Skinbreaker Continues Walking Dead and Invincible Creator Robert Kirkman’s Celebration of David Finch’s Artwork

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The following contains spoilers for Skinbreaker #2, on sale now from .

Although Robert Kirkman often collaborates with talented artists, David Finch’s work in ‘Skinbreaker’ is particularly noteworthy. The story itself is fairly classic, but it primarily serves as a showcase for Finch’s incredible and detailed artwork. It’s clear Finch has dedicated a lot of time and effort to this series, and every page is filled with rich detail, both in the backgrounds and the striking foreground imagery.

Ultimately, the situation is unfolding in an interesting way. This storyline allows Kirkman to explore how traditions can become outdated and the challenges of adapting them, even when change is necessary.

Issue #2 of Skinbreaker, by Robert Kirkman and David Finch (with colors by Annalisa Leoni and letters by Rus Wooton), continues the story right after the last issue’s dramatic ending. Thul is about to challenge the tribe’s leader, Enor, but instead, Enor’s trusted friend and heir, Anok, steps forward to take on the challenge.

What is the major drama between Anok challenging Enor?

This tribe values strength above all else, and Enor has always been considered its most powerful member. He’s the only one who can wield Skinbreaker, a special sword named after the tribe’s unique trait: children are born with skin made of stone. A ceremony involves using Skinbreaker to shine light on a child when they come of age, ‘breaking’ their stone skin and revealing normal skin underneath. However, Anok’s son, Emom, surprisingly still has stone skin long after his ceremony should have taken place. In a dramatic scene, Thul uses Skinbreaker on his newborn son, Paca, and it works – Paca’s stone skin breaks immediately!

Anok and Enor have been secretly hunting together, and Anok has been subtly setting things up – using traps and other tactics – to make it appear as though Enor remains a skilled and powerful hunter. However, Thul and others in the tribe are starting to suspect something is amiss. Many, including Anok’s wife and even Enor himself, want Anok to challenge Enor for leadership, hoping to establish a fair and rightful ruler for the tribe.

When Thul witnessed his son being injured, he immediately went to confront Enor. However, Anok intervened and challenged Enor instead.

How does the batlte for control of the tribe go?

The fight between Enor and Anok is powerfully portrayed, largely because Anok truly doesn’t want to fight. He believes the tradition forcing this battle is wrong, questioning why a wise and capable leader like Enor should be cast aside simply due to his age. It doesn’t benefit anyone. Enor understands Anok is obligated to challenge him, and even if Anok refused or lost, another challenger would inevitably emerge.

Anok manages to hold out until he’s badly injured – Enor wounds his eye. Eventually, Anok fights back and defeats Enor, who thanks him before dying. What follows is a stunning visual sequence showing the passage of time. The artist uses a technique similar to the aging effect seen with Matt Damon in a certain film, but does it with a series of impactful panels, creating a really striking effect.

Honestly, the colors Annalisa Leoni did for this were a game-changer. I mean, she’s a huge reason this transition works. The artist, Finch, puts so much effort into the backgrounds, adding tons of detail, and without a strong colorist, all that work would be lost. It reminds me of older comics, before the late ’80s, where backgrounds were just kinda…flat. There was no depth! But Leoni? She really brings everything to life. It’s way more impactful than if it was just black and white, seriously. She captures all those little details and makes them pop.

Over time, Anok has changed how the tribe hunts. He now leads the hunts and shows everyone the tools and traps he uses, emphasizing how effective and helpful they are. He argues that using tools is smarter than relying on strength alone when catching food.

The issue is that Paca has grown into a strong young man, eager to become leader, just like his father. While Anok is currently capable of defending his position, it must be stressful worrying about a future challenge from Paca.

Anok still thinks the current system is flawed, a belief that hasn’t changed since Enor’s death. However, now that he’s in charge, it’s awkward for him to suggest changes, especially since the system now benefits him. The issue ends with a hint that he does have a plan to address these traditional practices, and I’m eager to see how it unfolds.

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2025-11-08 07:44