[Bison256]

With afterlife coming out the summer how do you think IDW will intergrate it into the comics? On the surface it seems incompatible with the comic's running storyline. In afterlife there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years but in the comics the ghostbusters are active in 1997ish (stargate sg1 reference in 101). That being the case Afterlife will have to be an alternate universe/timeline. That does open up some interesting possibilities with Trevor, Phoebe, Callie and Mr. Gooberson being able to meet a living verison of Egon. It also opens a kind of funny possibility of the comic busters going out to Oklahoma and dealing with the mine and cult members 20 years early.

[*NormalGamer*]

Because the IDW comics canon is based on the movie canon, it really depends on how the story will unfold in Afterlife. We 'do' know that the narrative in Afterlife will center on the disappearence of Egon and how it relates to the family moving in oklahoma.

[zeta otaku]

I mean, we have Tiamat who WASN'T destroyed. They would make the perfect macguffin to pull a memory wammy to negate whatever history from happening/being remembered the way it happened.

That said, I doubt they'll touch on it until AFTER Afterlife is out of theaters.

That or we'll just get a split timeline. I'm good either way.

[Bison256]

I mean, we have Tiamat who WASN'T destroyed. They would make the perfect macguffin to pull a memory wammy to negate whatever history from happening/being remembered the way it happened.

That said, I doubt they'll touch on it until AFTER Afterlife is out of theaters.

That or we'll just get a split timeline. I'm good either way.

I don't think they'd use Tiamat that way, it would wipe all of their continuity. I think a split timeline is more likely. I expect that IDW wont touch afterlife until 2021, then in January we'll see some uncolored, unworded art work on Twitter with an announcement of the title of the storyline.

[mrmichaelt]

The only thing right now that I think will be integrated is the gunner seat. That would dope to see Erik, Dan, and Luis fashion either a quick in media res bust or a whole's issue's worth of a bust around it.

[*NormalGamer*]

The only thing right now that I think will be integrated is the gunner seat. That would dope to see Erik, Dan, and Luis fashion either a quick in media res bust or a whole's issue's worth of a bust around it.

That would be nice to see; the idea of implimenting the gunner seat and who came up with the idea behind it would flesh out a bit of backstory for the ecto-1.

[Bison256]

The only thing right now that I think will be integrated is the gunner seat. That would dope to see Erik, Dan, and Luis fashion either a quick in media res bust or a whole's issue's worth of a bust around it.

That would be nice to see; the idea of implimenting the gunner seat and who came up with the idea behind it would flesh out a bit of backstory for the ecto-1.

They did just bang up the ecto in the pointless transformers crossover. Perfect time to modify it.

[Bison256]

So if afterlife is separate timeline,
I thought of away they could explain why. In Get Real they discover pke is leaking from the real ghostbusters universe via the containment unit into the movie based IDW comic universe as a way to explain the cartoon and kenner ghosts showing up in the comic. If afterlife's universe timeline doesn't have it could explain why the divergence occurred. Without the pke leasking over ghosts can't manifest.

[MOVIEFAN12]

Maybe a one-shot that could lead to a limited series like IDW did with Answer the Call.

[Dan AKA]

It's just simple alternate timeline stuff.

Ghostbusters > Ghostbusters II > Ghostbusters: Afterlife
------------------> The Real Ghostbusters > NOW! The Real Ghostbusters > Extreme Ghostbusters
-----------------------------------------> Ghostbusters: The Video Game > IDW Ghostbusters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime
-----------------------------------------> 88 MPH Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call > IDW Ghostbusters: Answer the Call

[philmorgan81]

I agree with mrmichaelt that we will see references to Afterlife with subtle easter eggs or things like the gunner seat upgrade on the Ecto 1.

