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A review by ravenousbibliophile
BRZRKR #12 by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A desert rose.
To a book-lover, a reading-slump is about as desirable as discovering that their friend (or former friend) has dog-eared a book that was loaned to them. Having found myself in just such an undesirable (and prolonged) predicament, like any sane person, I looked to the emotion which often inspires and motivates. Violence. And I thus came upon Brzrkr.
I will admit that when it comes to violence and gore there are certainly other titles which put the 'graphic' in Graphic-Novels. But Brzrkr caught my eye for two reasons. The second of those being the wordplay on the word 'Berserker'. Primarily (and I guess this goes for most of us who've read this) because of Keanu Reeves. Setting aside his filmography, 'violence' isn't an emotion that I would associate with him. I was curious, and interested in discovering just how loud can the mind of someone as calm as Keanu can be. My curiosity was rewarded with a not inconsiderable amount of noise.
Matt Kindt and the design/drawing team behind Brzrkr have done a wonderful job of translating the violent (and silent) torment of an immortal whose only aspiration is not death, but rather just living with the inevitability of death like a normal person. The storytelling is excellent at the beginning, is strong through the middle but flounders at the end due to a perceptible urgency to finish. Thankfully, things are neatly set up for a sequel and I hope there is one, because I too would like to live with the inevitability of reading more of Brzrkr.
To a book-lover, a reading-slump is about as desirable as discovering that their friend (or former friend) has dog-eared a book that was loaned to them. Having found myself in just such an undesirable (and prolonged) predicament, like any sane person, I looked to the emotion which often inspires and motivates. Violence. And I thus came upon Brzrkr.
I will admit that when it comes to violence and gore there are certainly other titles which put the 'graphic' in Graphic-Novels. But Brzrkr caught my eye for two reasons. The second of those being the wordplay on the word 'Berserker'. Primarily (and I guess this goes for most of us who've read this) because of Keanu Reeves. Setting aside his filmography, 'violence' isn't an emotion that I would associate with him. I was curious, and interested in discovering just how loud can the mind of someone as calm as Keanu can be. My curiosity was rewarded with a not inconsiderable amount of noise.
Matt Kindt and the design/drawing team behind Brzrkr have done a wonderful job of translating the violent (and silent) torment of an immortal whose only aspiration is not death, but rather just living with the inevitability of death like a normal person. The storytelling is excellent at the beginning, is strong through the middle but flounders at the end due to a perceptible urgency to finish. Thankfully, things are neatly set up for a sequel and I hope there is one, because I too would like to live with the inevitability of reading more of Brzrkr.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Blood, Cannibalism, and Death of parent