As head of Marvel Comics' operations in England in the late 1970s, Skinn reformatted existing titles, launched new ones, and acquired the BBC license for Doctor Who Weekly.

He has caused controversy in his career, specifically related to legal issues regarding his publishing new adventures of the 1950s character Marvelman, as well as charges of plagiarism about Skinn's 2004 book Comix: The Underground Revolution.

As a teenager he contributed articles to the seminal fanzine Fantasy Advertiser,[3] published by Frank Dobson (known as the "Godfather of British Fandom").

He took over editing MAD UK, Tarzan, Korak, and Larry Harmon's Laurel & Hardy, revived Monster Mag, and launched House of Hammer.

[10] He was able to publish three bimonthly issues – the first in January 1978, as Star Wars reached British cinema screens – before he was forced to spend the editorial and production budget for the fourth edition in order to ensure the rights to Hammer House of Horror.

In August 1978, thanks in part to the success of Starburst, Skinn was hired by Stan Lee to reshape Marvel's floundering British reprint division.

[12] Leaving Marvel in 1980[13] for his own company, the London West End Studio System, Skinn worked primarily in advertising design for both the film and fashion industry.

Looking for more editorial control, in 1982 he returned to publishing with his own company, Quality Communications Limited, where Skinn founded and edited the comics anthology Warrior.

During this period, Skinn also operated Quality Comics, "South London's top fantasy shop," located at 3 Lewisham Way, opposite Goldsmith College.

His "Sez Dez" column was a regular feature in issues #100–#200, at which point Skinn sold the magazine in 2006 to Cosmic Publications.

Because of his strong beliefs in education through entertainment and the increasing world levels in illiteracy, he began working with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, initially chairing a discussion there on comics and literacy in the Middle East.

: The Miracleman Companion, "[Regarding ownership] I don't know; that was Miller's sort of thing ... Dez contacted me and he wanted to revive it and I said go ahead and do what you like.

"[16] After Warrior magazine folded due to poor sales, Skinn signed a deal with independent American publisher Eclipse Comics to reprint the Marvelman stories (under the title Miracleman) before continuing the storyline with new material by Moore and later Neil Gaiman.

According to Skinn, Yronwode informed him that "Dean [Mullaney, Eclipse Comics co-founder,] had filled her head with those stories" and apologised to him.