Plot
Continued directly from Issue #7, the assembled Ghostbusters face Tiamat in the Collectors' Limbo. Winston Zeddemore negotiates with the goddess, reminding her that the research Kylie Griffin uncovered during the Mass Hysteria arc established that a god could be appeased with a sacrifice to leave a dimension. The teams deploy seven Trap-Gates simultaneously against Tiamat, far exceeding the six that Egon of Dimension 68-R had stated would be insufficient for a Class 7, and manage to confine her. Winston elects to leave Tiamat sealed in a Trap rather than deposit her into the Containment Unit, echoing his handling of the main antagonist in the TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover.
Back at the Firehouse, the teams celebrate their return. Egon Spengler uses his subliminal messaging code (first introduced in the ongoing series) to trigger the Chicken Dance in Egon of Dimension 68-E. Ray Stantz worries they have been gone for months due to the time-distorting nature of the Collectors' dimension, but the absence turns out to be brief. The celebration is cut short when Jenny Moran, warned in Issue #6 by Rachel Unglighter, is attacked by a ghost and pulled into the Containment Unit, setting up the next story arc. Meanwhile, Walter Peck meets Janine Melnitz at a Pequod's to renew the offer he made in Issue #1.
Cast
Prime Dimension
Dimension 68-R (The Real Ghostbusters)
Dimension 80-C (Answer the Call)
Dimension 50-S
Dimension 68-E (Extreme Ghostbusters)
Antagonists and Others
- Tiamat
- The Collectors
- Darius Dun
- Walter Peck
- Mail Fraud Ghost (appearance based on the Kenner toy)
Equipment
The issue features an unusually wide array of ghost-hunting hardware drawn from multiple continuities:
- Proton Pack (both film and animated versions)
- Particle Thrower (both versions)
- P.K.E. Meter (standard and Dimension 68-R variant)
- Proton Cannister
- Proton Pistol
- Compact Pack
- Trap-Gate (seven deployed simultaneously against Tiamat on page 10)
- Trap Orb (from Issue #6)
- Proton Glove (used by Holtzmann; identified by Winston because she used it in Issue #3 at Fort Washington Park)
- Interspatial Teleportation Unit
- Containment Unit
- Stethoscope and PC-4 Calculator (Egon's props from the original film)
Covers
Cover A (Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado): Features Prime Egon Spengler, Melanie Ortiz, Peter Venkman, and Ecto-1, alongside the Ghostbusters of Dimension 35-N and Kevin Beckman of Dimension 80-C. Dan Schoening posted the full Kevin Beckman image used for this cover on November 11, 2018.
Cover B (Tim Lattie): A large ensemble cover featuring Prime Cait Banner, Zoe Zawadzki, Janine Melnitz, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, Peter Venkman, and Jenny Moran alongside Mike the Golem and Robo-Buster of Dimension 68-V; Ray Stantz of Dimension 68-R; Eduardo Rivera and Garrett Miller of Dimension 68-E; Erin Gilbert of Dimension 80-C; and Alan Crendall and Samuel Hazer of Dimension 50-S. Ray and Egon wear the charcoal flightsuits from Ghostbusters II; Janine wears her first-film outfit; Ray holds the Giga Meter. The cover vehicle and motorcycle are based on 1986 Kenner concept art.
Cover RI (Luca Pizzari, Retailer Incentive): Features Prime Ecto-1, the Firehouse, Winston, and Slimer alongside Kylie Griffin of Dimension 68-E, Alan Crendall of Dimension 50-S, and Jillian Holtzmann of Dimension 80-C. A preview of this cover was posted by Tom Waltz on March 14, 2018. Note: Issue #7 mistakenly previewed the Cover RI rather than Cover A on page 22.
Development
| Date |
Event |
| March 14, 2018 |
Tom Waltz posted a preview of the Luca Pizzari Cover RI |
| July 26, 2018 |
October solicitations revealed the initial crew, logline, and Cover RI |
| August 14, 2018 |
Erik Burnham revealed he included another 9-panel grid page in the script |
| August 18, 2018 |
Dan Schoening noted he would work on Issue #8 the following weekend |
| August 22, 2018 |
Erik Burnham announced he had finished writing Crossing Over |
| September 21, 2018 |
Tom Waltz posted three finished panels featuring the 80-C, 50-S, and 68-E teams |
| September 24, 2018 |
Tom Waltz approved the issue for print and posted a snippet of the ending |
| November 11, 2018 |
Dan Schoening posted the full Kevin Beckman image used for Cover A |
| November 13, 2018 |
Covers, credits, and a 5-page preview were posted |
| November 14, 2018 |
Issue released |
| March 7, 2019 |
Luis Delgado posted an unlettered version of page 10 |
Trivia
- Page 1: Winston of 68-R compares Tiamat to Medusa; Dana Barrett made the same comparison in IDW Ongoing Volume 2, Issue #14.
- Page 3: Tiamat references the Collectors and their capture in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2, Issue #5. Winston mentions research Kylie uncovered in the Mass Hysteria arc about appeasing gods with a sacrifice.
- Page 5: Kylie's line "Hold Hand Grenade" is a nod to the Holy Hand Grenade from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
- Page 10: Seven Trap-Gates are used against Tiamat. In Issue #4, Egon of 68-R stated six would be far too few to capture a Class 7.
- Page 12: Winston's decision to leave Tiamat sealed in a Trap rather than depositing her in the Containment Unit parallels his handling of the antagonist in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 1.
- Page 13: In panel 1, the Ecto-100, a customized Ford F-100 built by GBFans.com community member Mr. Outlaw, appears on the left side of the screen. Also visible: a still from The Real Ghostbusters Game Boy video game, and the Containment Unit Monitor from The Real Ghostbusters episodes "Xmas Marks the Spot" and "When Halloween Was Forever". In panel 2, Egon of 68-E wears an "I've Been Slimed" T-Shirt from the original Ghostbusters Official Mail Order Merchandise (originally $7.50); Peter charges him $24.99.
- Page 15: The screen on Jenny's phone references Austin Millbarge from the 1985 film Spies Like Us, which also starred Donna Dixon, Jenny Moran's visual inspiration.
- Page 17: Ray and Egon wear blue lab coats from the commercial in the first Ghostbusters film. In panel 4, the ghost attacking Jenny is visually based on the Kenner Mail Fraud Ghost toy. The pocket dimension is visually based on the one in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster".
- Page 19: Egon's subliminal messaging code (from Ongoing Volume 1, Issue #5) is revealed to trigger the Chicken Dance, a fad that became popular in the United States in 1981.
- Page 20: Peck and Janine meet at Pequod's, the coffee franchise established in Ongoing Volume 1. The orange menu standee in panel 4 names pastries after the comic's crew: World Famous Brownies by assistant editor Megan Brown ($4.99); Pan de Muertos by colorist Luis Delgado ($4.99); Pumperknickle by editor Tom Waltz ($3.99); Spinners by writer Erik Burnham ($3.99); Rye by artist Dan Schoening ($4.99); and Bread by letterer Neil Uyetake ($5.99).
- The ending of this issue mirrors Ghostbusters International #11, where Ray's premature celebratory tone is followed by something terrible happening to Jenny.
References
- IDW Publishing, Ghostbusters Crossing Over #8 (November 14, 2018). Written by Erik Burnham; art by Dan Schoening; colors by Luis Antonio Delgado; letters by Neil Uyetake; edited by Tom Waltz and Megan Brown.
