BRZRKR Deluxe Edition

BRZRKR #1-3

by Keanu Reeves (Writer), Matt Kindt (Writer), Ron Garney (Illustrator)

The complete collection of the comic book debut of universally beloved filmmaker Keanu Reeves, now presented in a deluxe hardcover format!

A WAR WITH NO END. The man known only as B. is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and compelled to violence... even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, B. may have finally found a refuge -- working for the U.S. government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else. In exchange, B. will be granted the one thing he desires -- the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence... and how to end it. After wandering the world anew and enduring a series of experiments and missions, the memories of B.'s origins will be finally restored. But what does this revelation mean for his future? Written by iconic creator Keanu Reeves and New York Times bestselling writer Matt Kindt (Folklords, Grass Kings), and illustrated by acclaimed artist Ron Garney (Wolverine, Captain America), this deluxe hardcover edition collects the entire initial 12-issue maxiseries! Witness the full brutal journey from start to finish of the National Bestseller, with over 1,000,000 copies sold! Collects BRZRKR #1-12.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Bande Dessinée, War, Graphic Novels Comics

424 pages, Hardcover

First published September 25, 2024

About the author

Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in Youngblood (1986). He had his breakthrough role in the science fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), and he reprised his role in its sequels. He gained praise for playing a hustler in the independent drama My Own Private Idaho (1991) and established himself as an action hero with leading roles in Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994).

Following several box office failures, Reeves's performance in the horror film The Devil's Advocate (1997) was well received. Greater stardom came for playing Neo in the science fiction series The Matrix, beginning in 1999. He played John Constantine in Constantine (2005) and starred in the romantic drama The Lake House (2006), the science fiction thriller The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), and the crime thriller Street Kings (2008). Following another commercially down period, Reeves made a successful comeback by playing the titular assassin in the John Wick film series, beginning in 2014.

In addition to acting, Reeves has directed the film Man of Tai Chi (2013). He has played bass guitar for the band Dogstar and pursued other endeavours such as writing and philanthropy.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 74% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included material can be found here:
- BRZRKR, Volume 1
- BRZRKR, Volume 2
- BRZRKR, Volume 3
- BRZRKR #1
- BRZRKR #2
- BRZRKR #3
- BRZRKR #4
- BRZRKR #5
- BRZRKR #6
- BRZRKR #7
- BRZRKR #8
- BRZRKR #9
- BRZRKR #10
- BRZRKR #11
- BRZRKR #12

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

PT Será BRZRKR sobrevalorizado por causa do Keanu Reeves?

Tenho de admitir que a escrita me surpreendeu pela positiva. É o tipo de narrativa que te envolve completamente, fazendo-te esquecer que estás a ler — uma qualidade que deveria ser sempre o objetivo de qualquer história.

No entanto, em termos de enredo, este livro perde-me um pouco. A premissa é intrigante: o nosso protagonista passou milhares de anos a ser usado como a máquina de guerra definitiva, mas está cansado da matança e procura descobrir as suas origens e identidade. O ponto de partida é excelente, e a primeira metade da história cumpre o prometido. Contudo, a segunda metade torna-se demasiado abstrata, quase como se os criadores estivessem a lutar para encontrar uma resposta satisfatória para a pergunta central do personagem: quem é ele?

Assim, BRZRKR é, no geral, uma leitura sólida. É muito divertido, relativamente leve e repleto de cenas de batalha extremamente sangrentas, que se destacam graças à arte impressionante.

--

EN Is BRZRKR overhyped because of Keanu Reeves?

I have to say, the writing pleasantly surprised me. It’s the kind of storytelling that completely immerses you, making you forget you’re reading—a quality that should always be the goal of any narrative.

Story-wise, however, this book loses me a bit. The premise is intriguing: our main protagonist has spent thousands of years being used as the ultimate war machine, waging wars, but he’s grown tired of the killing and seeks to uncover his origins and identity. The setup is excellent, and the first half of the story delivers on its promise. However, the second half becomes too abstract, almost as if the creators were struggling to articulate a satisfying answer to the character’s central question: who is he?

