Main Story
The Ghostbusters are tracking an infamous grimoire, the Rauoskinna, which has been protected for centuries by spirits and mythological entities. The story runs two simultaneous tracks.
Chile: Cueva de Quicavi
Peter Venkman, Winston Zeddemore, Ray Stantz, and Special Agent Melanie Ortiz descend into the caves of Chiloe Island, joined by Kylie Griffin and the animated Egon Spengler. The cave is rooted in genuine Chilote mythology: the legendary Cueva de Quicavi is said in tradition to be where a Spanish warlock left behind a powerful book of spells, tying directly to the team's search for the Rauoskinna.
The cave is guarded by creatures drawn from Chilote myth. The Fiura, an ugly forest hag, lurks in the background as they enter. The Imbunche, who can communicate only in guttural noises, serve as the Brujo warlocks' guardians; they are described in myth as children kidnapped and physically transformed by the Brujo in infancy. The Brujo's design is based on photographs of alleged Brujo figures from the 16th and 17th centuries. Ray demonstrates expertise in South American mythology throughout the arc, consistent with Egon's remark in issue #6 that Ray had a better grasp of the lore in that part of the world.
Inside the cave, Ray locates an Alchemy Key, which in Chilote myth locks the entryway to the Brujo's cave. Egon/Animated uses the Destabilizer (from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Egon's Ghost") and carries a copy of Tobin's Spirit Guide, as seen in RGB episodes such as "The Boogieman Cometh." The team's Ecto Goggles, first introduced in issue #3, are used throughout the cave sequence. Melanie notes she does not like caves; Winston references his encounter with the Ghost Train in Ghostbusters II.
Egon/Animated notes there have been no sightings of the Brujo since the 1880s, a factual tie-in: the last major witch trial in Chile ran from 1880 to 1881.
Japan: Aokigahara Forest
The Chicago Ghostbusters, Rookie, Ron Alexander, Dani Shpak, and Lou Kamaka, travel to Aokigahara Jukai (the "Sea of Green Foliage"), located at the northwest base of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture. The forest is infamous for being infested with yurei, angry spirits said to manifest from those who die there. The forest's iron-rich volcanic soil disrupts compasses, GPS devices, and cell phones. Rookie is seen carrying a rope, a common navigational method used by visitors to the forest. This issue marks the first time the full Chicago Ghostbusters roster appears together in a single panel.
Ron Alexander has improved his pack's atomizing stream since he led the Ghost Smashers in Volume 1, Issues #13 to #15. The local guide hired by the Chicago team is later revealed to be the same woman glimpsed in one of Proteus' visions in Get Real Issue #4. Ron refers to Kylie by the "Spooky" nickname he gave her in Volume 2, Issue #4. A box on a pedestal in the cave prompts Rookie to compare the situation to Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Characters
Peter Venkman, Winston Zeddemore, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler/Animated, Kylie Griffin, Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, Walter Peck, Janine Melnitz, Jenny Moran, Kevin Tanaka, Ron Alexander, Rookie, Dani Shpak, Lou Kamaka, Aokigahara Guide, Fiura, Imbunche, Brujo, Yurei, Map Guardian Ghost
Equipment
Proton Pack, Particle Thrower, Ecto Goggles, P.K.E. Meter, Ghost Trap, Destabilizer, Boson Caster, Tobin's Spirit Guide, Psychomagnotheric Slime, Alchemy Key, Map to Nikulausson's Tomb
Backup Story: "Haunted America Case Files"
The backup story features Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, Peter Venkman, and Ray Stantz with Saint Pippy, a giant lobster entity glimpsed on the subscription cover. The backup's featured location is Congress Street. Equipment includes the Proton Pack and Particle Thrower.
Covers
The regular Cover A features Ecto-1 and references "The City That Never Sleeps," one of New York City's nicknames, with the Rockefeller Center visible in the lower left corner. The subscription Cover B by Corin Howell features Special Agent Melanie Ortiz paired with Saint Pippy; Howell appears to make a cameo on the clock tower in the background of her own cover. The credits page image is reused from page 15, panel 1 of this issue.
Development
On June 22, 2016, IDW's September solicits revealed the synopsis, crew information, and regular cover, with Dan Schoening also posting the cover with the correct issue number.
On July 4, 2016, Erik Burnham began scripting Issue #9 and hinted he had set aside nine pages for the Chile section. By July 5, 2016, he was halfway through the script. On July 11, 2016, Burnham tweeted that he would be scripting many cave walls and trees as background detail at Dan Schoening's request.
Guest artist Erik Evensen entered the picture in August. On August 12, 2016, Evensen had completed eight pages. The following day he posted a work-in-progress image of Kylie Griffin and confirmed he had been drawing Ghostbusters for IDW. On August 15, 2016, Evensen formally announced his contribution and posted an unlettered preview featuring Kylie and Ron Alexander. On August 18, 2016, he posted a teaser of Rookie; Burnham teased "the rest of the Chicago Ghostbusters can't be far behind," and shared Corin Howell's completed subscription cover. On August 22, 2016, Dan Schoening confirmed the Japan section was drawn by Evensen.
A cover, credits page, and five-page preview were posted on September 30, 2016. The issue went on sale October 5, 2016. On November 16, 2016, Luis Antonio Delgado posted unlettered versions of pages 16 and 17.