When I spoke with Erik and Dan at fanfest they told me that there really is no set timeline for the IDW comic world. Even though the IDW wiki fan page has a great timeline break down according to them there is NO official timeline, so like I have said before in the IDW comic it is like the Ghostbusters are frozen in a time set after Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and Ghostbusters The Video Game. You can argue that the IDW world has already made it so that everything in the Ghostbusters history is Canon. With there being so many alternate versions of the Ghostbusters in the multiverse and most of them including the GBs from the Slimer Cartoon series have shown up. Afterlife just happens to take place in the original timeline only in the present. Now if there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years it is probably very clear that the SOS Team does not exist in this world. Again in the long run it doesn't matter. None of the events in the comic book are likely to be mentioned in the movie. There is room for ALL these stories and adventures weather they are from a split, fractured, or alternate timeline. Afterlife is just going to be one more chapter and a long awaited one givin that we have always wanted to know what the world of the OGBs looks like in today's contemporary time.

[Bison256]

I never liked comcs with a floating time, I could never get into marvel or dc for that reason.

[*NormalGamer*]

I agree with mrmichaelt that we will see references to Afterlife with subtle easter eggs or things like the gunner seat upgrade on the Ecto 1.

When I spoke with Erik and Dan at fanfest they told me that there really is no set timeline for the IDW comic world. Even though the IDW wiki fan page has a great timeline break down according to them there is NO official timeline, so like I have said before in the IDW comic it is like the Ghostbusters are frozen in a time set after Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and Ghostbusters The Video Game. You can argue that the IDW world has already made it so that everything in the Ghostbusters history is Canon. With there being so many alternate versions of the Ghostbusters in the multiverse and most of them including the GBs from the Slimer Cartoon series have shown up. Afterlife just happens to take place in the original timeline only in the present. Now if there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years it is probably very clear that the SOS Team does not exist in this world. Again in the long run it doesn't matter. None of the events in the comic book are likely to be mentioned in the movie. There is room for ALL these stories and adventures weather they are from a split, fractured, or alternate timeline. Afterlife is just going to be one more chapter and a long awaited one givin that we have always wanted to know what the world of the OGBs looks like in today's contemporary time.

Well said. Seems Afterlife will pretty much be yet another dimension/alternate future, much like with SOS, set in the prime GB IDW continuity. ^_^

I never liked comcs with a floating time, I could never get into marvel or dc for that reason.

In the GB comics case, I don't really mind it; it gives unlimited possibilities to tell GB stories and it's better than nothing.

[mrmichaelt]

When I spoke with Erik and Dan at fanfest they told me that there really is no set timeline for the IDW comic world. Even though the IDW wiki fan page has a great timeline break down according to them there is NO official timeline, so like I have said before in the IDW comic it is like the Ghostbusters are frozen in a time set after Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and Ghostbusters The Video Game. You can argue that the IDW world has already made it so that everything in the Ghostbusters history is Canon. With there being so many alternate versions of the Ghostbusters in the multiverse and most of them including the GBs from the Slimer Cartoon series have shown up. Afterlife just happens to take place in the original timeline only in the present. Now if there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years it is probably very clear that the SOS Team does not exist in this world. Again in the long run it doesn't matter. None of the events in the comic book are likely to be mentioned in the movie. There is room for ALL these stories and adventures weather they are from a split, fractured, or alternate timeline. Afterlife is just going to be one more chapter and a long awaited one givin that we have always wanted to know what the world of the OGBs looks like in today's contemporary time.

Yes, it is correct that the timeline I maintain at the GB Wiki is unofficial and Erik Burnham maintains he operates on a Peanuts time model for the comics. I do understand why he does it because admitting to an actual year creates a ticking clock as to how long he can tell stories before the canon would have to be rebooted again. But I obviously disagree. I mean, the passage of time is definitely there and if anyone's read my timeline, it is itself evidence to make the case that it's not a true floating timeline. Or it's been 10 years of blind luck there weren't any contradictions. But you can see on the flip side, that if it's unofficially the late 90s as of the current "present" of the IDW canon - that throws a wrench with integrating Afterlife if only based on the sliver of information we currently have. We haven't seen the whole movie so it's not time to make declare 'oh no, canon broke gotta make Afterlife AU.' The IDW canon already has its own version of The Video Game at play, and if it's remotely possible a version of Afterlife can still work, Erik will find it if it can't be 100% translated like GB1 and GB2. Or yes, set Afterlife as another dimension like idk, Dimension 21-A. We shall see. If new Ghostbusters comics ever get announced...

