Edwin Payne - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One

Born in the UK in 1900, Edwin Payne was a pupil and boarder at St. Hilarions School for Boys. While there he began struggling with his sexuality, finding himself attracted to one of his fellow pupils, Simon. However, not wishing to confront these feelings, he would run away whenever the latter tried to talk to him. 

Unbeknownst to him, Simon had similar feelings of attraction, and feeling rejected by Edwin, decided to make him the victim of pranks, torments and taunts. This included calling him a homophobic slur because of his quiet, bookish and effeminate character. 

One night, while he was sleeping, Edwin was kidnapped by Simon and a handful of bullies and dragged to an abandoned attic. There they tied him up and attempted to scare him by pretending to summon a demon. However, much to their surprise - and horror - the invocation ritual was a success, conjuring Sa'al to the mortal plane. Making quick work of those who summoned him, the demon apologised to Edwin for what he was about to do, dragging the terrified boy to Hell. 

When the school discovered he was gone, his disappearance was dressed up as an act of God and swiftly dropped. He spent the next 74 years in Hell until he eventually escaped back to the land of the living.

A lover of detective novels in life, Edwin would use this passion to start the Dead Boy Detective Agency alongside his best friend and crush, Charles Rowland. He took each case seriously, hoping to find clients the justice that was robbed from him.

With the help of Niko Sasaki and Thomas, the Cat King of Port Townsend, Edwin began to come to terms with his sexuality and love himself for who he was. This newfound confidence not only allowed him to confess his love for Charles, but also showed his younger self and his bully - during a meeting in Hell - the compassion and love he couldn't in life.  

Charles Rowland - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One

Born in 1973 in the UK, Charles Rowland was a big-hearted teen who only wished to make his parents proud of him. However, he soon came to realise that no matter what he did, nor how good he was, he would always be seen as a failure in his father's eyes. Regularly beaten, he came to resent his dad and fear for his mum's safety. 

Sent away to St. Hilarions School for Boys, he would often get into fights with fellow students, who looked down and abused him because he was mixed-race. Because of this he would look out for others and defend them when they needed help, making him an even bigger target in the long term.  

Chased into the school lake late one night, bullies attacked him with rocks, leading to hypothermia and internal bleeding that would later be the cause of his death. Though he managed to escape and was chased into the woods, he eventually made it back to the school. 

Hiding out in one of the disused attics, he began to succumb to hypothermia. This state of near and impending death allowed him to see The Spirit of Edwin Payne, much to the ghost's surprise. The latter had only wanted to bring the boy a gas lantern so he could warm himself, having been moved by his act of courage earlier that day. 

Beginning to converse, the pair became fast friends, till at last, Charles Rowland died. He was just 16 years old. However, his spirit would live on. 

Refusing to move on to the afterlife, Rowland and his new friend would go on to have all new adventures as one of the founding members of the Dead Boy Detective Agency. 

Because the school covered up Rowland's death, the incident was swept under the carpet and was never resolved. This anger at the injustice of his death only motivated him further, ensuring that other ghosts and spirits found the closure and justice they needed. 

While Charles appears to be always happy and upbeat, on the surface, the unresolved anger, pain and resentment in his life caused him to have problems controlling his temper. After a violent outburst against the Night Nurse forced him to confront these feelings head-on, he has since agreed to open up more to Edwin and his new friends, Niko Sasaki and Crystal Palace Surname-Von Hoverkraft, the latter of whom he developed romantic feelings for. 

The Spirit of Maxime - Dead Boy Detectives: Season One

Banished to Hell after the attempted murder of Jenny Green saw her land head first onto a butcher's spike, the Spirit of Maxime was trapped on the Spiral Staircase. There she would remain, lost and confused and crying, desperate to discover where she was and what had happened to her. 

When Charles Rowland descended into Hell to find Edwin Payne, he passed her on the stairs. Checking to see if she was alright, he asked her if she had seen his friend during her time there. Surprised at seeing another person, Maxime snatched at Charles, demanding he tell her where she was and why she ended up there. 

Pushing free from her frantic grasp, he almost lost his footing. However, he can steady himself at the last moment. Unnerved by her sudden violence towards him, he hurries on as she screams in anguish that she does not belong there. 

Still sitting on the stairs as Charles returned with Edwin, Maxime had taken to tearing up the love letters she had sent to Jenny into tiny pieces. There she would remain for the rest of time.