Purpose: To explore, document and possibly debunk alleged paranormal activity

Base of Operations: San Francisco, California

First Appearance: Crypts and Coffins IV Annual 1 (Imagination Comics)

History: The Haunt Busters are a team of special-effects experts who use their knowledge of Hollywood movie imagery to test, debunk and explore paranormal activity. Backed by the Hyneman Institute, a non-profit government think tank based in Chicago, the team is lead by James Portman, a former survivalist and stuntman, joined by Aaron Savage, a former actor, comedian and stage magician. Through several investigations, they were eventually joined by Kara O'Brien, a red-haired actress of Irish-American ancestry, Greg Nakumara, a Japanese-American psychic and Terry Bell, a graphic artist and descendant of the Bell family of Tennessee.  

Based in an abandoned and reputedly haunted civic center, several of the team members have had personal encounters with the paranormal. In his youth, James believed he had encountered spirits during a visit to Alcatraz in San Francisco, California, but as an adult, he learned to rationalize the experience to a non-paranormal incident. After years of working independently and with various special effects companies, he and Aaron founded their special effects company, Paranormal Magic, in 1998, using their combined knowledge of illusions, computer magic and special robotics. In 2000, they were filming the low-budget horror movie, "Succubus," with actress Kara O'Brien on location at the old Vannacutt Sanitarium, a reputed haunted location. The alleged activity on the location reportedly interfered with the production until Portman and Savage learned how to compensate and between special effects jobs, they began taking paranormal investigations. Joined by O'Brien and other paranormal enthusiasts, they formed the Bay Area Paranormal Society ("BAPS") and eventually moved location of the special effects company from their original location to the much larger recent civic center area with financing from the Hyneman Institute also interested in broadening its research parameters into the study of the paranormal. Over the years, they worked with several other groups, including the Collinsport Ghost Society, New York Paranormal and the TV Series, "PI: Paranormal Investigations." Publicly, they were referred to as the "Haunt-Busters" because of the popularity of New York Paranormal in the media as the "Ghost-Busters." However, in 2008, the Hyneman Institute pulled their funding to the group after the loss of J. G. Hyneman, their main supporter, who passed away. New funding came from the Australian Film Company, M-5 Productions, who encouraged James and Aaron to take their research methods to other countries, but their funding from the Hyneman Institute was restored when Hyneman's son, Jason, a major fan of their work, took his father's place in the foundation.  

Over the years, membership in the Haunt-Busters team has remained nearly constant. Nakumara and Bell have been employees of Paranormal Magic since it was founded in 1998. They were joined by Buster and Lottie Chapman, siblings from Underground FX, in 2001. College student Jesse Nelson came to work for the company as an assistant in 2005 and also became involved in investigations. Actress Jessica Marie Combs replaced Kara who briefly departed over family matters and stayed with the team afterward.

