Keanu Reeves’ immortal warrior B. is heading for the Old West, as BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets gives the franchise a Western spin.

Keanu Reeves’ immortal warrior B. is heading for the Old West, as BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets heads to comic store shelves. The brainchild of Reeves – famous for movies including John Wick and The Matrix – the movie star’s likeness is used for the adventures of an 80,000 year-old killer who has existed across history. Including, it turns out, the Wild West.

In a press release, BOOM! Studios has announced that BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets will see Jason Aaron (Batman: Off-World, Thor) and Francesco Manna (Carnage, Predator: The Last Hunt) turn B. into a full-fledged cowboy antihero. Variant cover art from R.M. Guera, Mahmud Asrar, and Matteo Scalera gives fans an epic look at what to expect.

BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets kicks off the second volume of BRZRKR: Bloodlines, which is comprised of several extra-length specials focused on unexplored eras of B.’s long life of violence. This 1800s chapter will see B. called on to face off against a greedy land baron, though the people in need of protection don’t know quite what they’re getting into by allying with the blood-soaked B. Coming June 2024, the issue’s official summary reads:

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…

“Jason and Francesco teaming up for a brutal, tragic Western was a perfect match for BRZRKR and the types of stories we want to tell in this universe.”

– Keanu Reeves

BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets Takes B. to the Wild West

Jason Aaron Helms the Stand-Alone Adventure

Launched by Reeves, Matt Kindt, Ron Garney and Clem Robins, BRZRKR has opened up its canon to other creative teams, putting their own spin on B.’s life. B. has taken on Cthulhu and fought to defend Atlantis, but now it’s time to strap on some spurs and load his six-shooter. Speaking about the franchise’s growth, Keanu Reeves says:

Having new writers and artists explore B.’s history in these Bloodlines Specials is something that is so exciting to me. Jason and Francesco teaming up for a brutal, tragic Western was a perfect match for BRZRKR and the types of stories we want to tell in this universe.

It’s a big year for Jason Aaron, who is also helming a new era of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, and promising a return to the franchise’s grungy, violent roots. A master of comic violence, Aaron has written Ghost Rider, Wolverine, and Punisher for Marvel, but truly lets loose in creator-owned series Scalped and Southern Bastards. The world of BRZRKR is a perfect fit for Aaron, who says:

The world of BRZRKR is so visceral and action-packed that I’ve been a fan from the very beginning. So it’s super exciting to get to craft the first Wild West chapter of this epic saga, in the grim and gritty spirit of Leone, Corbucci, and Peckinpah.

It’s clear that classic Western movies will inspire BRZRKR: A Faceful of Bullets, with even the title referencing Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars. Artist Francesco Manna confirms that BRZRKR will draw on a long legacy of great Westerns, saying:

When I was a child I used to watch so many Western movies with my dad. I was in love with Leone, Corbucci, and Ford. I didn’t understand why or how, I just felt like there was some kind of magic that kept me hooked, watching and watching again and again. It’s very inspiring to let BRZRKR play with that magic and create a fresh and bloody vision of those old fashioned vibes.

Reeves’ lethal lookalike has gone from strength to strength since BRZRKR launched in 2021, as B.’s world and history continue to expand, and the damaged antihero lives through different iconic eras – now including the Wild West.