The Real Ghostbusters

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The Real Ghostbusters
Issue 1 of NOW Comics The Real Ghostbusters
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel UK NOW Comics
Schedule	Marvel UK: Weekly/Monthly NOW: Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	, gothic science fiction
Publication date	Marvel UK: March 1988 - March 1992 NOW: August 1988 - December 1990 October 1991-December 1992
Number of issues	Marvel UK: 193 NOW: 28/4
Main character(s)	Ghostbusters
Creative team
Writer(s)	Dan Abnett Andy Lanning John Freeman John Carnell James Van Hise
Artist(s)	Anthony Williams Brian Williamson John Tobias Evan Dorkin Phillip Hester
Collected editions
A Hard Day's Fright	ISBN 1-84576-140-5
Who You Gonna Call?	ISBN 1-84576-141-3
Which Witch Is Which?	ISBN 1-84576-142-1
This Ghost Is Toast!	ISBN 1-84576-143-X

The Real Ghostbusters animated series was spun off into two comic series of the same name, published by Marvel UK and NOW Comics.

Publication history

Marvel UK

Marvel UK published a magazine-sized comic for 193 issues and 4 annuals starting on March 28, 1988. Each issue contained three to four comic stories, a prose story alternating from a regular tale to one narrated by Winston Zeddemore each issue, a prose entry of Egon Spengler’s Spirit Guide discussing typically the entities in the comic, a bio of a character or ghost that appeared in the series, and a short Slimer strip. Each issue featured a rotating line-up of creators including John Carnell, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Brian Williamson, Anthony Williams, Stuart Place, Richard Starkings, Helen Stone and others.

The series ran weekly and eventually began to feature reprints from the American comics as well as stories that appeared previously in the series. Because the American comics were full issues rather than several pages, they were often broken up into four to five parts. With issue 121, Marvel UK’s failed Slimer! series was merged briefly with this one and his name appeared as part of the title for several issues; although that was really the only change as his presence in the books remained the same. The last original story ran in issue 171 with the remaining issues being all reprints from the earlier comics and the American books. With issue 186, the series took on a larger monthly format, still in reprints, until the end of the run.

The four annuals were hardcover books and essentially a larger format of the regular issues. Each book featured several comic strips, full-page Slimer strips, and three or four prose stories. Notably missing were the Spirit Guide entries. Each issue also featured game and activity pages, and reprints of bios found in the regular books.

The comics, unlike the early episodes of the series or their American counterparts, were decidedly aimed towards young children. Included in each issue were fun things such as games, coloring pages and jokes submitted by readers. The stories were also light in tone and often pun-laden. The books were also full of pop-culture references, particularly that of the United Kingdom’s. One notable aspect of the series was the inclusion of designs found in the Real Ghostbusters toy line by Kenner. Featured were the Super Fright Feature uniforms, the toy version of Ecto-2, Ecto-3 and Ecto-500.

Several collected editions were released featuring various stories from the entire run.

NOW Comics

NOW Comics began their own series in August 1988. The series ran for two volumes and two specials. The first volume ran for 28 issues. The series was primarily written by James Van Hise, with the exceptions being issue 4 by La Morris Richmond and issue 21 which featured Marvel UK reprints due to production delays. John Tobias, Phillip Hester, Evan Dorkin and Howard Bender were among the pencilers for the series.

When NOW’s financial troubles caused them to restructure their line and cancel most of their books, among them were the first volume of the Ghostbusters. However, they soon re-launched a second volume that ran for four issues, two specials and two annuals. The series had a main story that ran from the 3-D Special through issue 4, followed by back-up stories reprinted from the Marvel UK run. They also featured game pages and health tips for kids and parents. Several issues of volume 1 and the main issues of volume 2 used covers taken from the Marvel UK run.

The last Ghostbusters comic published by NOW before their financial troubles caused the series to be cancelled again was the Slimer! 3-D Special in 1993. This would be the last Ghostbusters-related comic until 88MPH’s Legion mini-series in 2004.

The Real Ghostbusters Starring in Ghostbusters II

NOW also published an adaptation to Ghostbusters II as a 3-issue miniseries. What set this apart from other comic movie adaptations was the use of the Real Ghostbusters characters in place of the actors. Written by James Van Hise and drawn by John Tobias, this series would mark the animated debut of Dana Barrett, Sigourney Weaver’s character missing from the cartoon. Because it was based on a shooting script, the comic contains several scenes cut out of the final print of the movie. Drawn but cut, however, was the original ending from the movie where the Ghostbusters are honored on Liberty Island (a brief segment of which is seen during the movie’s credits). The mini was collected into a limited-edition trade paperback.

Collected editions

Some of the Marvel UK stories have been collected by Titan Books into trade paperbacks:

• A Hard Day's Fright (collects The Real Ghostbusters #1-7, 9, 11, 19, 50 and 99, 96 pages, October 2005, Titan Books, ISBN 1-84576-140-5)^[1]
• Who You Gonna Call? (collects The Real Ghostbusters #12, 16, 19, 24, 33, 48, 52 and 53, 1989 Annual, 1990 Annual, 1992 Annual, 96 pages, April 2006, Titan Books, ISBN 1-84576-141-3)^[2]
• Which Witch Is Which? (96 pages, July 2006, Titan Books, ISBN 1-84576-142-1)^[3]
• This Ghost Is Toast! (96 pages, November 2006, Titan Books, ISBN 1-84576-143-X)^[4]

Titles

• The Real Ghostbusters #1-193, 1989-92 Annual, Marvel UK.
• The Real Ghostbusters #1-28, 1-4, 3-D Special, 1992-93 Annual, NOW.
• The Real Ghostbusters starring in Ghostbusters II #1-3, NOW.

See also

• List of comics based on television programs

Notes

References

External links

• NOW Comics, cover gallery