That said, BRZRKR is a solid read overall. It’s very entertaining and a relatively light experience, punctuated by exceptionally gory battle scenes that stand out thanks to the striking artwork.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five stars for the concept and the artwork but the story seems to get a bit muddled toward the end. They were going for something grand, and maybe when the story unfolds in further volumes it will succeed. Based on the story so far I’m not totally engaged.

[Jason Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story wise we get to explore B. Unute's extraordinary life of longevity and violence. There is only one misstep in the story text (a single sentence mid conversation) that flies totally contrary to all that came previous, so it's really stark to me and I'm not sure how they missed it, which makes it intentional, which makes it incorrect since it's not true to character or story.

Motives and bad guys are predictable, though their actions and results are sometimes not. We get a not unlikely duo toward the climax that wasn't surprising, though 'new' powers that appeared weren't explored.

Art is cool in its presentation and purpose. The conversation between Reeves and Kindt breaking down each page of the first issue is really cool to read. The best thing to say about the art is its consistency. Purely blood drenched splatter gore so overwhelming it eventually blurs and no longer stands out or is even decipherable. It does do its purpose here and I've no complaint on the whole. This just is not *beautiful* like some of my favorite graphic art can be.

I'm not terribly a fan of the metaphysical philosophizing at the end, though again, I heard it in my mind in Keanu's voice so that is cool. The dual ending possible sequels are...one cool, I'd read, and one meh, I'm not interested in following.

So - if you enjoy super super bloody gory violent introspection on the purpose of life, nab this.

[Norman Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ultra-violent story reads like storyboards for a movie or TV series, and it's probably no coincidence that the protagonist resembles Keanu Reeves quite a bit. Some might think that this is a vanity project by Reeves, but the back matter clearly shows that he was an integral part of the creative process. But Reeves is smart enough to get veteran comics creators such as Matt Kindt and Ron Garney to flesh out the details in ways that are literate and readable. The story centers around an immortal, born to be nothing but a soldier. This is a common trope of comics and pulps, initially reminding me of DC's Vandal Savage more than anything else. But there are enough differences by the end to distinguish this from others of its type. Of course, there is a shady government organization that wants to weaponize the berserker's powers of regeneration. Amongst the carnage there is some true pathos, too. Garney's artwork lends a kinetic power to the story, reminding me a lot of Joe Kubert's style, and there is only a small amount of narration to get in the way. Reeves and company have created a world with a lot of possibilities for future growth.

[Radiantflux · Rating 2 out of 5]

32nd book for 2024.

Decent artwork, if a bit too violent and one-note for me. Overall stoary somewhat boring and simplistic.

2-stars.

[Elyse Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly cinematic, action packed panels move this story of immortality and purpose along at breakneck speed.

[Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

BRZRKR is all gore, which I expected. I read it since my husband owns it, but it didn’t really do much for me. Feels like an action movie - fast, violent, not much character depth. Born a tool, raised a tool, stayed a tool. Glad I read it just to confirm this style isn’t for me!

[Niko Dasilva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. The art is the main draw, story is just alright, not too original of a concept here.

[GҽɱɱαSM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3*
Una novel·la gràfica d'acció psicodèlica que segueix un guerrer immortal atrapat en un laberint de violència i memòries fragmentades. Destaca pels seus dibuixos hiperdinàmics i una narració que barreja noir existencial amb mythos de superhumà. Els diàlegs, però, oscil·len entre el profund i l'autoindulgent, i el ritme pot resultar caòtic. Un 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑊𝑖𝑐𝑘 metafísic: fascinant en la seva bogeria visual, però amb un cor que batega irregularment.

