Calum Petrie reviews BRZRKR #2…
As we return to the world of Keanu Reeves’ comic debut series, issue #2 takes a hard left turn from the first. The near non-stop juggernaut of violence and punishment in issue #1 takes a back seat, instead leading the reader down history lane and giving an insight into this character’s past.
The reveal at the end of issue #1 that the protagonist was born 80,000 years ago was an interesting twist, yet somehow felt lacking. I am not sure what else I was expecting to get, but the important thing is that the story was going to contain some interesting and twisted tale, not just a guy who can take all the punishment under the sun and still walk away with Keanu good looks.
In issue #2 we return to the Nomadic tribes that our comic’s namesake was born into, and learn the character’s history in a beautifully illustrated tale. The wonderfully drawn landscapes of the primitive world are held in stark contrast to the pristine laboratory that story is being recited from. We’re told not only his birth, but also the mysterious and necessary conception, while also wrapping the character in more mystery by displaying his father as another enigmatic figure.
The issue does return to the violent battle towards the end, but paints our character as a warrior born out of necessity. It appears to have the moral message that all humans are bastards, and that as long as we live and hurt each other, Keanu in God form will be here to punish us all. That might be throwing my theory off the deep end, but there is still a question of “why is this comic a thing”?
I know the story concept, the team behind the comic and the big names printed on the cover have all the potential to make this a cultural talking point, yet I struggle to see where this story is actually going. We have a character who cannot be killed, and while we know this there must be a challenge that requires him to do more than walk through death and come back alive. I may have found this issue beautiful to look at, but the story itself – while enjoyable – is also a little underwhelming.
Rating – 7/10
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