In this review of Skinbreaker #6, we see Anok continue to implore Paca to abandon the old ways. Can he succeed against someone so set in how he was raised?
Skinbreaker #6
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Art and Main Cover: David Finch
Variant Covers: David Finch, Tony Moore, Eric Canete, Lorenzo De Felici
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: February 25, 2026
This review contains spoilers
At the conclusion of Skinbreaker #5, Anok had saved the village (and Paca) from a silver fang attack. Paca reluctantly ordered his warriors to hunt down the old chieftain the next morning. This issue begins with Anok knowing he’ll be hunted. He sets alarms and traps for the hunting party, allowing him time to escape.
Paca gives chase, though, and backs Anok to the edge of a cliff. The old chieftain once again pleads with Paca about the dangers of the silver fang and the need to try new ways to safeguard the tribe. For a moment, Paca considers his words, but still holds too tight to the old ways. Before the young chieftain can strike a killing blow, Anok backs off the cliff, falling into a body of water.
When he doesn’t surface after a short time, Paca declares Anok dead and returns to the village, but Anok, ever the resourceful warrior, is able to evade the massive aquatic creature trying to eat him. He surfaces in a cavern that looks to be filled with the pink crystals that make Skinbreaker.
Back at the village, Paca doesn’t want to celebrate, still clearly struggling with the words that Anok spoke. His father, Thul, is enraged by Paca’s “weakness” and begins striking his son. With one blow, Paca is able to knock his father down, clearly saddened by the whole situation, ending the issue.
Analysis
As we reach the three-quarters mark of the series, there’s less story ahead than there is behind, but I still think the best is yet to come. Robert Kirkman has developed these characters in such a way that, despite minimal dialog, there is a strong emotional connection to them. Paca’s development may be the best of all. You can clearly see that he’s been a strict believer in the old ways, but between the last issue and Skinbreaker #6, cracks in that belief are emerging. He has been raised to believe a certain way, but he’s quickly coming to realize that life has changed and he’ll need to adapt in order to keep his tribe alive.
Early on, this story was more focused on Anok, and it still is to a large degree, but it’s now every bit a story about Paca and the importance of change. It illustrates how there are times in life when we have to understand that there are better ways to do things. Skinbreaker #6 brings that idea to light in the best of ways.
My main concern now is that Anok will have gone through all these difficulties just to end up sacrificing himself to save the village. I’m hoping Kirkman will let him live to be able to share his wisdom in the future, but I know how Kirkman doesn’t necessarily mind killing off major characters. We’ll have to wait a couple more issues for that to play out.
I’m running out of ways in these reviews to say that the artwork by David Finch and the coloring by Annalisa Leoni looks incredible. While there are just a couple of two-page spreads (that are mind-bogglingly detailed), there are plenty of splash pages or large panels showcasing environments such as the forest or river or sea creatures. Paca’s facial expressions throughout the issue tell a story on their own. He goes from angry to thoughtful to confused and back again, highlighting the struggles he has with the “old ways / new ways” debate. Overall, comic book interiors don’t come much better than this.
Final Thoughts
Skinbreaker #6 is leading up to the final two issues that promise a riveting conclusion to the story. This issue is packed with gorgeous artwork, exciting action, and major drama. If you haven’t been reading this series, you’re missing out. Have fun, comic lovers!
