Customer Reviews

Skinwalker

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is the comic debut of writing team Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, and all I can say is WOW! In just four issues, they craft a suspense filled, character driven story that could go up against any of the best episodes of the X-files.

Federal Agent Greg Haworth partners up with reservation Officer Anne Adakai to track down a killer who takes and wears his victims' skins. With great art from Brian Hurtt (Queen & Country), the twists and turns in this mystery will keep you guessing to the very end!

I can't recommend this book enough!

It's an interesting mixture of the supernatural and crime drama. Every so often the story pauses for a cultural lesson and those are equally fascinating.

Wow, this book was great. I think is may be the best thriller comic book that I have ever read. From unique, unusual characters to several twists that take the reader off guard, I was on the edge of my seat. All 3 primary creators involved are relatively new to comics; I was so impressed with the accomplishments of this book taking that into account. Truly an overlooked gem.

SPOILER WARNING: This review contains major plot spoilers




Skinwalkers had the potential to be a respectable crime drama; unfortunately the plot was underdeveloped and ended with an unsatisfying thud. What the reader expects to be a grandiose conspiracy is boiled down to the FBI Deputy Director being part of a "much larger program" that sees skinwalking, along with other non-western cultural institutions, as having "tactical applications." That is all the writers give you: a much larger program seeking to exploit tactical applications. The revelations stop there, leaving many holes that weaken the plot. Instead of the chilling explanation of a vast, clandestine operation, you get "I'm part of something bigger and skinwalking has tactical applications, now get out of my office."

Another plot element I found unsatisfying was the skinwalker's motivation. The writers would have us believe that Agent Forsythe was compelled to skin himself alive and commit multiple murders in order to save his law enforcement career, which was explained via a "bonus" section included in the trade paperback. Really? This man endured the excruciating pain of cutting his own skin off and then had to commit murder in order to obtain a replacement skin. This was a better option than working at 7-11?

As for the success Agent Forsythe met with during his skinwalking endeavors, this was seemingly taken for granted. As little as Agent Hayworth seemed to respect Native American traditions, he never stopped to say, "Wait, this skinwalking thing actually WORKS?" The skins Forsythe acquired did more than simply drape over his body: he really did assume his victims' traits. Or at least that is what the reader must assume, since Forsythe is able to pass himself off as the woman in the bus stop and, later, agent Callinan. The Skinwalker was given away by bad acting when he was disguised as a woman; he gave himself away intentionally when under the guise of Agent Callinan. The process apparently molded Forsythe's body to fit the skin perfectly. Hayworth never wondered why it all worked so well. Wells never explained why either, although he did say years of work had gone into the operation.

Finally, there is one minor problem to point out: Near the end of the story, when Hayworth and Adakai confront the Callinan-skinned Forsythe at FBI HQ, Forsythe calls out a team of armed agents. Hayworth and Adakai are held at gun point, arms in the air and backs to the wall. The next panel shows Forsythe making a hasty exit, followed immediately by Hayworth and Adakai. How the protagonists escaped four armed agents is never explained.

It is a shame that Skinwalkers was so poorly fleshed out, as the building blocks for a good crime drama were there. The plot holes and poor ending give one the impression that the creative team was saddled with an overly restrictive page limit, one they couldn't deal with very well. Maybe the missing plot elements were originally there, but hit the cutting room floor when it came time to be published. Regardless, Skinwalkers is a poorly-constructed tale that isn't worth paying for.

i was especially interested in this GN b/c the authors have most recently worked on the new new mutants (x-men) series. this book was pretty straightforward, but a decent read. the characters and plot are engaging (this book is most often compared to a cross between tony hillerman and the x-files), although it felt to me like this was an intro to the two main characters and that there should be more. the ending sort of fizzled out. the art is decent, although the lettering is a bit small. the extras, including some info about native americans, are mostly worthwhile. all in all, not a top recommendation, but better than a lot of others.