Comics legend Robert Kirkman and David Finch introduce a new fantasy epic with Skinbreaker. If you like orcs, beautiful art and strange otherworldly creatures, this book has it all. More than just a run-of-the-mill adventure tale, this comic is a story about succession and charting uncertain paths even if they go against tradition.
The orc chief is wise, but he’s also old and weak, and that is something the clan simply can’t abide. The chief, Enor, knows this. He’s ready to accept his fate, but Anok, the young warrior who the chief wishes to succeed him, still believes Enor is the best option for their people. Others, like the rival hunter Thull, are starting to notice the chief’s weakness though, and it won’t be long before someone challenges his rule.
This dilemma springs the story into action. From the first pages, it’s clear that Chief Enor and Anok have a strong father-son dynamic as they hunt a behemoth of a creature with more razor teeth and beady eyes than it has any right to. You can tell they’ve done this countless times before and that they trust one another with their lives, which makes it all the sadder to watch old Chief Enor struggle so much.
The care the orcs show for one another is a nice change from typical fantasy fare, where they’re often portrayed as hyperviolent and less intelligent than other fantasy races. This care is especially poignant in the scenes between Anok and his son Emom. Emom has yet to have his skin break — a coming-of-age ritual that determines an orc’s strength. At the age of 8, he’s a bit beyond a late bloomer compared to the other orc children, a fact that fills him with shame. That shame is something Anok won’t tolerate, and he reminds his son that he is endlessly proud of him.
This exchange makes it clear that this is first and foremost a story about family — about a man (orc, you know what I mean) stepping up to protect his family and his clan. The responsibility of being chief may not be something Anok wants, but compared to the other rabble (looking at you, Thul!), he’s clearly the orc for the job.
How he’ll navigate leadership remains to be seen. Anok will first have to best the old chief and ward off any potential challengers for the throne. It’ll be a fight for sure, but one he has the skills to win. And under this creative team, I look forward to seeing it play out.
The Invisible Man #2
“To be seen is to be vulnerable. To be weak.”
The Victorian era crashout continues in Invisible Man. After a few successful experiments on mice and one very pissed-off cat, our soon-to-be translucent psychopath Jack has grown bolder and even more impatient in his quest to ascend to a higher plane of existence — one where the gaze of inferior men will no longer trouble him.
For a story about an invisible man, this book has incredible visuals. Artist Dani and colorist Brad Simpson bring Victorian London to life in a marvelous impressionist style — from the warm yellows of a sunny market stroll to the cool sterile blues of the lab where Jack’s cruel experiments unfold, everything is beautiful and surreal.
As for Jack, it becomes clearer and clearer that he cares for nothing except his work and the power he thinks it will give him over others. At his core he’s a petty, entitled, insecure man, one trying to fashion himself into some kind of god among men. He’s not worth rooting for and he’s hard to even empathize with. He has many good things in his life, but he still feels he deserves more and that he is unequivocally better than his supposed peers.
At the slightest reprimand he’ll fantasize about how he’ll punish those who’ve “disrespected” him once he achieves the power he seeks. Whether man or animal is the victim, Jack’s capacity for cruelty is rapidly expanding, which leads to the most climactic and horrific moment in this book so far. Punctuated by a whole lot of red, Jack watches as his experiment makes short and bloody work of a lab animal, a smile creeping across his face.
I’d say this book is a story about a descent into madness, but it seems Jack is already there — he’s just good at pretending otherwise.
Orphan and the Five Beasts: Bath of Blood #1
James Stokoe is a one-man creative team in this tour de force follow-up to 2022’s Orphan and the Five Beasts. This story is first and foremost an epic adventure in the vein of the kung fu movies of yesteryear. If the Shaw Brothers had a seal of approval, this book would get it.
First, the art is magnificent. Stokoe’s character designs are incredible — from Orphan’s stunningly layered armor to the maniacal expressions of the magistrate’s cops. Every panel looks painstakingly drawn and brings the book to life in ways I’ve rarely seen in comics. The mountain village Orphan and the Bruised Pine Bandits find themselves in, mixes urban grime and mystical wonder to great effect. The bathhouse in particular looks like an otherworldly oasis.