Case-Files: Belasco House (1-23-03), Vannacutt Sanitarium (1-30-03), Waverly House, (2-11-03), Herold House (2-18-03), (2-25-03), Overlook Hotel (3-5-03/10-3-05/9-18-11), Springer Opera House (3-12-03), Skene Manor (3-20-03), Bolton Mansion (3-27-03), General Wayne Inn (4-1-03), Stones River National Battlefield (4-5-03), Gettysburg Military National Park/Jennie Wade House (4-12-03), Catfish Plantation (4-20-03), Hardy House Restaurant (4-27-03), Broussard Mansion (5-10-03), Lemp Mansion (5-18-03), Orpheum Theater (5-24-03), Hannah House (6-2-03), Franklin Castle (6-10-03), Hill House (8-8-03), Danbury Manor (8-23-03), Alcatraz (9-20-03/3-15-2010), Gracey Manor (10-31-03/2-11-08), Stoddard House (11-18-03), Allardyce Mansion (12-08-03), Rimshaw House (1-11-04), The Antonio Graza (1-18-04/8-15-12), Farrell House (1-25-04/03-10-04), Camp Arawak (2-1-04), Houdini Estate (3-7-04), Paramount Studios (3-12-04), Mammoth Studios (3-15-04/2-22-07), Universal Studios (3-18-04/2-20-07), Jayne Mansfield's Pink Palace (3-20-04), St. Augustine's Lighthouse (3-27-04), Old Simpson Place (4-4-04), Lake Klompus Lodge (5-2-04), Woodling Historical Preserve (5-10-04), Carmichael Gardens Hotel (5-22-04), Ryman Auditorium (6-1-04), Old Spears House (7-25-04), Fairwater Hospital (8-2-04), Kennedy House Bed and Breakfast (9-10-04), Whipstaff (10-17-05), Old Simmons Place (2-2-05), The Stratford Inn (3-8-05), Old Grimes House (4-19-05), Sanders House (5-24-05), Meirchionne Castle/Hotel Brittany (6-1-05), Hatchet Grounds (6-13-05), Collins Mansion (7-2-05), Arcadian Hotel (8-14-05), Mumphrett Mansion (9-16-05), Waldeck Island (1-11-06), Bates Motel (2-15-06), Crabbe Manor (3-21-06), Black Fox Bar and Grill (4-15-06), Apple Core Hall (5-11-06), Crescent View Cemetery (1-11-06), Old Guignol Theater (3-17-06), Emerald Bar (4-25-06), Sacred Heart Hospital (5-10-06), Tisdale Manor (1-10-07), Pelican Club (3-8-07), Rock Island Prison (5-10-07/10-31-09), Pringle House (6-2-07), Kane Manor (6-25-07), Franken Castle (7-21-07), Hawthorne Mill (8-12-07), Hollywood Tower Hotel (10-31-07), Longwater Castle (11-10-07), Motley Hall (1-16-08), Carrickfearghus Castle (1-21-08), Kinnitty Castle (2-1-08),Wilton Castle (2-8-08), Nelson Hall (3-10-08), Longleat Castle (3-17-08), Holt Hotel (3-23-08), St. Kirklee's Priory (4-8-08), Bittburg AFB (4-15-08), Castle Frankenstein (4-22-08), Steyersburg Castle (5-1-08), Castle Bathory/Cachtice Castle (5-8-08), Taraxhippus (5-15-08), Cape Circeo (5-20-08), Roman Coliseum (6-1-08), Old Verlaine Farm (6-22-08), Berkley Castle (7-11-08), Glamis Castle (7-30-08), Stirling Castle (8-18-08), Carleton Castle (8-25-08), Comlongen Castle (9-11-08), Dimpton Hall (9-25-08), Braemar Castle (10-2-08), White Dove Hotel (10-14-08), Skirrid Inn (10-18-08), Castle Plunkett (10-22-08), Greyfriar's Churchyard (10-25-08), Castle MacTavish (11-7-08), Moulin Rouge (1-22-09), Brissac Castle (1-28-09), Paris Catacombs and Vimey Ridge (2-5-09), Good Shepard Orphanage (2-7-09), Sofia Museum (2-10-09), Stalag 13 (2-12-09), Altebar Castle (2-15-09), Schloss Falkenstein (2-18-09), Moosham Castle (2-25-09), Castle Dracula (3-1-09), Steyersburg Castle (3-8-09), Suginami House (3-18-09), Atsugi Naval Base (3-25-09), Aokighara Forest (3-28-09), Hamilton Point Naval Station (4-8-09), Ambrose (5-12-09/8-13-12), Briarcliff Hotel (6-14-09), The Comedy Cave (7-20-09), Grandview Mercy Hospital (7-25-09), Sessick Funeral Home (7-28-09), Weeping Beech Inn (8-3-09), Stillwell House (8-13-09), Cutler's Cove (9-11-09), Marlish House (9-17-09), Sleepy Hollow (10-31-09), Staten Island Monastery (11-5-09), Skull Island (12-2-09), Bartilson Funeral Home (1-4-10), Old Fowler Estate (1-15-10), Brookdale Lodge (2-18-10), Orchard House (2-25-10), Ravenswood (3-2-10), Benjamin's Tavern (4-25-10), Payne-Gentry House (5-11-10), Adam Savage Historical Museum (6-1-10), Old Byron Plantation (6-18-10), Imahara's Restaurant (6-27-10), Belleci's Delicatessen (6-29-10), Grant's Tavern (7-2-10), Garthe Manor (8-8-10), Wapiti House Inn (8-25-10), Monogram Electronics (9-15-10), Sleepy Pines Cemetery (10-13-10), Hull House Mortuary (10-25-10), Wicker House (1-11-11), Graycroft Castle (2-21-10), Little Hangleton Churchyard (3-08-11), Emerald City Train Depot (3-22-11), Old Murdoch Cabin (4-6-11), Mansfield Community Playhouse (5-23-11), Old Roosevelt Asylum (6-12-11), Clinton Castle (7-18-11), Santa Mira Hospital (8-11-11), The Sedgewick (8-25-11), The Solomon Farm (9-9-11), Old Nashville Penitentiary (10-31-11), Hackett House (1-18-12), Old Ritter House (3-25-12), Dolphin Hotel (4-10-12), Camp Crystal Lake (5-13-12),

Source/Comments: The Haunt-Busters are a fictional group of paranormal researchers created for humorous intention only; this bio is not to be confused with any real or actual persons or paranormal agency, living, dead or undead.