Skinbreaker #1 – A Reluctant Hero Steps Forward

The Essentials:

• What is the Skinbreaker?
• Who is Anok?
• What is the Skinbreaker Challenge?

Skinbreaker #1:

Having spoken to both Robert Kirkman and David Finch at San Diego Comic Con, I’ll be folding in some of the details I gleaned from them into this review. In a nutshell, Skinbreaker is a book about leadership, family, and the reluctant hero.

The visuals are insane, and the story is heartbreaking to match. It’s something fresh and new, and here we go!

Creative Team:

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artist: David Finch

Color Artist: Annalisa Leoni

Letters: Rus Wooton

Publisher: IMAGE COMICS/SKYBOUND ENT

The Art:

First off, let this sink in – David Finch said in total, working on and off on this book, it took him upwards of 8 years to finish the art in Skinbreaker.

That’s the kind of painstaking perfectionist that Finch is and admits he is, but boy, when you open the first two to three pages of this comic, you are instantly transported into a world of wonders.

Never has a prehistoric-looking alien planet ever looks so rich, glorious and absolutely stunning. That’s Finch in a nutshell. The man is truly a museum-level “artist.”

The first few pages set the tone with just a few words and that only lends itself further to Finch’s strengths. The lack of dialogue makes the first few pages that much more impressive.

READ MORE: “INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE: BATTLE BEAST #4

The Writing:

The best part of the time this book took to make is Kirkman’s ability to know when to feature the art heavily and when to interject those little nuggets of dialogue that rip your heart out.

When we open on the relationship between Anok and the Chieftain Enor, you feel the love and loyalty through the reverent back and forth between the aging leader and the reluctant hero.

When we get to the story of Anok and his son, this deepens the heart of the book and the character that is Anok. He’s a rare blend of strength, compassion, and tragedy.

The conversation between Anok and his son is not only heartbreaking, it’s also beautiful. As a new father myself, I made sure to ask Kirkman and Finch about it, and they agreed that their time as fathers also affected what they put into this book.

Anok is the kind of father and being that we should all aspire to be.

Overall Grade: 9.0/10

An absolutely gorgeous opening book, both visually and emotionally, with its art, heart, and dialogue. Kirkman and Finch have come together to create something truly special here!