[Beata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam zamysł komiksu wydawał mi się zabawny, bo miałam wrażenie, że Keanu nawiązując do memów o sobie wymyślił nieśmiertelnego bohatera. No i nie zawiodły mnie już pierwsze kadry. Kiedy zobaczyłam go siedzącego na ławce od razu przypomniał mi się "sad Keanu" :) Potem również było sporo nawiązań, które można wyłapać, jeśli zna się trochę życiorys i filmy autora.

Do artów nie można się przyczepić, choć dla mnie nawet jak na komiks było tu za dużo "show not tell". Chciałabym poczytać trochę więcej. Nie przeszkadzała mi też przemoc, ale zmniejszyłabym ilość epickich walk, na poczet rozszerzenia informacji o przeszłości bohatera. Co prawda zajawiono, że była to w sumie ciągle powtarzająca się smutna historia, ale przez tysiące lat mogło jednak wydarzyć się coś ciekawego.

Ogólnie prosta, ale przyzwoita opowieść z możliwością kontynuacji. Jednak chciałoby się ciut więcej. Wydanie zbiorcze piękne.

[Wyatt Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Book of Elsewhere does more justice to this universe. It carries really unique storytelling, philosophy, and mythology that the comic it's based on lacks. I did still like this one, it just felt like a Marvel version of the book.

[Chris Mokken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulously violent, read the 400+ page bundle in one sitting. Enough science to keep my attention, enough humor to keep it light enough to digest, totally over the top violence to make for a deliciously malicious read.

[Rúben Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7 ⭐

[Algert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this was done on purpose or not, but this book gave me so many John Wick vibes that I loved every chapter.

The main character is what you want him to be, an immortal baddie with a fascinating past. The secret services part and the modern days of the story are the weakest in my personal view. However, the ending managed to redeem it partially.

The drawing style is splattered and absurd, but once you start reading, it will not be easy to stop.

Recommended to readers who are having a hard time picking up a new book. Trust me, this will feel like a fresh start!

[James Wakenell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining the intimidating precision of John Wick, and the epic abilities of Wolverine, Keanu Reeves' first venture in the world of Graphic Novels hits hard and delivers on everything you could want out of it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up - My library acquired a copy of this deluxe edition, so I took the opportunity to revisit the entire comics series while reading China Mieville's novel The Book of Elsewhere, an expansion of the BRZRKR universe. This deluxe edition contains "director's cut" commentary by Reeves and Kindt for the first issue, tremendously enhancing the experience through insights into the violent images, from comments on color temperature to refocusing attention to details I'd previously glossed over. I was surprised at how much more depth the commentary gave the work, having a glimpse at the thought process going into every detail of the artwork.

Reeves says: "The heightening of the human condition. That's what we're having fun with. We're trying to explore the cost of exceptionalism-the psychological cost of otherness." The interesting thing is that was exactly what I was thinking as I was reading Mieville's novelization of the BRZRKR origin story - but hadn't really explored that idea when I first read the comics. The director's cut commentary (and Mieville's novel) definitely bumped up my estimation of this work.

As well, reading this as a continuous story improved my experience, which was originally spaced out across 3 volumes (while the original readers had to wait across 12 issues). The story arc unfolds and plays out like an action film, so immediate continuity delivers the action-film-like stimulation much more effectively. The buildup of excitement and tension in one sitting results in a stronger dose of catharsis or whatever it is I enjoy about action films.

And finally, the gallery of cover art is simply badass - a much stronger impact seeing it all brought together.

I'm adding the links to my original reviews even though I appreciate the seies work much more after the deluxe edition and Mieville's novel:

BRZRKR Volume 1 Review
BRZRKR Volume 2 Review
BRZRKR Volume 3 Review

Regardless, for those who aren't fans of action-film-like stimulation and/or graphic, explosive violence, this is definitely not the series for you.

