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THE LOUVRE

Heh, that was pretty practical for the Ghostbusters to sneak into the museum through the Catacombs instead of the direct approach. They don't exactly have all their equipment nor a Statue of Liberty to utilize, I suppose. The debut of the Ghost Taser, after its mention in Volume 2, and the 'Slime Sprayers' were pretty nifty additions to the arsenal. But aw, loved the callback to the end of Volume 2.

The Lieutenant really grew on me. Stop making me care about minor characters, Erik! But it was cool to expand a little on his background as a cataphile. And well, the 'fully authorized to shoot you' line was gold. And, yeah, he's totally fired.

Jean L'Ecorcheur was definitely a freaky design. Made Gareth Dibello look like Elton John. It was unexpected and intriguing to see the convergence of the changing nature of the ghosts they are encountering and the evolution theory explored a little in Volume 2 during the Happy Horror Days arc when some ghosts were trying to evolve into Bogeymen. Truly some correlation with Eleanor Twitty and Jean - both were anchored to the place of their death in a famous institution of knowledge. But with the increase in local PKE levels, they're able to move about further and can flex the ability to animate. Eleanor generated those Coal Golems wheres Jean animated the David, Venus, Mona Lisa and Code of Hammurabi. Then like in the boss battle with her, Jean was able to surround himself in a protective P.K.E. barrier as the Ghostbusters were also in pursuit of a powerfully charged artifact -- Gozerian Codex vs Poveglian artifact. The difference here is, aside from the gross factor, was the evolution. He went from Attack on Titans to full on Akira!

Not surprised by the ending... but how the heck are they getting away with destroying four priceless works of art?!

NEW YORK

Egon definitely laid done some needed exposition on the ongoing story arc. But wow, actually using an existing legend. That's cool! And a little back story as well, the Rauoskinna was the reason Egon built the P.K.E. Meter and it was back in the early 70s it seems. But hoo boy -- a legendary book of black magic, strong enough to control the Devil, a secret society, sorcerers, Armageddon -- and so far the connection to Erland is he was born in Iceland and known to collect books. It's curious if he knows or not if Egon once looked for it.

All in all props to Erik for utilizing local and perhaps lesser known folklore instead of standard world mythology in terms of the main ghost and Rauoskinna legend.

Neat to see Ron's Boson Caster mentioned in name. Also, points for the elaborate bait and trap plan. These cases are definitely forcing Melanie to get creative.

And naturally, more Chicago Ghostbusters is fine with me. Ironic, those three were used since they worked together again for the first time, since disbanding, back in the Volume 2 #20 epilogue to deal with bulls.