And yes, it appears, Dimension 50-S, where SOS resides in the IDW canon's multiverse, seems to be centered on the idea that paranormal activity never subsided and they have periodically had to assemble junior teams during high points in surges.

[philmorgan81]

When I spoke with Erik and Dan at fanfest they told me that there really is no set timeline for the IDW comic world. Even though the IDW wiki fan page has a great timeline break down according to them there is NO official timeline, so like I have said before in the IDW comic it is like the Ghostbusters are frozen in a time set after Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and Ghostbusters The Video Game. You can argue that the IDW world has already made it so that everything in the Ghostbusters history is Canon. With there being so many alternate versions of the Ghostbusters in the multiverse and most of them including the GBs from the Slimer Cartoon series have shown up. Afterlife just happens to take place in the original timeline only in the present. Now if there hasn't been a ghost sighting in 30 years it is probably very clear that the SOS Team does not exist in this world. Again in the long run it doesn't matter. None of the events in the comic book are likely to be mentioned in the movie. There is room for ALL these stories and adventures weather they are from a split, fractured, or alternate timeline. Afterlife is just going to be one more chapter and a long awaited one givin that we have always wanted to know what the world of the OGBs looks like in today's contemporary time.

Yes, it is correct that the timeline I maintain at the GB Wiki is unofficial and Erik Burnham maintains he operates on a Peanuts time model for the comics. I do understand why he does it because admitting to an actual year creates a ticking clock as to how long he can tell stories before the canon would have to be rebooted again. But I obviously disagree. I mean, the passage of time is definitely there and if anyone's read my timeline, it is itself evidence to make the case that it's not a true floating timeline. Or it's been 10 years of blind luck there weren't any contradictions. But you can see on the flip side, that if it's unofficially the late 90s as of the current "present" of the IDW canon - that throws a wrench with integrating Afterlife if only based on the sliver of information we currently have. We haven't seen the whole movie so it's not time to make declare 'oh no, canon broke gotta make Afterlife AU.' The IDW canon already has its own version of The Video Game at play, and if it's remotely possible a version of Afterlife can still work, Erik will find it if it can't be 100% translated like GB1 and GB2. Or yes, set Afterlife as another dimension like idk, Dimension 21-A. We shall see. If new Ghostbusters comics ever get announced...

And yes, it appears, Dimension 50-S, where SOS resides in the IDW canon's multiverse, seems to be centered on the idea that paranormal activity never subsided and they have periodically had to assemble junior teams during high points in surges.

Yeah it sure does make for great discussion. Personally I swear by the wiki timeline. It is such a fun read. It seems that in the world of the films Ghostbusting is not meant to be a lasting profession like it does in The Real Ghostbusters or the Comics. Seems like the Ghostbusters are too good at their job since every time they stop the apocalypse they go through a supernatural drought.

[mrmichaelt]

Yeah it sure does make for great discussion. Personally I swear by the wiki timeline. It is such a fun read. It seems that in the world of the films Ghostbusting is not meant to be a lasting profession like it does in The Real Ghostbusters or the Comics. Seems like the Ghostbusters are too good at their job since every time they stop the apocalypse they go through a supernatural drought.

Thanks!

