Manuel Calavera

Living... in the Land of the Dead. This is where all departed souls go, and depending on their actions in life, they end up stuck there or move forward to the Ninth Underworld a.k.a. the Land of Eternal rest. Manny’s sins (whatever they were) must have been serious, because he got stuck working in the Department of Death, where helps makes the travel arrangements for newly arrived souls.

Profession... travel agent. Manny is essentially a grim reaper. He says, “My scythe; I like to keep it next to where my heart used to be.” He helps recently arrived souls figure out where they need to go next. Many souls must complete an arduous journey to reach peace, but lucky ones can travel to paradise in style on the Number Nine train.

Interests… playing cards. One of Manny’s prized possessions is an old deck of playing cards. His favorite game is Solitaire.

Relationship Status... alone. Manny is a jaded, sarcastic loner who only looks out for himself. However, when the kind and beautiful Mercedes “Meche” Colomar enters his life, he decides to help someone else for once and get her the afterlife she deserves. 

Challenge... unrigging the system. When Manny uncovers a plot to steal precious Number Nine tickets from lost souls that have earned them, he embarks on a four-year journey to root out the corruption and set things right.

Personality... rough, but with a softer side. The many years Manny has spent as a bureaucrat in the Land of the Dead have made him bitter, cynical, and extremely competitive. However, the more he begins to aid poor cheated souls, the more caring and heroic he becomes.