The clever thing about Keanu Reeves’ co-creation BRZRKR is its versatility. From the dawn of mankind to whatever we do tomorrow, B has been there, a perfect instrument of violence. Any genre that can take such a warrior has a place for him. Except maybe romance, but then again, I might be short-sighted. So a Civil War-era Western with an immortal warrior instead of the Man with No Name? Perfect.
Reeves knows it. BOOM! Studios knows it. And each BRZRKR project has involved top creators working at the top of their game. With A Faceful of Bullets, Reeves teams with writer Jason Aaron, artist Salvador Larroca, colorist Lee Loughridge, and letterer Ed Dukeshire for a story with echoes from spaghetti westerns with a touch of Shane.
Aaron first made an impact with the Vertigo series Scalped before making a superhero impact with a strong run on Thor. No lie, he balanced his talent for violence with a taste of Duckburg in Uncle Scrooge and the Infinity Dime that felt both Marvel-ous and absolutely true to the spirit of Carl Barks. (Pick it up!) Larroca has proven just as versatile, most recently with Star Wars: Darth Vader.
Originally, it seemed like Reeves worked with Matt Kindt and Ron Garney to create a franchise for himself to star in. But now, I think he really just wanted to work with some of the best talents in the comics world. He’s absolutely a fan, on top of being one of the biggest stars in the world. Each BRZRKR story has been solid, and this one will be no different.
From BOOM! Studios:
BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at Keanu Reeves’ highly anticipated BRZRKR: A FACEFUL OF BULLETS #1, the new unexplored chapter in B.’s violent history by legendary comics writer Jason Aaron (Once Upon a Time at the End of the World, Thor), along with popular artist Salvador Larroca (Star Wars: Darth Vader), colorist Lee Loughridge, and letterer Ed Dukeshire. Discover a brand new secret chapter of B.’s time in the 1800s America on the brink of the Civil War in A FACEFUL OF BULLETS.
When B. finds himself in the middle of a grudge match between a greedy land baron and his runaway daughter, he must decide if he will play the role of a guardian angel, or succumb to his violent tendencies.
And when the runaway prays for the vengeance she so obsessively clings to, God’s answer might be more than she bargained for…
BRZRKR: A FACEFUL OF BULLETS #1 features a main cover by Francesco Manna (Old Man Logan) with Francesco Segala, Matteo Scalera (Basketful of Heads), R.M. Guéra (Slow Burn), and Mahmud Asrar (Something is Killing the Children) with Matt Wilson.
BRZRKR: A FACEFUL OF BULLETS follows the announcement of the first ever BRZRKR prose novel, The Book of Elsewhere, to be published by Del Rey and co-authored by award-winning author China Miéville and Keanu Reeves and the release of the first BRZRKR: Bloodlines collected edition featuring the work of Steve Skroce, Mattson Tomlin, and Rebekah Isaacs as well the release of BRZRKR: Poetry Of Madness Pen & Ink #1. More exciting information about the BRZRKR franchise will be revealed throughout the year, including the second story that will comprise the newest volume of BRZRKR: Bloodlines, and more!
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In addition to running Fanboy Planet, Derek has written for ActionAce, Daily Radar, Once Upon A Dime, and The Wave. He has contributed stories to Arcana Comics (The Greatest American Hero) and Monsterverse Comics (Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave). He has performed with ComedySportz and Silicon Valley Shakespeare, though relocated to Hollywood to... work in an office? If you ever played Eric's Ultimate Solitaire on the Macintosh, it was Derek's voice as The Weasel that urged you to play longer. You can buy his book "I Was Flesh Gordon" on the Amazon link at the right. Email him at [email protected].
