Plot
Ghostly forces converge on Ghostbusters headquarters as the Turtles' window to get back to their own dimension grows dangerously small. Both teams mount a last-ditch effort against Chi-You and his thralls, with the fight centered at the firehouse. Notably, Michelangelo dons a Ghostbusters jumpsuit and takes up a Slime Blower to join the battle. The issue ends with Chi-You defeated and the Turtles returning home, followed by a quiet denouement between the two casts.
Characters
Ghostbusters
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo
- April O'Neil
- Casey Jones
- Splinter
Antagonists
- Chi-You
- Thralls of Chi-You
Equipment
Ghostbusters equipment in this issue includes the Proton Pack and Particle Thrower, an Arm Mounted Proton Pack, a Compact Pack, the Containment Unit, the Slime Blower (wielded by Michelangelo in this issue), a Miniature Slime Blower, Kylie's P.K.E. Meter, a Ghost Trap, Tobin's Spirit Guide, and the Ecto-1. An Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter plays a key role in the resolution of the crossover's central problem. On the TMNT side, the Interspatial Teleportation Unit remains central to the plot as the Turtles work to get home.
The Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter's casing carries three notable dates stamped in a style visually inspired by the DeLorean's time circuits from the "Back to the Future" franchise: December 14, 1987 (the air date of "Turtle Tracks," the first episode of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series), September 13, 1986 (the air date of "Ghosts R Us," the first episode of The Real Ghostbusters), and October 22, 2014 (the release date of issue #1 of this crossover).
Development
- October 30, 2014: Erik Burnham revealed he and Tom Waltz were working on the final script.
- November 12, 2014: Burnham hinted that the four-issue structure had forced many ideas to be cut, but that one survivor was Michelangelo donning a jumpsuit and Proton Pack.
- November 18, 2014: Burnham announced he and Waltz had finished writing issue #4.
- December 6, 2014: Adam Gorham posted an uncolored, unlettered preview of his Hot Topic variant cover.
- December 15, 2014: Dan Schoening announced he had finished penciling issue #4.
- December 17, 2014: Burnham revealed he had seen the mock-up for the issue.
- January 5, 2015: Brent Peeples posted an unlettered version of his Hastings variant cover.
- January 26, 2015: A cover, credits, and five-page preview were posted publicly.
- March 26, 2015: Schoening posted a work-in-progress image of one of the final panels, in which he deliberately mimicked the art style of Cory Smith.
- April 11, 2015: Schoening posted a deleted scene from issue #4.
- May 18, 2015: Luis Delgado posted unlettered versions of pages 4 and 16.
Erik Burnham has credited Cory Smith's cover for issue #3 as the inspiration for giving Michelangelo the Slime Blower in this issue.
Trivia and Easter Eggs
Dan Schoening and Luis Antonio Delgado packed every page with references to both franchises and beyond. The following is a page-by-page breakdown based on creators' own commentary.
Page 1: The Interspatial Teleportation Unit is visually designed after the Transdimensional Portal from The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Copycat." The Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter is visually based on the Sub-etheric Multichannel Differential Analyzer from The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Grundel." Also visible in panel 3 is the Dimensionometer from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Egon on the Rampage," and a computer screen showing Level 2 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan.
The Employee of the Month board on page 1, panel 4 is more legible than in previous issues. Each month's photo references a specific panel from the IDW Ghostbusters ongoing series: January and July are from Ghostbusters Volume 2 (#9 and #11); February, March, April, May, August, October, and December from Ghostbusters Volume 1 (#7, #9, #8, #12, #12, #15, and Volume 2 #12); June is from the back cover of the Volume 8 trade paperback; September is from Ghostbusters Volume 2 #1; November is from the rear cover of the Volume 3 trade paperback. Also visible in panel 4 are three Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade cabinets: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (left), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Japan 2-Player (center), and the 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game (right). On the whiteboard from the previous issue remain references including a Topps TMNT Movie card (#88, "Casey--Mr. Fix-It!"), the picture from the Kenner Ghost Zapper projector toy, a photo of Tiamat from the Ghostbusters ongoing "Mass Hysteria!" arc, a screenshot from TMNT: Fall of the Foot Clan Level 4, the Technodrome battle from the 1989 TMNT arcade game, the newspaper from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze ("Ninja Rap is Born"), John Bruno's layout of Louis Tully's apartment from Making Ghostbusters (page 120), and a callback to Michelangelo's "I told you so" line from issue #3, page 21.
