Big city life proves a challenging adjustment for the Spengler family. Something sinister swoops around Central Park, but the family's attention is split between the personal and the professional. New clues point toward the true cause of the city's recent ghost epidemic, and one family member pursues the trail with a dedication that may end in trouble. The Ghostbusters continue their official return to New York City in the second installment of the series.4
The issue picks up directly from the events of Issue #1, with the Spenglers still reeling from their first ghost encounter at the Firehouse. Phoebe Spengler connects with Ray Stantz at Ray's Occult Books, where Ray shares details about the Psychomagnotheric Slime and the events of Ghostbusters II, including how a small quantity of the slime survived after Vigo's defeat, which Ray kept in a jar. Meanwhile, Gary and Callie deal with a bird-like ghost that mimics a Siren near Central Park, and Trevor encounters a Siren ghost of his own. Phoebe continues investigating the broader ghost epidemic with the same relentless focus that has characterized her since her introduction in Afterlife.4
Green Slime Ghosts continue from Issue #1. Cockroach Acolytes and Madame Malveaux persist as ongoing antagonists across the series. A Siren ghost appears in Central Park, mimicking a bird and luring characters with a siren-like call; this entity is referenced in Issues #3 and #4 and proves to be a recurring part of the arc's escalating threat.4
The issue features the full suite of Ghostbusters equipment: Proton Pack, Particle Thrower, Ghost Trap, Containment Unit, Ecto Goggles, and P.K.E. Meter. The Hammer of Truth, later seen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, appears on the counter at Ray's Occult Books, foreshadowing its future significance.4
Gary jokes about needing a flying Trap to handle the Central Park ghost. By the events of Frozen Empire, the team does have one: the Drone Trap.4
Ray mentions the New York Pneumatic Railroad and its creator Alfred Beach in conversation with Phoebe. He also alludes to the Manhattan Museum of Art as the approximate location referenced in Ghostbusters II, while noting that the exact location was never officially confirmed, with fans using clues from the film and scripts to place it in the Upper East Side.4
This issue is dense with cross-continuity callbacks:
The events of this issue are referenced forward into later installments: on page 6 of Issue #3, Trevor alludes to the Siren ghost encounter; on page 13 of Issue #3, Ray mentions both the Central Park bird ghost battle and Trevor's Siren ghost encounter; and on page 5 of Issue #4, the Central Park bird ghost returns. The conversation between Gary and Callie about Phoebe and Trevor (page 9) is also referenced on page 14 of Ghostbusters: Dead Man's Chest Issue #1.4
On December 15, 2023, cover artist Ben Dewey posted unused options he had submitted for Cover B.
On April 20, 2024, a five-page preview of the issue was posted ahead of its April 24 release.5
The issue was announced as part of the four-issue "Back in Town" series on November 16, 2023, with David Booher as writer and Blue Delliquanti as artist throughout. The series was described as bridging the gap between Ghostbusters: Afterlife and the then-upcoming Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.2
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
Ghostbusters News, "Dark Horse Comics announce 'Ghostbusters: Back in Town,' bridging the story between 'Afterlife' and 'Frozen Empire'" (November 16, 2023), https://ghostbustersnews.com/2023/11/16/dark-horse-comics-announce-ghostbusters-back-in-town-bridges-the-story-between-afterlife-and-frozen-empire/.
Dark Horse Comics, Ghostbusters Volume 1: Back in Town trade paperback (November 5, 2024). ISBN 978-1-50673-527-6. Confirmed by: Paul Rudoff, Spook Central, "Ghostbusters: Back in Town Comic Book Review" (July 19, 2024), https://www.spookcentral.tk/2024/07/19/ghostbusters-back-in-town-comic-book-review.html.
Ghostbusters: Back in Town #2 (Dark Horse Comics, April 24, 2024). Script: David M. Booher; art: Blue Delliquanti; colors: Mildred Louis; letters: Jimmy Betancourt.
Ghostbusters News, "Get a sneak peek inside Ghostbusters: Back in Town Issue #2" (April 20, 2024), https://ghostbustersnews.com/2024/04/20/get-a-sneak-peek-inside-ghostbusters-back-in-town-issue-2/.
