New Ghostbusters Comic Issue 20
6 min read
Ghostbusters Volume 2 #20 is the twentieth and final issue of the second IDW Publishing ongoing Ghostbusters series, released September 24, 2014. It is the eighth and concluding chapter of "MASS HYSTERIA!," the 8-issue maxi-event celebrating the Ghostbusters' 30th Anniversary. Written by Erik Burnham, with art by Dan Schoening, colors by Luis Antonio Delgado, letters by Neil Uyetake, and editing by Tom Waltz. The Diamond order code is JUL140389.
Story: "Part Eight: Parting Ways"
The Mass Hysteria crisis reaches its resolution. With Tiamat driven from New York, the Ghostbusters must confront the cost of their victory. Winston Zeddemore makes a personal sacrifice: Tiamat erases the world's memory of his marriage to Tiyah Clarke, leaving Winston alone as the only person who can remember it. The team returns to the Firehouse, where Ray declares the Containment Unit must be manually vented, a procedure that had precedent in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Buster the Ghost." The issue closes on Saks Fifth Avenue, echoing the location where Winston proposed to Tiyah in Volume 1 Issue #16, before a final splash of Slimer flying toward the viewer, mirroring the endings of the first film and Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
A "Parting Ways" epilogue section provides illustrated update entries for the ensemble cast: the Chicago Ghostbusters (Rookie and Ron Alexander), the Ghost Smashers (Dani Shpak and Lou Kamaka), Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, Dana Barrett, Louis Tully, Tiyah Clarke, Walter Peck, Janine Melnitz, and Kylie Griffin. Notable: Jenny Moran was omitted from the epilogue due to an oversight; she was added to Ray's section in the Volume 9 trade paperback collection.
Characters
The main four Ghostbusters, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore, are joined by Tiyah Clarke, Janine Melnitz, and Slimer. Returning from the series' past are Ellen Gold, the Wander Hills Children (both from Volume 1 Issue #2), the Crybaby Ghost (from Volume 1 Issue #9), and the Zombie Taxi Driver (from the original film). Tiamat serves as the closing antagonist.
Equipment
The issue features the Proton Pack and Particle Thrower, Slime Blower, Containment Unit, P.K.E. Meter, Ecto Goggles, Ghost Trap, Ecto-2, and Ecto-5.
Locations
Key settings include Heaven, the Firehouse, Tiamat's Dimension, the Wander Hills Orphanage, Tiyah's Apartment (revealed to be unit 430 at 446 East 86th Street, Upper East Side), Dick's Pizza, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Pequod's at 608 5th Avenue.