Skinbreaker #1
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: David Finch, Annalisa Leoni
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: September 24, 2025
Cover Price: $4.99
SERIES PREMIERE FOR FANS OF INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE: BATTLE BEAST COMES YOUR NEW FAVORITE SERIES! The dream team of ROBERT KIRKMAN (THE WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE) and superstar artist DAVID FINCH (Batman, New Avengers) present a visionary action epic unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Enor has led his tribe for many seasons, but his time as Chieftan is coming to an end. He wields the mighty SKINBREAKER, but at his age, he can barely lift it. Will Enor’s reluctant heir, Anok, take over before their world falls to ruin? As a bloody power struggle begins, an even bigger threat lurks in the darkness beyond their village. SKINBREAKER tells the story of a people on the verge of collapse and their fight for survival as the many threats they face close in for the kill.
Score;
★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)
'Skinbreaker' is an epic fantasy in the hands of two of the most prolific storytellers in comics. Robert Kirkman and David Finch have collaborated after years of trying to put this series together and the result is a mind-blowing masterclass in visual storytelling. It's difficult to overstate how Finch's art elevates this new limited series because the amount of detail and careful thought that goes on each tree branch to the vascularity of a warrior's forearm veins is the attention of an uber-craftsman. Kirkman lays out a simple but compelling power struggle among a proud tribe of orc-like people.
The most powerful aspect of this book’s careful pacing is Kirkman’s instinct for balance—knowing when to let the art carry the story and when to drop in those sharp, devastating lines of dialogue that cut straight to the heart. Kirkman smartly lets Finch shine and those opening pages will have readers lingering on every last detail wonderfully colored by Annalisa Leoni.
From the very first pages, the relationship between Anok and Chieftain Enor radiates loyalty and love. Their reverent exchanges capture both the wisdom of an aging leader and the burden weighing on a reluctant hero. The torch needs to be passed but Anok's passivity may hinder the ascension of the Chieftain's most loyal warrior.
That foundation deepens when the story shifts to Anok and his son. Here, the book finds its emotional core. Anok emerges as a rare figure equal parts strength and compassion and his fatherly encouragement to his son is a mix of inspiration, understanding, and empathy. Kirkman instantly humanizes his characters making them heartbreakingly relatable.
This opening chapter is an absolutely stunning achievement. With a blend of breathtaking art, heartfelt dialogue, and resonant themes, the long awaited collaboration of Kirkman and Finch has been worth the wait. 'Skinbreaker' represents the beginning of an extraordinary saga.
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