In this review of Skinbreaker #7, when the village is attacked by a pack of silver fangs, Paca realizes his mistake in not listening to Anok. Is it too late to save his people?
Skinbreaker #7
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: March 25, 2026
This review contains spoilers
At the conclusion of Skinbreaker #6, Anok was exploring the pink crystal cavern and Paca was dealing with his father’s rage. Skinbreaker #7 kicks off with a huge pack of silver fangs attacking the village. Paca calls the shard bearers into action, but they aren’t strong enough to fight off the overwhelming number of creatures.
Just as Paca and his fighters look to be completely overrun, Anok shows up with a new Skinbreaker made from the crystals he found in the cave. It’s too heavy for him to wield effectively, but he manages to kill a silver fang that rushes him. Paca swoops in to save the old chieftain from another attack. He realizes that Anok was right all along and apologizes. They switch weapons, with Anok taking the lighter blade, and launch an assault on the remaining beasts.
They fight back-to-back and side-by-side to protect the village. In between kills, they’re able to admire each other’s fighting skills, knowing that they should have been working together the whole time.
The tide seems to be turning in favor of the two chieftains when, all of a sudden, the leader of the silver fangs knocks Paca to the ground. It’s about to deliver a killing blow, but the issue ends on that cliffhanger.
Analysis
The joining of the two chieftains has been building for the last two issues and I’m glad it’s finally arrived. It was obvious where this was headed, but I still like the message it sends. There’s no need to blindly stick to old ways when change is needed for the betterment of everyone. That much is clearly happening in this issue.
While Kirkman doesn’t give us a whole lot of dialogue in Skinbreaker #7, the exchange between Anok and Paca when Anok returns is perfect. It’s short, only taking up a few panels, but it speaks volumes. Anok is able to look past the fact that Paca tried to kill him, in an effort to save their people. Paca coming to his senses and understanding Anok’s value to the village is something I’ve been hoping to see.
My only hope now is that they’re both able to survive the final onslaught in order to not only save the tribe, but further strengthen their joint leadership of the villagers.
While there might not be a ton of dialogue, there’s a boatload of action from start to finish. Kirkman isn’t afraid to sacrifice a few warriors in the battle, but he keeps the focus on Anok and Paca.
That action is brought to life by David Finch’s stunning illustrations. My favorite page of Skinbreaker #7 is the splash page where Anok returns holding the dual-bladed Skinbreaker. A close second to that would be the centerfold spread with Anok and Paca side by side about to engage in battle against the silver fangs. Annalisa Leoni’s color choices are vibrant and exciting.
Final Thoughts
Skinbreaker #7 brings us to the doorstep of the finale of this excellent series. The action and artwork continue to be top notch, but the story is just as good. Have fun, comic lovers!