*Solicitation
**The solicit lists the title of the main story as "Viva La Louvre"
*Regular Cover
**On the cover are Peter, Ray, and Winston in the Louvre. Behind them, the Mona Lisa is reaching out.
**To the right of the Mona Lisa is a Unicorn Tapestry seen towards the end of The Real Ghostbusters "Hard Knight's Day" when the paintings return to their proper places in the Cloisters.
**To the left of the Mona Lisa, there appears to be an early Vigo design.
**Ray uses the standard P.K.E. Meter on this cover but not in the main story itself.
*Subscription Cover
**Melanie is among a herd of buffalo ghosts.
*Credits Page
**The image re-used is from page 5, panel 2 of this issue
*What Came Before! Page
**The recap mentions
**Poveglia
**Erland Vinter
**Venice
**Paris
**Arc de Triomphe
**Unknown Soldier Ghosts
**The Poveglian Artifact
**Kaia May
**The first image is a reuse of page 7 panel 3 from Ghostbusters International #4
**The second image is a reuse of page 9 panel 1 from Ghostbusters International #4
**The third image is a reuse of page 16 panel 2 from Ghostbusters International #4
**The fourth image is a reuse of page 20 panel 1 from Ghostbusters International #4
*Page 1
**The brief history of the Louvre mentions
***Its original role as a fortress starting in the 12th century during reign of Philip II
***Serving as the palace of the royal family since the 14th century during the reign of Charles V until Louis XIV moved to Versailles in 1682
**A mummy stalking the halls
***The mummy is believed to be the spirit of Belphegor
**The Louvre has had a long history of reported hauntings.
***The medieval section is said to be haunted with ghosts of fallen warriors, ghosts of former guards roam the museum, and the ghost of a murderer named Red Man of the Tuileries (who we see later) are among the alleged ghosts.
***Locals believe some paintings were actually made with ink harvested from human hearts.
***It is believed the presence of the supernatural at the Louvre is because it also been the site of tragic historical events such as the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.
**In panel 2, the officer notices his picture is being taken. While it is allowed outside, flash photography is not allowed inside.
**The Ghostbusters move through Paris' famous Catacombs.
*Page 2
**In panel 1, Ray has one of the P.K.E. Meters presumably left behind by the Real Ghostbusters in the Get Real mini-series that precedes this volume.
**The lieutenant from last issue, who appears to be visually based on actor Jean Reno, is with the Ghostbusters.
**The lieutenant admits to being a cataphile, the term given to those obsessed with the Paris catacombs
**The lieutenant alludes to the French National Police's cataflics who started to patrol the catacombs after it was deemed illegal to descend them in 1955.
**The Ghostbusters' flashlights appear to be visually based on a model used in The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Grundel"
*Page 3
**In panel 1, Winston's light shines on the arranged ossements, famous stacks of bones in the Paris Catacombs started by Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury, head of the Paris Mine Inspection Service from 1810.
**The lieutenant refers to the French President, who called up the police station at the end of last issue.
*Page 4
**Egon wears his gray vest ensemble from the first movie.
**Egon refers to the Puerto Rico case Melanie Ortiz asked him to join last issue.
**Egon mentions:
***Poveglia from Issue #2 and 3
***The United Nations Building from Issue #1
***His college cold case mentioned in Issue #3
**In panel 2, various Icelandic magical staves and references are on the white board:
***In the upper right corner is the "Að unni" stave for "So a girl loves a man"
***To the left of the "Að unni" stave is the Ægishjálmur (or Helm of Awe), an Icelandic magical stave said to induce fear and to protect against abuse of power.
***Below the Helm of Awe stave is the "Draumstafir" stave to "dream of unfulfilled desires"
***Below the "Að unni" stave is the "Brýnslustafir" stave for use on whetstones
***Southwest of the "Draumstafir" stave is the "Angurgapi" stave carved on the ends of barrels to prevent leaking
***Right of the "Angurgapi" stave is the "Herzlustafir" stave, both the obverse and reverse. They are for strengthening, hence the words "Power Courage Outcome" written between them.
***Below the obverse "Herzlustafir" stave is "The Black School" - a legendary school in Iceland near Wittenberg where witchcraft and magic were taught.
***Below the obverse "Herzlustafir" stave is a Victory stave
***Right of the Victory stave is "Staðastaður"?
***Right of the Victory stave is the "Dreprún" stave to kill an enemy's cattle.
***Under the "Dreprún" stave is a stave "to win a debate" hence "Argument debate" written near it
***Under the argument stave is "Gottskalk" - a nod to the bishop Egon talks about in the legend.
***Under the debate stave is a stave designed to "return to sender" or as written near it "return negative energy"
***Right of the return stave is a "End strife" stave
***Holar is a location in northern Iceland where Gottskalk Nikulausson served as bishop from 1496 to 1520.
***Right of the reverse "Herzlustafir" stave is "Graskinna" and "Grayskin" - another famous book of magic from Icelandic folklore. It was said to be divided in two parts. The first part is in plain runes and contains harmless information such as palmistry and tricks for use in wrestling. The second part is in secret runes and contained evil spells that only evil men would use.
***Right of the reverse "Herzlustafir" stave is a spell from the Galdrabók spell book.
***Below the spell are three more sets of spells from the Galdrabók. One is 4 lines. The second, under it, is 2 lines. The third, under that, is one line and one character below it.
***In the lower right corner, Luis Delgado's 15 easter egg
**In panel 2, the Pizzalicious box references the Pizza Ghost from The Real Ghostbuster Intro for seasons 4 and 5.
**In panel 2, on the TV screen is a still from Stage 2 of The Real Ghostbusters Data East video game featuring some Large Slime Heads.
**The Rauoskinna (or "The Redskin") is an actual book of legend containing powerful black magic spells.
**Egon reveals Peter was punched out by a Norwegian flight attendant during grad school.
**In panel 4, the Helm of Awe rune also appears on Egon's red book.
**In panel 4, the portrait pays homage to Einstein's famous photo
***Einstein is visually based on the dream version that appears at the end of The Real Ghostbusters episode "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream"
**In panel 4, on the desk are a pair of Twinkies
*Page 5
