Published by BOOM! Studios, BRZRKR #2 is written by Matt Kindt and Keanu Reeves. Illustration is by Ron Garney and colours are by Bill Crabtree. Letters are by Clem Robins. Main cover art is by Rafael Grampa with variant covers by Grampa, Rafael Albuquerque and John Paul Leon.
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Synopsis
U.S. government Doctor Diana Ahuja seeks to unlock the mysterious B.’s memories — lifetimes of violence and tragedy like no one else who has ever lived that began with a fateful decision in ancient Mesopotamia.
But is Diana here to help him… or is she serving a darker agenda?
Review
To say I enjoyed the first issue of BRZRKR is an understatement. But where that issue was centred on action and violence, this second issue is focused on character development and story. But fear not! There is still tremendous action and viscous violence!
This issue gets the bare essentials right – the panel layouts and colouring are simple but effective, the dialogue is informative but not clunky – which allows the creators tell their compelling story and develop their complex character in a much more effective manner.
In the last issue our protagonist ‘B.’ hardly says a word, but in this issue, he narrates his origin throughout, and we get a feeling of his torment and fatigue. I really enjoyed this origin story which borrows heavily from cinematic tropes (samurai, western and action films) but is unique enough in its own right. There are little hints dropped regarding Diana’s true intentions which have kept me intrigued and I cannot wait to see how that story unfolds. Reeve’s and Kindt are a writing duo that complement each other, and them being on the same page has me turning pages!
Ron Garney does a great job on the art throughout, incorporating shadow and silhouette as effectively as in the first issue. As noted before, it’s the simplicity of the Bill Crabtree’s colouring which helps to progress the story – we know when we are in a flashback because of the more vibrant colours as opposed to the sterile blue of the present.
One double page spread in particular stands out, which captures how B. came to….be. The panels and colours flow and grow to the right, eventually breaking free while the art carries on and the colours merge into something indescribable. “How does one put into words that which cannot be described?” is the caption, Ron Garney and Bill Crabtree is the answer.
I also want to give credit to Rafael Grampa for the great cover which depicts B. wielding weapons from across the ages – from mace to machine gun!
This issue serves a checkpoint from the high octane first issue, but there is still plenty of action. The brutality is showcased in two pages of no words, just graphic kill shots one after another – have you ever seen a horse’s top jaw used to bludgeon a man to death? I am not a fan of ultraviolence, I can’t stand gory horror films, but I can’t wait to see what creative and cruel ways the team come up with to kill the bad guys!
Verdict
This was a great issue with excellent visuals and an awesome origin story. I do not think anyone expected so much depth from this title, so I urge you all to read it!
8.5/10
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