I refuse to start a review of a Ghostbusters comic with “who you gonna call?” but rest assured you are going to want to call your local comic shop in order to make sure they add Ghostbusters from IDW to your pull list if you haven’t already. If like me, you simply have not read any Ghostbusters comics because you were positive there was not any way they could capture the cinematic genius of the film, the nuances of each performance and the eclectic charm that has devoted fans clamoring for more for the last 30 years, well let me tell you they can’t. The film is the film and the comic is the comic, but it is entertaining nonetheless.

Let me rewind for a second…30 years? There it is on the cover…the logo announcing 30 years of Ghostbusters, with the little crossed out ghost as the 0 in 30. Thank you for reminding me how old I was. I saw the original film opening weekend on June 8, 1984 at the Ziegfeld theatre if my failing memory is correct. It is one of my top favorite films of all time, much to the detriment of friends and family since I recite the lines along with the film every time we watch it.

For perhaps nostalgic reasons (and a free preview copy provided by IDW) I decided to check out Ghostbusters #13. The solicitation describes this issue as the first of an eight part story called Mass Hysteria, recalling the famous line spoken by Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) describing his thoughts on cats and dogs sleeping together. Whatever dogs and cats do together is their business, for the record.

We get four covers for this issue: Cover A by interior artist Dan Schoening and colors by Luis Antonio Delgado depicting the Ghostbusters’ converted firehouse HQ wrapped in a giant tentacle…very foreboding and perhaps the one most indicative of the upcoming events. Cover B by Robert Goiriz shows Egon creeping around a corner ready to pounce on some ghosts all the while unsuspecting that a creature is coming out of his own shadow. Pretty cool if you are an Egon fan! The subscription cover by Tristan Jones and colors by Delgado shows the most familiar ghosts like Slimer, Staypuft Marshmallow and the No-Ghost ghost himself.

And finally, Cover RI By Ryan Lee shows all the ‘busters entangled in a vortex of tentacles.

Now if you haven’t read Ghostbusters comics or saw the movie (for shame) you will get previouslies and a round up of the cast of characters, both familiar and new. As I mentioned, I haven’t read the IDW comics before but I was caught up and ready to go after the intro. It’s a perfect jumping on point since the storyline plays off of events from the first film. The characters have not aged much in 30 years, something you can’t do on film without some very heavy duty CGI. I think Dan Aykroyd would have to be entirely motion captured. Since this is the first of eight it is mostly set up but there is some ghost busting by the rookies.

The first scene, which is of the aforementioned busting, takes place at a recognizable building in Queens, NY which I can really appreciate being a resident of Q-town. (I just made that up! Perhaps it will catch on!) I particularly enjoy watching tv shows and films shot on location in New York and that is one of the reasons Ghostbusters the film is a favorite of mine. I get that same feeling with this comic since Schoening uses familiar and recognizable settings. Walk with me around Central Park West and I will always point out the building used for Spook Central or the church that got stepped on. No one wants to walk with me now for some reason.

If you are in the demographic that is reading the comic with bifocals (don’t judge, you don’t read comics five feet from your face?) because you attended the opening weekend of the classic film then be forewarned; you are not getting any likenesses of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd or Harold Ramis and the rest of the cast. Probably due to legal reasons and licensing costs but Schoening’s art is very good! Animated and cute where it needs to be but scary and creepy where required. More cartoony than realistic but it fits the tone of the book. What Schoening gives us is the essence of these characters. Although Egon, Zeddmore, Ray and company won’t look like their respective actors, you will still recognize them immediately.

That being said, writer Erik Burnham has a very difficult task trying to replicate the comedic genius of the actors performances. He does make them fit their personalities with Peter cracking wise and Egon saying hilariously stoic statements but I imagine it would be a futile attempt to try to make them sound like their cinematic counterparts. Instead he adds his own voice and vision imbuing each character with their trademark characteristics but done in Erik’s style while Shoening compliments it with appropriate facial expressions. I’m seeing some Don Bluth influences in there if I’m analyzing it right. One day I’d like to talk to Dan about his technique. So don’t go in expecting the comic book version of the film, what you’ll get is a really good comic with solid writing and artwork. I’m going to add this to my pull list.

Honestly, I was trying to come up with a succinctly wrapped up conclusion for the article, however with the news of Harold Ramis’ death on Monday, my heart broke since it was the last thing I ever expected to conclude with.

Not only did Harold Ramis star as Dr. Egon Spengler, Ramis co-wrote the script with Aykroyd, I think it can be said that it was Ramis’ contribution that gave us the wonderful, amazing, solid, grounded hilarious story that still holds up today. Besides Harold’s contribution to Ghostbusters, his skill as a writer, actor and director gave us such classics as Groundhog Day, Animal House, Caddyshack, National Lampoon’s Vacation and scores of other films.

Thank you Mr. Ramis for making us laugh. Rest knowing you leave behind a legacy of joy so large that if a Twinkie represents the normal amount of joy, your legacy would be a Twinkie… thirty-five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds.

Story: Erik Burnham Art: Dan Schoening
Story: 7 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.