ghostboy began in 2009 as an unconventional children’s story — about a boy who felt different from those around him. He spent his days in a small, weathered caravan at the back of his garden, filling notebooks with drawings and stories, lost in his own world. One evening, his solitude is broken when a ghostly little girl appears, asking for his help to find her parents. From the very beginning, ghostboy was about more than mystery or adventure — it was about the strange, tender, and sometimes lonely feelings of childhood, and a fascination with the paranormal that gave those feelings a magical, haunting edge.

That same summer, an unexpected spark reshaped the project’s future. At a birthday party, I was introduced to the newly released iPhone and the idea that stories could be read — and experienced — through apps. While exploring mobile storytelling, I discovered Robot Comics, a small publisher specialising in comics for mobile devices. Seeing the opportunity to reimagine ghostboy as a digital comic rather than a book, I pitched the idea. Within a couple of weeks, Robot Comics requested scripts and expanded story concepts, marking the true beginning of ghostboy as a published project.

The early stages of development unfolded during an intensely difficult period in my life. While writing and creating the first chapters of the mobile comic, my mother was hospitalised and placed in an induced coma. She remained in an induced coma for several months before passing away four months later. Balancing creative work alongside fear, grief, and uncertainty was incredibly challenging, but those emotions inevitably found their way into the comic. Themes of loss, loneliness, compassion, and connection deepened, giving ghostboy a richer emotional core and making the story more personal and honest than I had originally imagined.

When the first chapter launched, it received over 500 downloads in its opening weekend — a significant achievement at the time. The series went on to span four chapters, alongside a Halloween special and a Christmas special, further expanding the world and its characters.

In 2012, ghostboy reached another milestone when Amazon approached Robot Comics to develop content for the Kindle Keyboard. ghostboy was chosen as the perfect fit, becoming the first interactive children’s book on the Amazon Kindle. Although the device was eventually discontinued and the book disappeared with it, the project demonstrated the adaptability and potential of the story. In the years that followed, I continued experimenting with new formats and narrative approaches, searching for the direction that truly felt right for ghostboy.

Today, ghostboy is entering its next chapter.

The story is being reimagined as ghostboy Journals, a weekly webcomic available exclusively via membership on Buy Me a Coffee. Subscribers gain access not only to the comic, but also to concept designs, creator notes, and behind-the-scenes material, revealing how the world of ghostboy continues to evolve.

Alongside this, ghostboy World is in development: a fully immersive Roblox experience set in the town of Mumbey, where ghostboy — Tristan — lives. First suggested by a close friend and colleague, the idea began taking shape in 2021 with the creation of a large, explorable world that continues to grow and expand.

Going forward, all work within the ghostboy universe will be unified under the ghostboy World brand. While the name originally referred specifically to the Roblox experience — and continues to do so — it now serves as the overarching umbrella for every creative project in the universe. Since its beginnings in 2009 as a single illustrated idea, ghostboy has evolved across mobile comics, interactive Kindle experiences, webcomics, and immersive game worlds, reflecting a long-standing spirit of experimentation and storytelling.

ghostboy World now represents the shared setting, core themes, and creative space in which all ghostboy stories and experiences exist. Individual projects — such as ghostboy Journals or the Roblox experience — are distinct expressions of this same world, each exploring different characters, stories, and perspectives while remaining connected to the overarching narrative.

From illustrated book to mobile comic, interactive Kindle story, webcomic, and immersive game world, ghostboy has always been about discovering new ways to tell stories — and connecting emotionally with those who experience them. The evolution of the universe shows a commitment to experimentation, depth, and emotional honesty, ensuring that every new project both honours the story’s origins and explores fresh creative possibilities.

This is the story so far — and it’s only just beginning.