Astral Invaders
Explore Astral Invaders, an original sci-fi universe of bizarre characters, cinematic shorts, and collectible trading cards inspired by retro television.
An Experiment of Cosmic Proportions
When generative AI first became publicly accessible, I was curious about what it could do and how it might fit into my creative process. I started experimenting with image generation, exploring its possibilities, limitations, and the strange, unexpected results it could produce. As the technology evolved, so did my curiosity about what I could actually make with it.
Rather than continue experimenting without a goal, I decided to give myself a structured creative project to explore. Drawing inspiration from the wonderfully weird science fiction, horror, and television of the 1970s and ’80s, I began developing characters for an imaginary television series. Somewhere along the way, those experiments accidentally became an entire universe. I call it Astral Invaders.
CLIENT
Self-Initiated
Weirdo Works
STUDIO
Weirdo Works
YEARS
2024–present
ROLE
Original IP Development
Character Design
Worldbuilding
Brand Identity
Art Direction
Animation
Video Production
Collectible Design
PRODUCTION
Traditional & AI-Assisted Creative Production
RESULTS
90 characters with individual bios and backstories
Physical and digital card sets
Short-form video series, soundtrack, and standalone site
Lead GIPHY GIF: 1.5M views
Astral Invaders | Trailer
From Algorithms to Alien Puppets
Building a World That Never Existed
The premise is simple: Astral Invaders is a long-lost science fiction television series from 1987 that never actually existed. It has all the hallmarks of the era: rubber-suited monsters, bizarre alien civilizations, practical effects, questionable production values, and characters who seem to have wandered in from completely different shows. What started as a handful of strange creatures grew into an expanding cast, each with its own personality and backstory. Along the way, I developed the name, branding, and visual identity to bring everything together, creating a fictional entertainment property that feels like it has been around for decades.
Using AI as a Creative Sidekick
A Show You Can Finally Collect
As the cast grew, I began turning the characters into digital trading cards inspired by the nostalgia of vintage entertainment collectibles. I developed the card designs, branding, and three distinct formats: AstralVision™ still cards, AstralGram™ holographic cards, and AstralCast™ motion cards. Each one captures a character or moment from the fictional series, turning an imaginary piece of television history into something people can actually collect.
Harnessing AI to Build an Entire Universe
From Trading Cards to Television
Experimenting with motion cards opened the door to something bigger. Once I started bringing the characters to life, I began imagining what actual scenes from the lost series might look like. Those experiments evolved into short, self-contained moments from fictional episodes, ranging from absurd comedy to science fiction horror. Each clip offers another glimpse into the Astral Invaders universe, introducing new characters, conflicts, and unanswered questions. Released across social media, these little transmissions help bring the show that never existed to an audience that does.
Using AI as a Creative Sidekick
An Experiment That Keeps Expanding
What began as a way to explore emerging technology has become an ongoing exercise in original IP development, character creation, worldbuilding, branding, and animation. It’s given me a place to experiment, solve creative problems, and bring together many of the disciplines I’ve worked in throughout my career. And while the tools continue to change, the most interesting part has become the world and its characters, and figuring out what happens to them next.