In BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1 from BOOM! Studios, a new team takes on Keanu Reeves’ immortal warrior.
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
Powered by RedCircle
BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1 Review:
Written by Mattson Tomlin with art by Rebekah Isaacs, Fallen Empire is another done-in-one story set in the universe created by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney. This time, a noseless storyteller tries to keep the records of her former empire alive after they were all wiped out by the berserker of the title.
Host Alex Zalben kicked things off noting, “There’s a surprising amount of important mythology” in this one-shot, laying out that the character needs to kill otherwise he essentially explodes. Calling it a “dark fable,” host Justin Tyler added that this felt like “a feature film version of the character,” comparing it to The Mummy, which makes sense since Tomlin is writing the movie version of BRZRKR.
Pete LePage called the issue “epic” with “amazing art… It’s a full-on story from start to finish, but [with] tons of twists and turns… A different version of the Berserker… [but] I absolutely loved it.”
Zalben noted that he “gets a little bummed” when Matt Kindt and Ron Garney aren’t involved, but given the “really interesting story” crafted by Tomlin, he got past that feeling. However, when Zalben said the one-shot was “Tales From The Crypt style, but not as goofy,” Tyler called him out for saying that just because the storyteller has no nose.
Zalben admitted that was probably the reason, but the story is “bloody and gross” regardless. He added that if this is the model for the Netflix anime, “done in one stories of the Berserker, this is selling me on that idea… If you want a hardcore berserker-type tale that has a sci-fi, mystical, fantasy element to it, definitely pick this up.”
BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1 Official Synopsis:
The lone survivor of Olos, a long-dead empire that once thrived, tells a tale of B.’s distant past, and the death and cataclysm he brought forth.
But what else did B. find that could have driven him to such violence? The heart is as much a weapon as any in B.’s arsenal…
Created by the iconic Keanu Reeves, BRZRKR and The Batman Part II screenwriter and Eisner Award-nominated writer Mattson Tomlin (A Vicious Circle, Batman: The Imposter) is joined by hit artist Rebekah Isaacs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Money Shot) to bring fans more brutality from the ancient past!
