IDW Publishing Comics- Ghostbusters 1

Ghostbusters 1 is the first issue in an ongoing Ghostbusters comic book series by IDW Publishing. Also issued as a library binding book by Spotlight, retitled "Ghostbusters Volume One: The Man from the Mirror, Part 1".

Plot[]

Are you troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night? Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic? Have you or any of your family ever seen a spook, specter or ghost? If the answer is yes, call the professionals! Psychokinetic energy is on the rise again, business is booming for the boys, and Ray is troubled by what could be a prophetic dream... Is this an ill omen of an upcoming apocalypse, or just a little indigestion? These questions and more are raised in the first issue of the new, ongoing Ghostbusters!

Cast[]

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man

Crendall's Superintendent

Slimer

Mayor (IDW)

Walter Peck

Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission

Equipment[]

P.K.E. Meter

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Proton Pistol (IDW Comics)

Locations[]

550 Central Park West

Temple of Gozer

Columbus Circle

Firehouse

Manhattan Museum of Art

Crendall's Apartment

New York City Hall

Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission

Development[]

On May 20th, Tristan Jones posted a teaser for the PCOC back up.^[1]

On May 23rd, Chris Ryall, IDW Publishing's Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, blogged that the series' variant covers will be by Nick Runge and each cover will pay homage to classic album art. Issue One will be based on KISS' fourth album, "Destroyer."^[2] Tristan Jones also posted another PCOC teaser, a photograph of an entity.^[3]

On May 25th, Nick Runge blogged about the variant cover. He used photo references provided by Lisa Stevens. The team is based on Patrick Creel (Real Tampa Bay Ghostbusters), Ben Bond, Rob Pearson (Tampa Bay), and Ben King (UK GB).^[4]

On June 2nd, Tristan Jones posted another teaser featuring Walter Peck.^[5]

On June 3rd, Tristan Jones revealed he will be working on supplemental material for each story. The first P.C.O.C. file will feature something familiar to everyone.^[6]

On June 17th, Tom Waltz hinted will be a "special guest" in the first issue.^[7] The first issue synopsis, four covers, and a supplemental material teaser were revealed, also. It will retail for $3.99 and is 32 pages in length.^[8] Pages 18 and 19, without text, are previewed.^[9]^[10]

On June 18th, it was revealed one of the covers will be a glow-in-the-dark version.^[11] The third variant is the retailer incentive. If 500 copies of #1 are ordered and the retailer gets the incentive cover of anyone they choose as a Ghostbuster.^[12]

On June 24th, IDW released an official announcement for #1. More details are offered on the "Be a Ghostbuster" promotion in which retailers will have the opportunity to obtain a unique variant featuring up to four personalized Ghostbusters on their cover.^[13]

On July 3rd, Tristan Jones posted a teaser featuring Slimer.^[14]

On July 8th, Tristan Jones posted a teaser featuring Peter and Slimer in the Paranormal Containment Research Tank.^[15]

On July 18th, Erik Burnham revealed #1 will have a Back up story, Character design with commentary, and Fan art in addition to the main story.^[16]

On July 30th, Erik Burnham teased #1 will have a surprise appearance and confirms it won't be Vigo.^[17]^[18]

On August 14th, Erik Burnham tweeted Issue #1 hits the stands on September 21, 2011.^[19]

On August 17th, a preview of Issue #1 was posted online. It includes Cover A, B, RI A, and a sample of Retailer Exclusive, staff credits page, 7 pages of the main story, and a page about pre-ordering details.^[20]

On August 17th, Tristan Jones hinted where the crystals from the entity came from in Issue #3 will be addressed in Issue #1's PCOC section.^[21]

On August 25th, Erik Burnham tweeted a confirmation that the release date was pushed a week back from September 21st to September 28th.^[22]

On September 21st, Luis Delgado posted an unlettered version of page 20. It reveals a certain character will appear in the issue.^[23]

On October 27th, IDW Comics announced a second printing would be released on November 23, 2011.^[24]

Covers[]

There are 15 covers for issue one:

