One of the best parts of the BRZRKR comic (other than the buckets of blood and gore spilled throughout its pages) is the sheer opportunity its concept offers. Since Unute – or “B” as he’s called in the modern day – is immortal, creators have the chance to tell all kinds of stories. And so far, they’ve jumped on that impulse, delivering comics that range from Lovecraftian horrors to blood-soaked Westerns.
Now with BRZRKR: The Lost Book of B #1, the clock is turned back to Unute’s time fighting against, and then for, Genghis Khan. What Unute doesn’t know is that a group of people who are fervently dedicated to charting his history have set these events in motion…and what they don’t know is that his fury is a terrible thing to witness.
The Lost Book of B #1 tackling religious fervor wasn’t on my bingo card, but then again, having Unute literally fight Cthullhu wasn’t either. Co-writer/co-creator Keanu Reeves has put a lot of thought into what an actual god walking among men would be like, and the answer is simple: everyone would want to take advantage of him. That advantage might be shaping the course of history, or having a warrior with the power of a thousand armies, but the end goal remains the same. Reeves was open about how his deep thoughts on life and death shaped BRZRKR, and The Lost Book of B shows that he’s turned his thoughts to other matters as well.
BOOM! Studios
The Lost Book of B #1 is also notable in that it reunites Reeves with the creative team behind the original BRZRKR series: co-writer Matt Kindt, Ron Garney, Bill Crabtree and Clem Robins. Even though it’s been roughly three years since the original BRZRKR wrapped up, it’s like they never left. Kindt helps flesh out Reeves’ work, adding in some introspective moments where Unute contemplates how he’s being used. It’s Garney’s artwork that’s the major draw, though. When I read the original BRZRKR series I was blown away by how he pushed the envelope in terms of gore, both in how Unute dealt out savage blows to his foes while powering through all manner of wounds.
That’s on full display in The Lost Book of B. Bodies explode like water balloons full of meat and blood on Unute’s fists. Garney also draws his body in various stages of regeneration, from bursting open on rocks to being scalded alive in boiling oil. Crabtree also deserves credit for his color work, as he changes hues often depending on the scene. Yellow flames wrap around a city as Unute charges through the flames. Snow blankets one page in white as he drives a massive elephant through a blizzard. But the constants are red (because of the buckets of blood being spilled) and blue (in the blazing eyes of Unute when he triggers his godlike abilities).
BRZRKR: The Lost Book of B #1 doesn’t just reunite the original creative team behind BRZRKR, but also has some surprisingly deep thoughts on faith and the blood that’s often shed in the name of it. It’s proof that the BRZRKR comics remain a gold mine for BOOM! Studios, and I hope they keep digging; the potential is quite literally limitless.
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