Yeah, I think it was just luck that the Ghostbusters were still of age in GB2 and TVG to take up arms and prevent the end of the world again. But we all know luck runs out and in Afterlife, I'm thinking is the final realization they can't always be around to stop the end of the world and there will always be threats targeting the planet so they must train their successors and they at some point will train theirs and so on so that were will always be a team to save the world. Now if that can be integrated into the prime universe of the IDW canon, we'll see. Does Erik and co. even want to do a flash forward story for the prime team? He might just ignore doing that story that deals with Afterlife and keep on trucking with current plans. I mean the recent Transformers/Back To The Future crossover kinda opens the door for a GB/BTTF crossover and the inevitable new GB time travel story could be coming... but that's just crazy speculation on my part (doesn't have my vote if it were up to me which it ain't).

The irony in the IDW canon is this notion of having successors was sort of the core of starting franchises (aside from a get rich scheme of Peter's) but thanks to bureaucracy, they barely had only 1 satellite branch in Chicago for years until 3/4 of the Ghost Smashers were added to it. And I think they've already found at least one dimension in the IDW canon's multiverse where a successor has had to carry on their work after the original team was too old to keep working, Dimension 68-V, the one where Mike the Golem is from. So in a way, Erik already beat Afterlife to the punch.

[Bison256]

One nice thing about the relative lack of issues pre year is that it makes a vague timeline plausible. The last comic to move the story forward was crossing over, yes?

[mrmichaelt]

The last one set in the Prime Univere's present? No, not Crossing Over. That would be the Transformers/Ghostbusters.

[philmorgan81]

Yeah it sure does make for great discussion. Personally I swear by the wiki timeline. It is such a fun read. It seems that in the world of the films Ghostbusting is not meant to be a lasting profession like it does in The Real Ghostbusters or the Comics. Seems like the Ghostbusters are too good at their job since every time they stop the apocalypse they go through a supernatural drought.

Thanks!

Yeah, I think it was just luck that the Ghostbusters were still of age in GB2 and TVG to take up arms and prevent the end of the world again. But we all know luck runs out and in Afterlife, I'm thinking is the final realization they can't always be around to stop the end of the world and there will always be threats targeting the planet so they must train their successors and they at some point will train theirs and so on so that were will always be a team to save the world. Now if that can be integrated into the prime universe of the IDW canon, we'll see. Does Erik and co. even want to do a flash forward story for the prime team? He might just ignore doing that story that deals with Afterlife and keep on trucking with current plans. I mean the recent Transformers/Back To The Future crossover kinda opens the door for a GB/BTTF crossover and the inevitable new GB time travel story could be coming... but that's just crazy speculation on my part (doesn't have my vote if it were up to me which it ain't).

The irony in the IDW canon is this notion of having successors was sort of the core of starting franchises (aside from a get rich scheme of Peter's) but thanks to bureaucracy, they barely had only 1 satellite branch in Chicago for years until 3/4 of the Ghost Smashers were added to it. And I think they've already found at least one dimension in the IDW canon's multiverse where a successor has had to carry on their work after the original team was too old to keep working, Dimension 68-V, the one where Mike the Golem is from. So in a way, Erik already beat Afterlife to the punch.

Oh I would be totally cool if the IDW crew just stuck with the plans and stories they would like to tell. I don’t think that they need to show any kind of flash forward to acknowledge the Afterlife Team. Maybe there could be a couple of Easter eggs with a young Grooberson or something. I don’t exactly want that either. I think IF or hopefully WHEN Afterlife turns out to be exceptional it will just open doors for the IDW crew to continue putting out their Ghostbusters comics. I would prefer it if the comics continue that they stick with their Peanuts style timeline, that way you can just add to the mythos and IDW can keep putting out great stories and maybe come up with more original characters. I just hope that the studio doesn’t put heavier limitations on what they are allowed to do with the characters that hinder or make writing the comics less fun for them. I hope the love and fun that they have continues to show through the pages.

For those that haven’t read Crossing Over.

There is still a lot to be told. I would love to see Ray try to get Jenny out of the containment unit.

