Enjoying Invincible on Prime? You Might want to Check out this Other Kirkman Gem

If you like reading, that is, because this is a comic book run but comics is where old Bobby cut his teeth, and this one is right up there in terms of storytelling, world-building and presentation…

Before it was a hit show on Prime, and the subject of a flood of hilarious memes centering around Viltrumites ‘living’ on Earth, disguised as humans, Invincible was an equally successful comic book series with Image Comics. In fact, we got our first taste of Mark and his world in a teaser in the pages of one of this writer’s all-time classic series, The Savage Dragon by Erik Larson way back in the early 2000s. Of course, you likely also know that Kirkman was also a huge part of The Walking Dead and its respective success both in comics and as an AMC drama, but just because Kirkman and his now rapidly growing creative and production company, Skybound Entertainment, are on top of the world, doesn’t mean he doesn’t have time to work on new IP and pen fresh, new stories.

Skinbreaker is one such venture.

The series is just eight issues long, but has been in production for a number of years due to Kirkman and co-creator and artist, David Finch’s, busy schedules. In fact, knowing it would be a drawn-out collaboration, publisher Image and everyone involved had to remain tight-lipped about it for fear of losing momentum over the length of its production. And we’re all the better for it.

In May of 2026 the final issue shipped and this chapter in this new IP was closed, but that doesn’t mean we’ll have seen the last of Skinbreaker -- a wholly original comic world that could equally exist in the Invincible Universe (given it is set on an alien planet), but for all intents and purposes is entirely standalone.

Skinbreaker Comic Series

What’s The Pop?: 8-Issue Limited Run Comic Series
From: Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment
Release Date: September 24, 2025
Official Link: Learn More Here
Author: Stephen Farrelly
Date: May 13, 2026

"Skinbreaker focuses far less on the peoples’ symbiosis with the beasts and more on the interpersonal relationships within the central vllage..."

Best described as a dark and gritty Avatar with no humans, we follow the lives of an indigenous tribe and its traditions as its strongest warriors embark on dangerous hunts for a specific beastie whose massive size means each kill feeds the entire village, and is the main source of protein in this dangerous, alien world. However, within the tribe the old ways are wearing thin and while the Chieftain rules all, Skinbreaker focuses far less on the peoples’ symbiosis with the beasts and more on the interpersonal relationships within the village. Change is scoffed at and life is hard, but progress is also something the series’ main character, Anok, strives for with his own son not able to hunt but capable of thinking of new ways to help the tribe, be it through a water delivery system, or even traps for their prey, among other ‘abnormal’ innovations.

This is a very human approach to a relative scenario, and one that feeds deeper into the relationship between the tribe and the land upon which they live, and share space with other creatures.

Push back, challenges and a smarter prey manifest throughout the books with some of the most stunning art and splash vistas, fights and emotive scenes you’ll ever see. Finch has an eye for detail and composition that is second to none, while the rarely described alien world still feels alive and real, even without any real exposition. Context, then, drives our own understanding of the relationship between the tribe and the beasts it hunts, as well as the world in which they all live -- the very title “skinbreaker” refers not to killing their prey, but to a sun-bathing ritual children undergo where their skin is literally burnt or ‘broken’ away from their young bodies so that they might grow a thicker and more sun-hardened epidermis.

"Kirkman’s writing around this is exemplary in its simplicity..."

Nothing is dwelled on for too long, though, as the main thread is simply about progress and eschewing away antiquated and at times dangerous traditions that seem only to exist for the sake of being tradition. Kirkman’s writing around this is exemplary in its simplicity and while in isolation all eight books could be consumed in a comfortable single sitting, the art can (and should) be poured over for years.

Whether this series finds its way out of the Image Comics stable and into Skybound’s expanded media projects basket will remain to be seen, as will it ever being followed up on with more comics, but we definitely hope so on all fronts. Issues of the series can be found at local comic stores as part of back issue catalogues (use this handy link), but can also be purchased online both physically and as digital eBooks. We also assume a trade paperback will drop at some point, so keep an eye out on Image’s official site. We highly recommend getting on this early, though, before it too becomes the next big Kirkman joint (so you can tell people you read it before they ever knew about it!).

About the author

Written By Stephen Farrelly
Stephen Farrelly is a veteran journalist and editor with more than two decades experience in the worlds of gaming, entertainment, lifestyle and sport. He is a proud pug dad, loves art in all forms (particularly street and tattoo culture), and is the director of Swear Jar Editorial and Media Pty Ltd, this site's owner and publisher. When not dispensing words, he's also dispensing boutique beers as a taproom fixture at Bracket Brewing in Marrickville, NSW...
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