Cover A
Cover B
- Destroyer Variant
Cover RI A
- Who You Gonna Call? Variant
Cover RI B
- Glow in the Dark Variant
Cover RE
- Nine total. See Retailer Exclusive Covers Below
Second Printing
- Issue one officially sold out and a second printing was approved. The RI A cover is used. The logo for Ghostbusters II is used in place of the standard one to signify the second printing. ^[25]
- The order code is AUG118203 and the ship date is November 23, 2011. ^[26] ^[27] ^[28]
Cover RI B Second Printing
- Due to the original printing not glowing in the dark, a new wave of this cover is currently planned to be made as of October 12, 2011. ^[29]

Retailer Exclusive Covers[]

Nine comic book stores participated in the "Be A Ghostbuster" promotion. ^[30] ^[31] The back cover features an untitled version of Cover A with the participating retailer's basic information stamped on the bottom left corner.

Austin Books & Comics
- Who's on the Cover: Austin Books-Man
- Where: Austin, Texas ^[32]
Challengers Comics + Conversation
- Who's on the Cover: Jimmy PS Hayes ^[33]
- Where: Chicago, Illinois ^[34]
Clem's Collectibles
- Who's on the Cover: Ryan White, Assistant Manager at Fort Wayne store
- Where: Fort Wayne, Indiana ^[35]
Comickaze
- Who's on the Cover: Robert Scott, store owner ^[36]
- Where: San Diego, California
Curious Comics, Books, & Games
- Who's on the Cover: D.J.H., Daniel Hansen is a customer who won Curious' contest to be on the cover
- Where: British Columbia, Canada ^[37]
Matt's Cavalcade of Comics Cards & Collectibles
- Who's on the Cover: Ten year old son of store owner, Matt Ashland ^[38]
- Where: Corvallis, Oregon ^[39]
Past Present Future
- Who's on the Cover: Dr. Matthew Melnyk, of the West Palm Beach Branch of Ghostbusters Inc. ^[40]
- Where: West Palm Beach, Florida ^[41]
The Lair
- Who's on the Cover: Seven year old son of store owner, Jorge Rodriguez ^[42]
- Where: Bronx, New York ^[43]
Third Eye Comics
- Who's on the Cover: Third Eye Steve ^[44]
- Where: Annapolis and Prince Frederick, Maryland ^[45]

Trivia[]