This Post Contains Spoilers

I want to see Erik’s idea for a third crossover with the TMNT become a reality. I think he had an idea of having the Ghostbusters come into the Turtles Dimension. There is the matter of Chi Yu floating in space in a ghost trap and the core essence of Tiamat in a ghost trap in her pocket ghost dimension. Hey to bring more Afterlife into the Comic discussion I wonder just how long Muncher has been in that Ghost Trap. That should give us an idea of how long Chin Yu and Tiamat can stay in the traps.

[Bison256]

That's why I think afterlife will be a parallel timeline and not the future of the idw universe. It wont interfere with any plans they might have and could make for a heart warming moment when the kids their mother and mr Grooberson meet a living Egon.

[Bison256]

I just thought of a easy way IDW could retcon the comic to fit in afterlife. Egon has been told by Death that he shouldn't be alive. So let's say Egon gets hurt and is dying, he wishes he had a family. The wish is granted somehow, Callie is now born in the early 80s. However as a side effect every IDW story never happens but Egon still remembers the events. I hope they don't do this, it feels cheap to me. I honestly prefer afterlife to be alternate future like Sanctum of Slime. Though that has the problem of their being more than one gozer.

[*NormalGamer*]

I just thought of a easy way IDW could retcon the comic to fit in afterlife. Egon has been told by Death that he shouldn't be alive. So let's say Egon gets hurt and is dying, he wishes he had a family. The wish is granted somehow, Callie is now born in the early 80s. However as a side effect every IDW story never happens but Egon still remembers the events. I hope they don't do this, it feels cheap to me. I honestly prefer afterlife to be alternate future like Sanctum of Slime. Though that has the problem of their being more than one gozer.

@ *referring to bold*

I already brought up this idea months ago; since there's "No ghost sighting in over 30 years" according to GBA, it makes a whole lot of sense for it to be an alternate future/dimension in IDW GB canon without contradicting/retconning anything.

[philmorgan81]

I just thought of a easy way IDW could retcon the comic to fit in afterlife. Egon has been told by Death that he shouldn't be alive. So let's say Egon gets hurt and is dying, he wishes he had a family. The wish is granted somehow, Callie is now born in the early 80s. However as a side effect every IDW story never happens but Egon still remembers the events. I hope they don't do this, it feels cheap to me. I honestly prefer afterlife to be alternate future like Sanctum of Slime. Though that has the problem of their being more than one gozer.

@ *referring to bold*

I already brought up this idea months ago; since there's "No ghost sighting in over 30 years" according to GBA, it makes a whole lot of sense for it to be an alternate future/dimension in IDW GB canon without contradicting/retconning anything.

You know this may seem crazy, but the more that gets revealed with Afterlife the more I feel it fits with the prime comic world. Again it will probably come down to peoples preferences, but I have confidence in Erik's ability to make Afterlife work within the comics context. Again as much as I am enjoying Lucky, Trevor, Phoebe, and Podcast. I don't think IDW needs to touch or work these characters in. I think they can just tell their own stories building the Ghostbusters universe and maybe put in forshadowing easter eggs that acknowledge that the events of Afterlife will eventually happen. Simple stuff like Egon installing the gunner seat to the Ecto 1 or designing the RTV. I think that is as close as the IDWverse really needs to get. That way it doesn't contradict or overcomplicate anything. Of course that depends on if Sony is going to keep letting IDW use the IP and what the new conditions for writing the stories will be. I just there is a future because I am still so addicted to what the IDW crew has done so far, I would just live to see more. I would really love to see a few more volumes of Tobin's Spirit Guide get made by insight editions. That might be fun.

[Bison256]

The new equipment fits well within IDW. The problem however is the events. These over the top paranormal events keep happening, all over the world no less. Despite the undefined comic timeline there's been years worth of events. Pop culture references indicate a date of 1997 at the earliest. That doesn't work with Afterlife, no ghosts sightings for 30 years and all that. Unless the MIB get involved with the Ghostbusters I see no way around that.

