didn’t catch me all the way, but it was fun to read! I will take a look at the other books of the series next time I’m at the local comic shop.

I was a fan of the original BRZRKR story line, so I was glad to see more of this character. The artwork is great, and the two stories included in this collection are excellent.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read. This series has been pedal to the metal since it started. This series is action packed and BLOODY. It's a super fun ride!
4/5 go read it!!!

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

BRZRKR: Bloodlines, Volume 1 by Mattson Tomlin and Steve Skroce tells of the origins of the immortal killing machine. Mr. Skorce is a successful screenwriter, and Mr. Tomlin is a filmmaker, writer, and producer.

This graphic novel contains two stories, both of which tell of the BRZRKR’s history and survival.

Poetry of Madness finds our anti-hero in Atlantis, protecting it from attacking enemies. Atlantis’ king, much like the fabled city itself, is rotting from the core and the BRZRKR finds himself fighting the enemies within.

Fallen Empire tells the story of a kingdom destroyed by BRZRKR. A lone survivor tells the story so it can be written down and not forgotten.

The immortal warrior BRZRKR was created by Keanu Reeves and Matt Kindt. I find it amusing that Mr. Reeves’ name is prominently displayed on the cover even though he hasn’t written a single word of this graphic novel. I know it’s for sales purposes, but the publisher should take a page of the Fleming and Ludlum estates (ex: Ian Fleming’s James Bond in…).

I’ve enjoyed the BRZRKR character in previous graphic novels, but the real strength of these comics is the supporting cast. After all, the main character is, frankly, not that interesting. We have no stakes in his future since we already know his immortal. Even being decapitated he can come back to life.

Poetry of Madness:

I don’t know why the writers picked Atlantis, there are plenty of other real cities that can be used. A grittier story than the fantastic elements. The artwork shows us a photorealistic Keanu Reeves (well-drawn) slashing page after page warriors, giants (?), and those who should never be in armor.

Even though the action is plentiful, it was boring. BRZRKR had no challenge, he cuts through an army of thousands, splattering the pages with blood, but there is nothing dynamic in those fights. I saw more movement in a six-panel page of Captain America’s shield flying around. Nevertheless, the art was interesting even though it lacked imagination.

Fallen Empire:

This story, however was much better, but I’ve read very similar stories previously. Both stories are very similar, ancient civilizations were destroyed, but this one works much better.

The action scenes, illustrated by Steve skroce and Rebekah Issacs, are dynamic and move the story forward, not just a celebration of gore. There’s also a twist in the story which I didn’t see coming. The supporting cast is much more interesting than the previous story and we get to know BRZRKR better and what makes him tick.

I wished the two stories were different, old stories of ancient civilizations being destroyed with BRZRK in the middle of the mayhem. They’re fun stories, but at some point they become predictable and boring.

There was something very odd about this graphic novel. Bear with me as I puzzle through some of my thoughts on this.
BRZRKR:Bloodlines features an impressive Hollywood name and a stacked backing writing/drawing teams with credits on some of my favourite works. On paper, this should work for me. And a lot of it did. There is a lot to like about this volumes. There was a fun and interesting twist on the “fridging” phenomena in media (words I never thought I’d say). I felt the pacing was very fast, but despite that, I never felt any issue connecting and caring about the characters.
In attempting to deduce where this went wrong for me, I kept coming back to this one panel. It felt out of place. Kind of jarring. A lot of this book feels like shock value upfront, and I think that the on page nudity/sex plays into that, but unlike the graphic violence, which is inextricably tied to the character and the story, the graphic nudity felt out of place. It was unnecessary in term of character development, and there are other ways to show a growing bond, Perhaps it is prudish to say, and I can be at times, but never about literature. Why be a prude about the fictional. This was just off..
Additionally, there is something about reading a genocide and understanding the perceptive of the characters doing the genociding, while witnessing a genocide happen it real life. It leaves a sour taste in one’s mouth, even if this was written outside of the context of the conflict in Palestine. It is neither the fault of the creators nor the story that it happened, but wrestling with thoughts about genocide and land grabs in feuding regions leads for connection, regardless.
There’s also something about how BRZRKR depicts a man who delves into a homicidal rage that is out of his control. I get that it works with his affliction, and for the most part, I think that this volume deftly skirts the connotation of abusive men, but the comparison is there. I get that this might be a reach for some people, and no hate to those who don’t see it, but it ruined my enjoyment of it.

Thanks to NETGALLEY for exchanging this book for my review.

The record-breaking BRZRKR series from Keanu Reeves follows B, a half-mortal and half-god being who is centuries old, compelled to violence, and cursed. Although the main series from the core creative team ended in 2023, several standalone issues from other creatives have been released and will be collected in the upcoming volume BRZRKR: Bloodlines, Volume 1. The standalone issues in Bloodlines follow B early in his life, from Atlantis to remote desert cities. 

BRZRKR: Bloodlines, Vol. 1 collects two standalone issues: Poetry of Madness and Fallen Empire. While I've been familiar with BRZRKR for a while now, I haven't read any of the main BRZRKR comics yet. These standalone issues, and now the Bloodlines volume, are a great way to experience BRZRKR for the first time. These issues are great alone, but they work even better juxtaposed against each other in this collected volume.

In Poetry of Madness, writer/artist Steve Skroce tells the story of B and the ancient city of Atlantis. There's a sick king, a dangerous cult, and an assistant who is very into B. Poetry of Madness is entertaining, very bloody, and extremely well-drawn. This story started quite interesting, but it devolved downhill from there. B is very melodramatic, and it shows at the end of Poetry. If you like action, slashers, and lots of gore and blood, this BRZRKR issue is for you.

Fallen Empire took me by surprise in a really good way. Not only was it my favorite issue in the volume, but it's one of the most compelling comic issues I've read in a while. Fallen Empire is written by Mattson Tomlin and lushly illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs. There's a beautiful queen, a barren desert, warring nations, and plenty of intrigue. Of course, there's also B, who is caught in the middle of it all. This issue is beautiful and sexy and full of raging violence. It's amazing.

Final Thoughts:

Pick up BRZRKR: Bloodlines, Volume 1 for a violent romp, quick read, and great fun. BRZRKR is for fans of action-adventure and intense fantasy.

Rating:

3 stars for the Poetry of Madness issue.

5+ stars for the Fallen Empire issue.

4.5 Stars for BRZRKR: Bloodlines, Volume 1.

Thanks to BOOM! for providing me with an advanced review copy. All of the above thoughts are my own.

I have loved BRZRKR since it started and this volume gives a really good look at before. There are two stories included, each one-shot comics and each set in a different time period. I loved them both. This is a fun violent ride and I hope I never have to get off. Art is amazing, story is engaging. I could not put it down once I started reading.

Five Stars, but a wish I could give it more.

Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The pacing is frenetic, art is gory, and the Reeves is Keanu. I love how much glee they take in exploiting his image. The story is a fable with some twists and it's good.

I’ve heard a lot about the BRZRKR book and finally decided to try one.
I don’t really want to say that I was underwhelmed, but I was underwhelmed.
The story centers around an immortal warrior who once defended the city of Atlantis.
The first bit was just a gore-fest of a battle with an art style that I didn’t really care for.
Then a short bit of story and then more battle.
Maybe if I had started with the first volume, it would have been different.
I like comic books. I like good stories. This just didn’t work for me.