**Egon mentions the Devil
***The Devil made an appearance in Volume 2 Issue #9 of the ongoing series
**In panel 2, Gottskalk Nikulausson was an actual Bishop of Hólar who lived from 1469-1520 and served from 1496 to December 8, 1520. He also did have the Nikulausson the Cruel nickname.
**In panel 4, Loftur Þornsteinsson and the story of his search for the book and being dragged underwater from his fishing boat was the subject of actual legend. Some claim it was suicide instead. He was never heard of after 1722 according to record.
***The issue misspells Loftur's last name is a "B" instead of a "Þ" as well as other minor lettering issues with Icelandic terms and names.
**In panel 4, Egon mentions Iceland
**In panel 4, the rune that Loftur finds is the Ægishjálmur (or Helm of Awe), an Icelandic magical stave said to induce fear and to protect against abuse of power.
*Page 6
**In panel 1, 4, and 5, on Egon's clipboard is the runic alphabet?
**Egon reveals the Rauoskinna was the reason he invented the P.K.E. Meter
**Once again, the ghost in the research tank is visually based on the Gulper Ghost from Kenner's Classic Egon figure.
**Egon reminds the ghost that the glass contains a charged polymer
***Egon revealed the nature of the glass in Volume 1 Issue #2 of the ongoing series
**Egon alludes to the Firehouse
**Egon mentions the Containment Unit
**In panel 6, Egon's fish tank full of fungi and periodic table appears. They both previously appeared in Issue #1.
*Page 7
**Peter and Winston's recollection of Egon and Ray's theory about the Eiffel Tower being a primitive French Containment Unit is a nod to the tower being as such in The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Ghostbusters in Paris"
**Ray mentions the Poveglian artifact
**Ray originally gave the Ghost Taser to Tiyah Clarke as a birthday gift. She revealed that to Winston in Volume 2 Issue #14 of the ongoing series. When they discovered Ghost Pigeons outside their hotel window, Winston asked if she had it with her.
**Ray had trouble remembering that because Tiamat made the world forget Winston and Tiyah ever met. This happened at the end of Volume 2 Issue #20 of the ongoing series as part of what Tiamat deemed a worthy sacrifice on Winston's behalf.
*Page 8
**The scene opens in the Mona Lisa Room
**Peter alludes to the Mona Lisa's theft in 1911.
**Ray mentions the escape hatch, a nod to the moving of the "Night Watch" with one in September 1939 from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam before the Nazis arrived.
**In panel 2, behind Peter is the "Liberty Leading The People"
**In panel 2, behind Winston is the ?
**In panel 3, the five portraits are ?
**In panel 4, the Anubis statue from The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Ghostbusters in Paris" is on the left.
**In panel 4, the two portraits are ?
*Page 9
**Jean l'Ecorcheur ("Jack the Skinner") is a local legend, also known as the Red Man of the Tuileries, who was a butcher hired by Catherine de Medicis, Queen of France in the 16th Century, as her assassin. But in the end, he knew too many secrets about the royal family and was assassinated.
***Incidentally, his last words before his death was "I will be back" much like Vigo.
**Ray mentions Napoleon Bonaparte, who saw the Red Man in 1815 before his defeat at Waterloo.
***He also appeared to Queen Marie-Antoinette in July 1792, while she was in jail in the Tuileries Castle just before her execution.
***In 1824, he appeared to Louis XVIII before his death.
***The last report of him was May 23, 1871 when a fire destroyed the Tuileries Castle. He was seen by the fire starters looking through a window of the room of Marshalls.
*Page 11
**The David, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and Code of Hammurabi are animated.
*Page 12
**Peter refers to the Lieutenant as "Clouseau," a nod to Inspector Clouseau from the "Pink Panther" franchise.
**Peter alludes to Dana Barrett who worked as an art restorer in Ghostbusters II
*Page 13
**Peter mentions Nat Cole as a nod to one of his singles, "Mona Lisa" (1950)
**Ray alludes to Gozerian incidents in the past when addressing the Code of Hammurabi
**Ray mentions the Mood slime is self-replicating. This was first brought up in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Realistic Versions when Egon and Ray teach Rookie about the Plasm Distribution System
*Page 19
**The Lieutenant mentions the Unknown Soldier ghosts from last issue.
*Page 20
**The Eiffel Tower is in the background.
*Page 23
**Highway 287 in Laramie, Wyoming is investigated.
**The field office in Denver, Colorado is mentioned.
**Kylie Griffin is mentioned.
**Among the basic equipment used, Ron's Boson Caster and the Megatrap are also used.
**This marks the most Chicago Ghostbusters brought into a case - Ron Alexander, Dani Shpak, and Lou Kamaka.
**The property damage section mentions a special agent who is named after colorist Luis Delgado.
**Chicago is mentioned.

To Be Identified

1) Page 4 Panel 2: "Staðastaður" on white board

2) Page 4 Panel 4: The label on the marker reads Manx like in Vol 2 #1?

3) Page 5 Panel 1, 4, and 5: On Egon's clipboard is the runic alphabet?

4) Page 8: The Louvre portraits in the background are:
a) Panel 2, behind Winston
b) Panel 3, five total
c) Panel 4, two total

They really ARE gonna meet the Puerto Rican variant of La Llorona.

Philip Constantin.

Heh, perhaps another nod to GB 2016 when they go see Miguel? As always, it's going to be a long 5 days.