About Running on Empty
Background:
Running on Empty is an online comic strip written and illustrated by Daniel Beadle. The series centers on the irreverent hijinks and observations of an artist, a car thief, and a thug (see below).
The series was originally conceived of in early 2001, and eventually found its way into the pages of UMass's Daily Collegian newspaper in 2003 and 2004. After a brief hiatus, the comic was revamped and published online on Daniel Beadle.com at the beginning of 2007. Later that year, Running on Empty was moved to its own site. A webserial based on the comic strip was featured on Destructive Fiction during the second half of 2007.
The Story So Far:
In an attempt to forget their respective troubled pasts, lifelong friends Dan, Jake, and D-Man embark on a series of misadventures that include party crashing, playful vandalism, and ill-fated wagers. Things get complicated when their carefree revels collide with real-world consequences, and their comedic exploits give way to the macabre.
The Cast:
Dan is the unofficial team leader of the Running on Empty crew, who often serves to temper the more outrageous ideas and actions of Jake and D-Man. Dan is a sensitive artist with a pessimistic world view, and is generally distrustful of women as a result of his recent heartbreak. He is a fan of comic books and skateboarding, though he doesn't participate in the latter.
Devin Manning AKA D-Man is the team driver of the Running on Empty trio, and is a mechanic's son with the heart of a stunt driver. He is relatively clean-cut, and never removes his sunglasses under any circumstances. Unlike Dan or Jake, D-Man is generally successful with women, and he has a very strong preference for Japanese girls. The boys rely on D-Man's unparalleled car boosting and driving skills to remove them from whatever tight spots they might get themselves into.
Jake is a dirtbag, whose short temper and impulsive attitude repeatedly get him into trouble. As a chain-smoker and an alcoholic, Jake is on the fast-track to self-destruction. He has an innate dislike for authority, and spends a great deal of his time figuring out ways to offend people. As such, he frequently urinates in public, and has no reservations about indecent exposure. Jake's connections with local criminals, as well as his impressive fighting ability, are major assets to the Running on Empty trio.
Mr. Dark is a man of unknown origin and identity. His face always hidden by shadow, he excels at morbid observation and exposition. Mr. Dark met Dan after college ended, and has since become a mentor and surrogate father figure to him. But who is Mr. Dark, and what are his true intentions?
Jane is a shy, vaguely punk chick with a love for chocolate and Chinese food. After crossing paths with Dan, Jake, and D-Man on several occasions, she has become acutely aware of the boys' personalities and unique senses of humor. Jane harbors a mild crush on Dan, for which Jake constantly berates her. Unlike most females her age, Jane hates Sex in the City, Grey's Anatomy, The O.C., The Notebook, Sweet Home Alabama, and any movie starring Matthew McConaughey. As such, she is a welcome addition to the crew, albeit on a part-time basis.
Trevor: the Clinically Depressed Bastard has almost nothing to do with the main characters of Running on Empty. He isn't even drawn in the same style. But that's okay; he likes being different, even if it means he'll spend the rest of his life in soul crushing solitude. Trevor's defining characteristics are his many disorders and syndromes, which include clinical depression, body dysmorphic disorder, non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome, bipolar disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, mild schizophrenia, love shyness, pectus excavatum, and an inferiority complex. As his nickname indicates, his parents were never married, and his birth was a mistake.