If Afterlife is a alternate universe, I could see IDW Egon Independently creating the same or similar upgrades as Afterlife Egon.

[joezlo]

They already did with the end of Year One. Where it goes from here, or even if: I can only hope the creative team at IDW continues GB work.

[Bison256]

Wow having seen afterlife, there's a tiny amount of wiggle room for it to happen in the IDW timeline.

Egon ran off with their car and most of the gear around 2000

This Post Contains Spoilers

if IDW writes more stories this could be worked in to future storylines. IDW Egon is getting increasingly distant from the others. But it requires us to ignore all the high profile events that happened in the comic. Or at least pretend the general public never noticed them.

[philmorgan81]

Wow having seen afterlife, there's a tiny amount of wiggle room for it to happen in the IDW timeline.

Egon ran off with their car and most of the gear around 2000

This Post Contains Spoilers

if IDW writes more stories this could be worked in to future storylines. IDW Egon is getting increasingly distant from the others. But it requires us to ignore all the high profile events that happened in the comic. Or at least pretend the general public never noticed them.

That is true, however Dan Schoening said himself that the IDW universe doesn’t really have a set timeline. I think as far as future stories go the Ghostbusters will stay frozen in time.

[*NormalGamer*]

Wow having seen afterlife, there's a tiny amount of wiggle room for it to happen in the IDW timeline.

Egon ran off with their car and most of the gear around 2000

This Post Contains Spoilers

if IDW writes more stories this could be worked in to future storylines. IDW Egon is getting increasingly distant from the others. But it requires us to ignore all the high profile events that happened in the comic. Or at least pretend the general public never noticed them.

That is true, however Dan Schoening said himself that the IDW universe doesn’t really have a set timeline. I think as far as future stories go the Ghostbusters will stay frozen in time.

As I said earlier in this thread, the concept for several GB worlds/dimensions, which GB 1984 established and later expanded on in the IDW comics, would be just fine with me in a 'floating timeline' as long as there's well written neverending stories to be told; no matter what media format it's on. ^_^

[mrmichaelt]

It's tough because in a roundabout way they already did the story of Egon's death but ended it with his resurrection and the death of Jenny. I think it would go down as either a different version of Afterlife happens with some elements cherry picked and happening sooner in the IDW timeline, i.e. adding a gunner seat while the Ghostbusters are still operating in NYC AND/OR the Afterlife movie is one of the parallel universes, like idk, 21-A.

I think they could integrate Callie. Instead of how Afterlife went down, with Callie never knowing her father; in the IDW canon, Egon is an active part of her mother and Callie's life. Even visiting the Firehouse and potentially on the path to becoming a Ghostbuster like Alan Crendall. I mean, in a funny example, who here assumed everyone except Peter and Janine simply lived in the Firehouse? It wasn't until the International arc, we learned Egon has an apartment. And he's rather secretive about it, as he got Kylie out as fast as he could, lol. What's to say he's not hiding a child, too? Then in a theoretical time skip, Trevor and Phoebe are cadets in training, Trevor more interested in Ecto-1 and the various vehicles and Phoebe more interesting in working alongside grandpa in the Firehouse.

It is a little amusing if during one of their cross country tours (like Haunted America), Ray or Egon detected some faint readings in Oklahoma but Peter didn't want to go off-course again. But since the IDW canon cherry picked The Video Game, it would be interesting to see what kind of mental kung-fu Erik Burnham engages in to cover for the tomb of you-know-who.

[Bison256]

I like it, if the IDW guys start playing around with ther interdimensional portal find the afterlife world after the events of the film. The guys have a adventure with Phoebe, Trevor, Lucky, Podcast, Callie and Garry. Egon learns about his alternate self, allowing him to rethink his life choices. He decides to reconnect with his daughter. But I have a feeling IDW wouldn't be able to use Callie's mother or reveal anything about her. That would take some creative writing to work around.