After seeing DeFilippis's work on Batman: Gotham Knights, Hurtt's work on Queen & Country and Dela Cruz's work on Kissing Chaos, I knew this team had a pretty solid pedigree. What they have created in Skinwalker is a creeping horror story combined with a police procedural, built on the backs of some strong characters and terrific artwork. The atmosphere calls to mind Silence of the Lambs and David Fincher films, and the story is thoroughly engrossing. It looks like another hit (and another bunch of new talent finds) for Oni Press.
There's a nice bit of range in this story. We get the early development from the point-of-view of two different lead characters, a promising FBI agent and a smart tribal cop. I really enjoyed the first-person narration from both characters, which allowed DeFilippis and Weir to not only develop the characters but to explain their surroundings and lifestyles, basically doubling the amount of exposition they were capable of. In addition, Dela Cruz does some nice work on the lettering, giving each narrator a different font that is readable but distinctive.
The story plays out at a nice pace, as this issue is largely about positioning the players to get involved in the story. There's some fascinating backstory relayed in this issue, including the history between Ann Adakai and Charlie and the rapid rise of Agent Haworth through the FBI ranks, and it makes for a nice slow build towards the real beginning of the story. There's a sense of menace that builds in the background, starting from the implications that Charlie could turn out to be dangerous and continuing as Haworth gets a panicked call from an old friend. My tastes in horror runs more toward Seven than Friday the 13th, and I like that DeFilippis, Weir and the rest have crafted a suspenseful story.
The artwork is beautiful, keeping the haunting tone of the script but also providing a very realistic and detailed look at the real world that these characters occupy. The bank robbery scene, with its inset shots of undercover officers in a crowd revealing their true nature, is a clever way of demonstrating the sudden appearance of FBI around the robbers, and Hurtt is equally good with the desolate space of the Arizona city and the crowded office spaces of the FBI. Dela Cruz's shading is beautiful as well, more subtle and toned done to provide a more harsh, real look as opposed to the soft, dreamlike focus that was used on Kissing Chaos.
Skinwalker is a fascinating blend of horror and crime, with an unusual setting and premise and a creative team that works exceptionally well together.
