Keanu Reeves’ BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness earlier this summer, Fallen Empire looks to switch up gears from a straight sword and sorcery action yarn to a blood-soaked romance.
B., real name Unute, is an 80,000-year-old man who is seemingly indestructible, and has spent his long life causing untold bloodshed and enjoying life as a Keanu Reeves doppelganger. Along with writer Mattson Tomlin - of the The Batman Part II - and artist Rebekeh Isaacs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Reeves brings a new tale in the long life of B. centered this time upon the lost civilization of Olos. Although the previous civilization B. involved himself in, Atlantis, fell because of an invasion by the Eldritch god Cthulhu, according to recent solicitations from publisher BOOM! Studios, this time it will be B. himself wreaking havoc across the Olos Empire that leads to its destruction. Check out this preview art from BOOM! Studios below featuring art from Isaacs, colorist Jordie Bellaire and covers by Dave McCaig, Jenny Frison and Joëlle Jones, as well as the issue's official summary:
BRZRKR: Fallen Empire Explores a New Chapter of B.'s Past
The lone survivor of Olos, a long-dead–once thriving–empire, tells a tale of B.’s distant past and the death and cataclysm he brought forth. But what did B. find that could have driven him to such violent ends? The desires of the heart are as much a weapon as any in B.’s arsenal…
The preview for Fallen Empire hints that B.'s battles this time around will be due to "desires of the heart." This minor hint, combined with his female co-star (likely the "lone survivor" of the Olos Empire mentioned in the solicitation) and the appearance of broken chains on B.’s wrists allude to the possibility there will be some kind of struggle in the interest of love, with B. needing to escape imprisonment to exact justice. One thing that fans already know, however, is that B. isn't heading for a happy ending, as B. has no family and cannot have children. Enjoy the issue's character designs, below:
An Endless Mission with No Goal
Though known for his ruthless and brutal efficiency on the battlefield, the original BRZRKR series revealed B. as a man of experience and culture, having lived a full, virtually invincible existence watching civilizations rise and fall. However, there is one legacy that B. does not possess: that of living offspring, as it is shown through the antihero’s memories that while he has had many romances across the millennia, none of them have produced an heir that survived birth, a trait hinted to be caused by B.’s godlike powers. While only glimpses of these romantic forays have been depicted thus far, Fallen Kingdom will expand this tragic aspect of B.'s existence. Speaking about the project, Tomlin says:
Given that I’ve been adapting the feature film version of BRZRKR, it’s a surreal honor to have been invited to pen a small chapter in B.’s 80,000 year history and add to his story in comics. Rebekah Isaacs is a rockstar and her wonderful artwork in FALLEN EMPIRE‘s sweeping, violent romance is going to make your heart skip a beat more than once. What a delight to play in the world Keanu, Matt, Ron, Bill, Clem and BOOM! have created!
Isaacs adds:
Working in an epic timeline like BRZRKR’s that spans all of human civilization, it’s a special treat to be able to slow down and watch B. and what makes him tick through more of a micro lens. Mattson is brilliant at fleshing out the subtleties of complex characters - I was sucked in immediately and can’t wait for BRZRKR fans to get this glimpse into this gripping & heartbreaking moment in B.’s history.
Keanu Reeves’ blood-crazed warrior continues his trail of destruction across history in BRZRKR: Fallen Kingdom, on sale Fall 2023 from BOOM! Studios.
Source: BOOM! Studios
