Ghostbusters: Get Real #1

Ghostbusters: Get Real #1 is the first issue of a four-part mini-series published by IDW Publishing on June 17, 2015. Written by Erik Burnham with pencils by Dan Schoening and colors by Luis Antonio Delgado, the issue launches a crossover between the film-continuity Ghostbusters of the IDW ongoing series and their animated counterparts from The Real Ghostbusters. The story is canonically set after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters crossover mini-series. Diamond Order Code: APR150362.

Story

Title: "Part One: A Protean Escape"

The issue opens with the Icon Ghost delivering a recap styled on the opening of The Real Ghostbusters animated series, summarizing the events of the episode "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster" to establish the animated universe's history with Proteus. The recap ends with the Icon Ghost's trademark sign-off: "We now return to The Real Ghostbusters."

In the animated universe, the Ghostbusters are called to the Garment District, where the shapeshifting elder god Proteus has taken hold. This sequence mirrors several scenes from "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster" directly: Proteus possesses the Atlas statue at Rockefeller Plaza and is driven off by the animated Ghostbusters. The fallout sends Proteus to a sorceress named Claudia (whose design is loosely based on Dahlia from the RGB episode "Moaning Stones"), where he consults the imprisoned goddess Ananke. Ananke is the Greek deity of law, necessity, and fate; she addresses Proteus by his Greek mythological nickname "The Old Man of the Sea," and alludes to his prophetic gifts and his eventual defeat at the hands of the animated Ghostbusters.

The main action follows Proteus carving a symbol of Ananke into a mirror, the ancient mythological symbol depicting her entwined with Khronos at the beginning of time. This ritual tears open a dimensional rift that displaces the film-continuity Ghostbusters -- Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore -- into the animated universe. At the Firehouse, the film-continuity team encounters their animated counterparts for the first time, while Janine Melnitz briefly mistakes the animated Egon for her ex-boyfriend Roger Baugh (a visual joke: Roger was designed to resemble the Extreme Ghostbusters-era Egon, and both animated Egons were voiced by Maurice LaMarche). Both versions of Egon independently produce Twinkies.

The animated Ghostbusters are skeptical but intrigued. Ray (animated) marvels at the ectenic force of the film-universe equipment and the differences in the Firehouse decor. Winston (animated) refers to the animated Janine's apartment, which was haunted in "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster." Egon (film) acknowledges helping build the Interspatial Teleportation Unit with Donatello and April in the TMNT/Ghostbusters crossover. The issue ends positioning both teams as an uneasy alliance with a common target in Proteus.

Dramatis Personae

The following characters appear (note: the dramatis personae page lists Janine Melnitz (animated) and Slimer (animated) despite neither appearing in the issue itself):

Characters: Icon Ghost, Natasha, Claudia, Peter Venkman (animated), Ray Stantz (animated), Winston Zeddemore (animated), Egon Spengler (animated), Proteus, Hollis (cat), Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, Egon Spengler, Janine Melnitz, Dark Entity (in crystal ball), Ananke

Equipment: Trap (animated), Proton Pack (animated), Particle Thrower (animated), PKE Meter (animated), Electrical Gloves (animated), Ecto-1 (animated), Ecto-2, Paranormal Containment Research Tank, Ron Alexander's Proton Pack attachment, Trap, PKE Meter, Interspatial Teleportation Unit, Containment Unit