The Haunted Man, according to writer Jones, is a "superhero comedy, a psycho adventure, a neurotic romp through the absurdity of a millennium we're sick of before it's even started." Artist Badger describes its tone as, "Batman meets the Road Runner--mood, suspense, and bursts of insane action . . . and computer geeks who eat cookies and turn into monsters."
After its initial posting on January 3, Dark Horse will update the Haunted Man feature three times weekly, adding new pages and additional music to the animated saga. In March, the publisher will introduce an all-new three-issue Haunted Man series, continuing the on-line adventures of the web comic, and by summer of 2000, Dark Horse will offer a CD-Rom of the series' first five issues.
"We use Shockwave Flash animation for action, slapstick humor, and atmospheric transitions," adds animator Randy Hoppe, "but the pace of the stories is reader controlled as in traditional comic strips. We believe we've invented a whole new medium of entertainment here."
Lemon Custard Comics is a bicoastal partnership of Jones, Badger, and animator Randy Hoppe, founded in 1995-- the pioneer days of the web. Lemon Custard has recently created animated web comics for clients as diverse as the Heisman Memorial Trophy Committee of the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City and Sempei-Do, an online training company for medical personnel. The Haunted Man is the first commercial development of one of Lemon Custard's own creations. Look for it January 3.
Check out the Lemon Custard website for a look at the internet's hottest animation at www.lemoncustard.com.