Independent comic book publishing has always been a place where creative freedom and imagination can thrive. While larger publishers concentrate on established franchises and recognizable characters, smaller companies have the opportunity to explore original concepts and introduce readers to entirely new worlds. PopSkull Press is one of those independent publishers, building a catalog of superhero adventures, steampunk fantasy, and speculative fiction.
Operating under the PopSkull Productions umbrella, PopSkull Press publishes comic books and prose fiction while also providing professional writing, editing, and creative services. The company combines decades of publishing experience with the independent spirit that continues to drive the comic book industry.
At the center of PopSkull Press is writer and editor Alin Silverwood, a former Marvel Comics writer and editor.
Silverwood brings a background in professional publishing to his independent projects. His experience working with established properties provides a foundation for developing original characters, building fictional universes, and telling stories across different genres.
PopSkull Productions cites more than 30 years of professional writing and editorial experience, including comic book work for Marvel Comics and other publications. Its services extend beyond comics into fiction editing, commercial writing, and content development.
That combination of experience and creative independence is central to the company’s identity. PopSkull Press allows Silverwood to pursue original concepts without the limitations that can accompany work on established corporate properties.
SPIs Among Us: Superheroes Exposed
One of PopSkull Press’s principal comic book projects is SPIs Among Us, a superhero series built around a compelling premise: What happens when the world discovers that superpowered individuals have been living secretly among ordinary people?
The title’s initials stand for Super Powered Individuals.
In the world of SPIs Among Us, the existence of these extraordinary people has remained hidden from the general public. When that secrecy is shattered, the revelation sets off a dangerous sequence of events.
The concept opens the door to questions about power, identity, public trust, and the consequences of discovering that extraordinary individuals have been operating outside society’s awareness.
Unlike superhero stories that begin with a world already accustomed to costumed adventurers, SPIs Among Us explores the disruption created when the extraordinary suddenly becomes undeniable.
PopSkull Press has promoted multiple installments of the series, including its first two issues, and has used Kickstarter to introduce the project to comic book readers.
Sky Guy and the Altitude Adjustors: Steampunk Adventure
Another significant PopSkull Press project is Sky Guy and the Altitude Adjustors, an original steampunk comic that combines adventure, mystery, fantastic technology, and world-building.
Written by Alin Silverwood and illustrated by Ryan Best, the series introduces readers to a civilization living in enormous floating communities known as Aerotowns.
These settlements remain suspended above a dangerous surface world inhabited by primitive and mutated lifeforms. Much of the technology responsible for keeping the Aerotowns airborne has been forgotten over time.
Only a specialized group known as the Altitude Adjustors possesses the knowledge necessary to maintain the ancient machinery and prevent disaster.
The central character, Aaron Skye, also known as Sky Guy, leads a team responsible for maintaining one of these floating communities.
Their seemingly familiar responsibilities become considerably more dangerous when an act of sabotage threatens the stability of their world. The incident initiates a series of discoveries that could fundamentally change everything the inhabitants believe about their civilization.
The comic embraces steampunk aesthetics while incorporating elements of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery.
In January 2025, PopSkull Press launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first issue. The project was announced as a 32-page, full-color comic, with digital and physical editions offered to supporters.
The series demonstrates PopSkull’s willingness to move beyond traditional superhero storytelling and develop original fictional environments.
Reality Rangers: Adventures Across Worlds
Another project announced by PopSkull Press is Reality Rangers.
The concept follows refugees from damaged worlds, offering the potential for adventures involving alternate realities, unfamiliar civilizations, and characters displaced from their original homes.
Although fewer details have been publicly outlined, the premise suggests another ambitious entry in PopSkull’s developing catalog.
The idea of characters traveling between damaged realities also reflects the publisher’s interest in creating stories that are not confined to familiar settings or conventional genre boundaries.
Infinite Souls: A Halloween Tale
PopSkull’s creative interests also extend into supernatural and Halloween-themed storytelling.
Infinite Souls: A Halloween Tale is another project associated with Alin Silverwood and PopSkull Press. The publisher has promoted the project through Kickstarter, including a second installment that received creator updates during 2026.
Its presence alongside the company’s superhero and steampunk projects illustrates the publisher’s interest in exploring multiple genres rather than concentrating exclusively on a single type of comic book.
Its catalog demonstrates a willingness to explore different aspects of popular fiction, from the social consequences of superhuman abilities to mysterious floating civilizations and supernatural adventures.
The projects are not dependent on established comic book franchises. Instead, they offer readers opportunities to discover new characters and become involved in fictional worlds from their beginnings.
For longtime comic book readers, that sense of discovery remains one of the most appealing qualities of independent publishing.
PopSkull Press continues to develop its identity as an independent publisher with interests spanning comic books, novels, and other forms of creative storytelling.
With Alin Silverwood’s professional publishing experience and a growing collection of original properties, the company has established a foundation for further exploration of superheroes, fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural adventure.
The challenges facing independent publishers remain considerable. Production costs, distribution, promotion, and competition for readers’ attention all present obstacles.
Nevertheless, companies such as PopSkull Press demonstrate why independent publishing remains an important part of the comic book industry.
The next memorable character or imaginative fictional universe does not necessarily have to come from one of the industry’s largest publishers.
Sometimes it begins with a small creative operation, an original idea, and a determination to bring that story to readers.
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