Trivia
- The Diamond Order Code is JUL160559. The regular Cover A features Ecto-1, with "The City That Never Sleeps" and a Rockefeller Center reference on the cover.
- On Page 1, Walter Peck's framed office articles include "EPA Busts Ghost Catchers," "BUFO Hires Peck and Hardemeyer," and a New York article on the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. An invoice in panel 3 packs in several references to the 2016 film: the client is "E Mulgrave" (Ed Mulgrave Jr.), the order number "150716" encodes the film's July 15, 2016, release date, and the description lists Boston University Castle (225 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215), a filming location for the Aldridge Mansion Museum. "Attn Zach" is a nod to Zach Woods, who played Tour Guide Garrett. Jenny is wearing the charcoal Ghost Smashers flight suit from Volume 2, Issues #17 and #18.
- In panel 5 of Page 1, the device at left is the one Calahan was carrying in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Big Trouble With Little Slimer" before Slimer slimed him, and at right is the B.U.F.O. Receptacle from the same episode.
- On Page 2, Janine Melnitz alludes to Erland Vinter and the contract Peck brokered in Issue #2. The two cardboard boxes in panel 4 are labeled "GB Wiki," a nod to the Ghostbusters Wiki.
- On Page 3, the in-story map spells Chiloe as "Chilo" (typically "Chiloe"). The arrow points to Mocopulli Airport in Dalcahue. Egon/Animated notes no Brujo sightings since the 1880s, a factual reference to Chile's last major witch trial (1880-1881). Ray mentions El Caleuche (the famous ghost ship of Chilote myth associated with the Brujo), the Millalobo (a powerful half-man, half-seal figure in Chilote mythology), and the John Milton, which Ray, Peter, and Kylie previously investigated in Volume 2, Issues #7 and #8. In panel 3, Winston eats from a bag visually based on peanut bags seen in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Take Two." Melanie is reading the first issue of The Real Ghostbusters comic from Marvel Comics Ltd.
- In the Cueva de Quicavi, in Chilote myth it is said a Spanish warlock left behind a powerful book of spells there, tying neatly to the Rauoskinna search. The Imbunche's scream is the only sound it can produce according to myth.
- On Page 5, Egon/Animated uses the Destabilizer from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Egon's Ghost." Peter compares the cave to Mordor; Ray corrects him by specifying Moria, both locations from Lord of the Rings. In panel 4, the Ecto Goggles POV with "Bingo" on the right side echoes a similar POV from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Janine's Genie." When assaulted, Peter responds with his "Dah!" line from the Ghostbusters library stack scene.
- On Page 8, Peter asking what Plan B is nods to The Real Ghostbusters, where Plan B was typically running away.
- On Page 9, Peter alludes to Gozer blasting the team with lightning in the first film; Winston alludes to Gozer's "Are you a god?" challenge.
- On Page 10, Ray references the events of Volume 1, Issue #10, when the team faced the ghost of Marie Laveau II and Voodoo Zombies in New Orleans.
- On Page 11, the Alchemy Key is a double nod: it references an actual object in Chilote myth that locks the entryway to the Brujo's cave, and it is designed as a tribute to IDW's "Locke & Key" series, because that series' artist Gabriel Rodriguez initially suggested Chile as a setting for Ghostbusters International.
- On Page 12, the Chicago Ghostbusters are seen together for the first time as a complete roster. Ron mentions Fresno. The local guide is the same woman glimpsed in Proteus' visions in Get Real Issue #4.
- On Page 15, Ron reveals he has improved his pack's atomizing stream since Volume 1, Issues #13 to #15. The "problem from before" he references was the undefeatable Megaspook, ultimately defeated by Death.
- On Page 16, Kylie's reference to being in a "weird lit cave before" is a callback to her finding Craig Liath in Ireland during Issue #7.
- On Page 17, Rookie's boulder reference continues the Raiders of the Lost Ark thread. An incidentally similar tentacled ghost was depicted attacking Loftur Þorsteinsson in Issue #5.
- On Page 20, Ray's outfit is based on Dan Aykroyd's wardrobe on the set of the first film. Peter's outfit is based on what Bill Murray wore to George Clooney's 2013 wedding. On the table: a bag from McDowell's (the burger franchise from "Coming to America"), the Ghost Tether from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Partners in Slime," the Dimensionometer from "Egon on the Rampage," and the Containment Unit from Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016). The computer screen shows a still from the Ghostbusters II Activision video game's Broadway level.
- The Dramatis Personae section updates several character bios: Egon/Animated's now references the Get Real mini-series events, Proteus, and the Interspatial Teleportation Unit. The Chicago Ghostbusters bio alludes to the Rauoskinna and sports a new branch logo. Winston's bio notes his love of baseball, consistent with him telling Melanie he played baseball in Volume 2, Issue #4, and with his animated counterpart's baseball interest on The Real Ghostbusters.
- Page 1's "Wally Wick" nameplate is a nod to the edited television broadcast version of the first film, in which Peck's character was renamed.
- Page 23's Spectral Incident Report mentions the FBI Field Office in Portland, Maine, and references Kylie Griffin.
- The "What Came Before!" recap page for this issue does not reuse any images, unlike prior issues. The page for Issue #10 reuses the image from page 8, panel 4 and page 20, panel 5 of this issue.
References
