Is Mr. Stay Puft finally reforming after the battle with his doppelganger during the Infestation? Is that what's causing the huge PKE uptick in New York? As Winston Zeddemore and Peter Venkman take care of the annoying and familiar spook haunting the Crendall household, Ray Stantz receives a visitor at the firehouse, and this visitor could be what his prophetic dream was trying to warn him about.
The issue also includes a P.C.O.C. (Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission) backup story written by Tristan Jones.
Preview covers for issue #2 were first revealed on June 17, 2011. Around the same time, Tristan Jones confirmed via Twitter that Nick Runge had submitted his variant cover.
On July 26, 2011, Dan Schoening announced he had finished penciling the issue, hinting it would be "full of Ghostbusting, Slime and Kittens." The following day, IDW revealed that Schoening's variant cover is titled "We're Ready to Believe You," a reference to the television advertisement from the first Ghostbusters film.
Tristan Jones completed the bulk of his P.C.O.C. work in late August 2011 and noted that the Ghostbusters invoice appearing in the backup story was partly inspired by a prop invoice Dan Schoening drew into the main story. Erik Burnham teased in late August and early September 2011 that the issue would include "More PCOC, more behind the scenes sketches, more fan art, oh, and a bear of an ending!" and confirmed the team travels to Queens. A preview containing the covers, table of contents, and seven pages of the main story was released on October 10, 2011.
A second printing was announced on November 9, 2011, with new cover art by Jones and Delgado paying homage to "Army of Darkness." The original concept called for Peter Venkman in the center with Zuul/Dana Barrett at his feet, but since Dana Barrett is off limits in the IDW comics, the idea was reworked. The final cover features the backdrop of Vigo's painting, imps from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Janine's Day Off" poking at Egon's feet, Psychomagnotheric Slime, and hidden cameos that Jones later confirmed include the Gulper Ghost, Terror Dogs, and Zombie Taxi Driver.
On July 14, 2013, Dan Schoening posted rough sketches of unused cover designs for this issue.
Incentive Cover B
by Dan Schoening
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA. ISBN 0918432685. Michael Gross (associate producer): "The original concept for Winston's character was younger and hipper. At one point, we were talking with Gregory Hines about playing the part. We also considered getting a young black comedian -- somebody like Eddie Murphy."
Ghostbusters 1 and 2 Gift Set (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2014, Blu-ray). Special features: "Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective" at the 5:04 mark; "Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond" at the 12:05 mark.
Ghostbusters: Crossing Over Issue #6 (IDW Publishing, 2018), pp. 8-9 (Ellen Gold's psychiatric history); Issue #7 (IDW Publishing, 2018), pp. 1, 3 (Were-Chicken and chalkboard callbacks to this issue).