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not the first immortal man narrative in comics, Keanu Reeves' BRZRKR is certainly the most violent. Born 80,000 years ago to be a weapon thanks to... mystical? alien? intercession, a man who sometimes looks like a beefier Keanu, goes into a rage fugue and uses his super-strength and healing factor to absolutely destroy his tribe's enemies (and any friends who get in the way). Today, he's being used by the U.S. military for wetwork and is being studied and prodded according to different agendas, the unfolding and revelation of which makes up the book's intrigue. It's a set-up that allows for a lot of historical flashbacks (and indeed, plenty of side-stories have been published, taking place before the main action of the this "Volume 1" (all 12 issues). Things get rather bizarre and more superheroesque in the back half (I haven't completely accepted it yet), with some Twilight Zone twists providing multiple cliffhangers for a possible or eventual Vol.2. Reeves is working with Matt Kindt (one of my favorite comics writers) and their collaboration is defined in this collection's "creators' commentary" for issue 1. The art by Ron Garney and Bill Crabtree is somewhere at the intersection of Frank MIller and Marc Silvestri - well-colored too - probably better at the blood and gore than the later, surreal sequences. Collectively, they know how to create cool action sequences AND make the talky bits interesting to look at.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book collects the original run of BRZRKR into a single volume.

Unute aka BRZRKR was born during mysterious circumstances. BRZRKR was born but, unlike most of us, he cannot die. He's been alive for centuries. When the United States becomes a government, BRZRKR becomes the main component of Project B. BRZRKR will use his fighting skills and unmatched rage to help fight off the enemy in return for government scientists, Diana and Caldwell researching how BRZRKR can die. But, as we should all know by now, government officials rarely do what they say.

BRZRKR takes the reader on a journey of life and also the quest for the peace that comes with death.

[Henry Peat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked it and the whole concept is quite interesting and done well throughout MOST of the comic but towards the end it feels a bit muddled and rushed, almost as if they had to meet a certain page count and tried fitting so much in so little. If it was maybe a few more issues longer than they may have been able to improve it. Overall I enjoyed it, and I hope that either Keanue Reeves makes a universe based on this or writes more comics cause he has done a good job here.

[Jon Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An orgy of ultra-violence overlaid with a philosophical bent. It was fun reading The Book of Elsewhere then this. The book moves beyond “What if Keanu Reeves were Wolverine” into some rich areas. Off to read the spin-offs! Garney and Crabtree do some excellent storytelling work with the bold art and expressive colors.

[Jeevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read comics in a while, but I had to read it after knowing Keanu Reeves was one of the authors. This is a quick read with its own mythology and a story that ends just as mysteriously as it begins. Worth a read for all comic book and Keanu fans.

[Connor Pelcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some genuinely great panels in this book. However, the tropey story, albeit interesting, gets lost in the excesses of indulgent violence splashed across too many pages.

I didn’t hate it though. 3.5 stars.

[Tiago Acúrcio · Rating 5 out of 5]

História e Arte de se tirar o chapéu! Depois de ler o "Livro de Algures", ler "BRZRKR" era a única hipótese que me restava. Há algum tempo que não lia BD, o meu primeiro vício, ao qual regresso cada vez menos vezes, mas quando o faço, tenho a sorte de valer sempre a pena.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gore is WILDLY over the top but the story concept is really cool. Excellent and evocative art even if the gory parts are not to my taste.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy fun

[Bookworm KohnHead · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pretty good story. About an immortal warrior who’s ready to be mortal. Keanu Reeves is a good job writing this story and having the main character look like him. Worth checking out.

[Nick Padula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m glad we can finally confirm that Keanu Reeves is immortal thanks to this comic book autobiography he wrote!

[Aaron St. John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story line with a human element in the wake of all the fantasy. Scenes and coloration are impeccable. Excellent team for a Keanu graphic story.

[Sadiel Giron · Rating 3 out of 5]

First ten issues were really solid but the last two kinda fell flat for me. But the artwork is great enough for me to keep reading.