The action scenes are another high point. The fights are easy to follow, kinetic and aptly brutal while still maintaining a sense of fun. You immediately get the idea that city guards are light work for Orphan. She works wonders with her spear and cuts through the opposition with ease and style.
Story-wise, as a new reader I have a lot of questions about the world of Orphan, but I never felt lost or distracted — just intrigued. Who is the magistrate? And what are the beasts Orphan is hunting? I’m sure we’ll get answers in future issues. While we wait for issue No. 2 coming out in November, I recommend checking out the first book for a healthy dose of kung fu action.
Ultimate Hawkeye #1
Charli Ramsey, breakout star of The Ultimates and scourge of corporations everywhere, is at the center of the action in their brand-new one-shot from writers Deniz Camp, B. Earl and Taboo (yes, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas).
Things kick off with a whisper rather than a bang, as Hawkeye has been busy taking out the world’s top weapons dealers. The last on the list is none other than Ulysses Klaue. Sporting a cybernetic eye and two flesh-and-blood arms to boot, Klaue is as scummy as ever, and it’s no wonder he’s made it onto Ramsey’s kill list. What plays out is a tense action scene with a vicious climax that showcases just how capable and dangerous Ultimate Hawkeye is.
That’s only the beginning though, and Hawkeye has bigger fish to fry. Which leads them to a classic evil rich-people Eyes Wide Shut party — people in cages, human rights violations and smug billionaires in obnoxious masks, you know the drill. When things go awry, Hawkeye must navigate a series of trials in order to survive, all leading to a showdown with the mysterious Ultimate Ronin. It’s a cold-blooded and desperate encounter that I won’t dare spoil here, but trust that it will have you on the edge of your seat.
Beyond the action and general superheroing, we get a peek at Hawkeye behind the mask — who they are and what drives them. Like Vin Diesel before them, Hawkeye is motivated by their family, protecting them and other innocents from the cruel men who run Roxxon and the world.
This is a phenomenal one-shot with great art and writing. Here’s hoping we’ll see more of Hawkeye in the near future.
Viking Moon #1
It’s Vikings vs. werewolves in this exciting new comic from writer Joe Pruett and artist Marcelo Frusin. The year is 1023. Ulf and his band of Vikings have made landfall in North America. They seek a new home full of rich land and new opportunities. Instead, they find horrors beyond their imagination when, out of the forest shadows, werewolves appear.
The premise is simple — it’s the kind of thing 10-year-olds daydream about in history class. But that doesn’t make it any less fun or compelling.
Ulf is a man trying to make a better life for his family and his people. That doesn’t make him innocent by any means. To the natives he’s an invader, and any hope of peace seemingly goes out the door when one of Ulf’s men recklessly kills a native hunter. To make matters worse, that’s when the werewolves show up. Which begs the question: Are the werewolves protecting the land from being taken over, or will the Vikings and Indigenous people unite against a common furry enemy? This story is just getting started, so where it goes is anyone’s guess.
In terms of quality, though, this book is great. The art has a cinematic quality, making the story feel like a horror movie. The action is visceral — decapitations and gore are bountiful, which is appropriate for warriors as brutal as the Vikings. The werewolves are a standout as well — the perfect mix of man and beast and a bit reminiscent of Skyrim’s werewolves. The glowing red eyes add a touch of demonic menace that reinforces the book’s magical elements.
I don’t expect this story to be full of too many twists and turns, and that’s not a bad thing. This looks like a great action story in the making. I suggest you check it out if you’re into history, Viking violence and, of course, werewolves.
I've worked at Dr No's for just less than a year and I've been patronizing them for half my life. I like comics, video games, music and sometimes sports.
I’m a GSU graduate, veteran sandwich artist, and aspiring writer. Ask me about the X-Men or my anime car sometime.
I think all comics are good they're human expression, dreams put to a page through days, months and years of dedication. They're windows into other worlds, aspirations of all we can be, warnings of what we may become and everything in between. Above all I think comics can help us understand the things we often don't consider.
That's what I want these reviews to do, help folks understand maybe even appreciate something they haven't seen before, but yea lemme wrap this up I got books to file. Happy reading!
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