The picture above captures the awesome that is Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Joss Whedon's pet project during the writers' strike, Dr. Horrible is a 40-or-so-minute three act musical following aspiring supervillain, Dr. Horrible. It was released exclusively through internet distribution, and although it's been available for a while, I checked it out last night for the first time. The verdict? Very cool and very different.

Whedon fans will immediately recognize Firefly's Nathan Fillion as Horrible's nemesis, do-gooder Captain Hammer. Felicia Day, of webisode fame, plays Horrible's love interest, Penny, and proves herself once again as a formidable geek heartthrob. Neil Patrick Harris rounds up the bunch as the title character, and kicks ass merely by virtue of being Neil Patrick Harris.

The complete short film is currently available on the iTunes store, and is entirely worth the price (see update below for free link). Not only is it an entertaining, and often quirky, look at some classic geek topics, it's also a testament to the creative freedom that the internet offers. Made exclusively for online distribution (although the runaway success has prompted plans for a future DVD) and financed entirely out of Whedon's pocket, it's unlike anything else you'll currently see in movies or TV.

So, who's seen it? What did you think? Are you getting psyched for the 4th act that was announced at SDCC?

[Update: The short is back online for free (albeit ad-supported) at Hulu.]