Page 2: Still visible on the whiteboard: the Technodrome battle image from the 1989 TMNT arcade game. A Genie's lamp from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Janine's Genie" sits on top of a file cabinet. The label on the file cabinet drawer lists the surnames of TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. On a shelf to the left of Kylie is the rose bowling ball used by Bill Murray's character in the 1996 film "Kingpin." In panel 5, Winston is wearing the Forces of Good T-shirt seen in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Night Game." Erik Burnham considered cutting the proximity alert gag but Tom Waltz talked him out of it.
Page 3: A bag of Wise Popcorn appears (the same brand seen among Dana Barrett's groceries at the beginning of Ghostbusters II). Ray's Stay Puft Marshmallow Man doll is next to his bed. The Days Without Incident sign from Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) also appears; Luis Delgado's "15" easter egg is embedded in the sign.
Page 4: Janine's desk still has the Ghostbusters Mug and Balloon from Ghostbusters II. Peter's "next quarter" line is a subtle nod to "The Addams Family" (1991 film). In the box on the file cabinet (carried over from issue #2) is a Flex-O-Man comic from the Slimer! episode "Room at the Top." The Andres brand microwave from Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) is visible between Winston and Leonardo.
Page 6: Kylie operates a console visually based on Doc Brown's remote control from "Back to the Future." On a board in panel 5 are: a Ghostbusters newspaper theater advertisement for the first movie, the "Ghost in a Can" promotional flat for the UK market (1985), the McDonald's Canada Ghostbusters II tray liner, and a Ninja Pizza business card (Ninja Pizza appearing in "Turtle Tracks," the first episode of the 1987 TMNT animated series).
Page 8: The three dates on the Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter use a DeLorean time-circuit-inspired graphic treatment. December 14, 1987 is the air date of "Turtle Tracks"; September 13, 1986 is the air date of "Ghosts R Us"; October 22, 2014 is the release date of issue #1 of this crossover.
Page 9: The biometric protocol from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" is once again attached to the Containment Unit.
Page 10: Above Casey Jones is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figure of Scratch, a character released in the 1993 Playmates TMNT toy line.
Page 11: Peter mentions that Ray is still the owner of the Firehouse. Winston warns against crossing the streams. A framed New York Post on the wall outside the R&D Lab reads "Ghost Cops Bust Tri-State Terror."
Page 13: A KPPX sticker appears on a toolbox, referencing the fictional radio station from the 1994 film "Airheads," which featured Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson.
Page 15: A miniature figure of Cudley the Cowlick, a TMNT character, appears in the upper right corner of panel 5.
Page 16: Above April's word balloon is an Imp from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Janine's Day Off." At the kitchen sink: a liter bottle of Blody (last seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 #6) and a soap dispenser named after Double Bubble from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Big Trouble with Little Slimer." On top of the refrigerator is the Singing Slime, a Cursed Artifact from Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions).
Page 17: Chi-You threatens to reduce the Turtles into Guilinggao, a turtle jelly used in Chinese traditional medicine. Burnham has noted this was also intended as a nod to a similar threat Shredder made in the 1987 animated series.
Page 19: Peter's marketing idea is framed as a joke at the expense of the volume of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles merchandise.
Page 20: Donatello mentions reincarnation, a reference to the IDW TMNT canon in which the Turtles and Splinter are reincarnated from past lives in feudal Japan. Egon eats a Twinkie (a recurring motif in Ghostbusters lore). Kylie is holding Tobin's Spirit Guide. Winston gives Leonardo a pair of his Marine Corps patches; the seal reflects the rank of Sergeant.
Page 21: Casey Jones alludes to Harold Lillja's fly swatting in issue #1, which triggered the dimensional displacement. One of Winston's chevrons also appears on Cover B of Ghostbusters Year One issue #1.
References
- IDW Publishing (Fandom Wiki), "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 4"