The Diamond Order Code for the first printing is JUL11 0130 ^[46]
Page One
- Winston does not have a doctorate. This is the first instance of the ongoing series establishing it is in a continuity separate to the prime universe (the two movies and Ghostbusters: The Video Game).
- Janine mentions the Mass Sponge Migration that Ray referenced to Peter in Ghostbusters.
Page Two
- Dyb Devlin from "The Devil to Pay" is the stage manager
Page Three
- In the audience are Buster from "Buster the Ghost" and Shanna, in human form, from "Banshee Bake a Cherry Pie?"
- Luis Antonio Delgado is sitting in front of Buster. ^[47]
- Gozer asks Ray if he is a god, just like in Ghostbusters.
Page Five
- The Blues Brothers' Bluesmobile is parked in front of Ray Puft's left foot
- Ray Puft rampages near 2 Columbus Circle
Page Six
- The spirit guide is based on Jake Blues, played by the late John Belushi, of the Blue Brothers franchise.
- John Belushi was the original choice for the role of Peter Venkman.
- To the left of Ray's bed are Stay Puft Marshmallows on the night stand.
- To the right of Ray's bed is the Ghost Huster of the Year edition of Spooks Illustrated from the ending of "Ghostbuster of the Year"
- Ray's stuffed animal is a version of Dopey Dog from "The Boogieman Cometh"
Page Seven
- On the shelf by Ray is the Particle Thrower with scope used by Winston in "Take Two"
- Luis Delgado's #15 Easter egg is located on the striped billiard ball near Peter. ^[48]
Page Eight
- The mask above Jim Silver is from the African Fetish Ghost in "Deadcon 1"
Page Nine
- Silver mentions the Zombies from Infestation
- The object by the door is the costume Slimer wore in "Look Homeward, Ray"
- The painting is of Sir Bruce from "Hard Knight's Day"
- The toilet resembles the Fearsome Flush from Kenner The Real Ghostbusters Toy Line
- The hands are reminiscent of when Zuul attacked Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters.
- The crown is from "Look Homeward, Ray"
Page Ten
- The lamp from "Janine's Genie" is still present atop the file cabinet.
- Janine has a book titled "Learn Squash and Racquetball in a Weekend" which references her racquetball hobby conversation with Egon in Ghostbusters.
- Winston's T-shirt has the symbol of the force of good from "Night Game" and the shirt itself is in a color scheme of his animated counterpart's jumpsuit.
- The boy is a younger version of Alan Crendall from Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
Page Eleven
- Alan mentions his Uncle Janosz, Janosz Poha from Ghostbusters II and Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
- Winston references Vigo as "dead Moldavian dictator."
Page Twelve
- Winston mentions parts of events from Ghostbusters II: New Years, the Statue of Liberty, and the Manhattan Museum of Art
- An Imp from "Janine's Day Off" is by Janine's computer
- Janine imitates Janosz' "Upper Vest Side" line from Ghostbusters II
Page Thirteen
- A taxi cab next to Ecto-1a in traffic has an outdated advertisement for the "Ride of the Valkyries," an opera seen by Peter and Egon in "A Fright at the Opera"
Page Fourteen
- Peter deduces Winston took on a pro bono case for a child. The Real Ghostbusters have done such busts in episodes like "The Boogieman Cometh" and "The Grundel"
- Peter uses the Ghost Sniffer from Ghostbusters
Page Fifteen
- The superintendent resembles Slug, human form, from "Ghosts R Us"
Page Sixteen
- Peter bemoans stairs, referencing the traumatic stairwell climb from Ghostbusters
- Peter mentions golfing, a sport taken up by Bill Murray
Page Seventeen
- The ghost sprite on the P.K.E. Meter is from the Kenner Proton Pack toy, seen on the boy's Meter.
Page Eighteen
- Next to the bookcase covered in Ectoplasm is the SCEP-TECH from "The Treasure of Sierra Tamale"
Page Nineteen
- Peter mentions a score to settle, he was slimed twice - in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters: The Video Game
- Winston was looking at a mirror based on one from the first magic trick in "The Cabinet of Calamari" ^[49]
- The Megazoid from "Take Two" is seen tossed up as Peter crashes through the wall.
Page Twenty One
- One of the city officials mentions Jock Mulligan, the mayor during the events of Ghostbusters: The Video Game
- One of the photos is of Slimer
- One official mentions the possibility the Ghostbusters have failed to properly contain what they've caught, the exact problem presented by the Poltergeists in Ghostbusters: Infestation 1 and Ghostbusters: Infestation 2
- The increasing paranormal activity alluded to at the end of Ghostbusters: Infestation 2 is mentioned.
- The insurance payouts from Ghostbusters: The Video Game are mentioned.
- The schematics of Ecto-1 from "Making Ghostbusters" are in the file.
- A photo of the Firehouse utilizes the design from Extreme Ghostbusters
- One official mentions not knowing how to deal with other Paranormal Investigation and Elimination Groups. One group is alluded to by Artie Lester in "What in Samhain Just Happened?!"
Page Twenty Two
- The photo of Peter shows Slimer in the Paranormal Containment Research Tank from Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
- Peck infers his being possessed and being witness to the Ghostbusters battle against Ivo Shandor in Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
- The Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission was led by Peck in Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Page Twenty Three
- There are photos of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and the necrotic cat from Ghostbusters: Infestation 1
A copy of Cover A appears in the "Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective" in the Ghostbusters disc special features of Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Gift Set (2014) at the 5:04 mark.
In Ghostbusters: Deviations, on the What Really Happened page, the first image is a close up of Gozer taken from page 3 panel 5.
On page 8 of Ghostbusters 101 #3, in panel 3, the boxes by Kevin Tanaka references Volume 1 Issue #1.
The front cover of Ghostbusters: Spectral Shenanigans Volume 1, reuses Issue #1 Cover RIA/RIB/Second Printing.