# IDW Ghostbusters comics. I have questions. **URL:** \ **Category:** Ghostbusters Comic Books\ **Created:** [March 16, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520 "2014-03-16T13:52:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/1 "2014-03-16T13:52:05Z")
Hi everybody, I’ve been thinking about picking up some Ghostbusters comics, but I have a couple of questions before I do. 1: Which continuity are these comics set in? The animated show, or the movies? I consider the movies/video games to be one continuity, and the animated show to be another. I’m hoping the comic fits into one or the other. 2: What year does the comic take place? 3: And lastly (for now), are ALL the IDW comics set in the same continuity, or am I good just picking up the two ongoing series to start? Thanks in advance for any answers! ---
**Author:** ![kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/kingpin/32/188026_2.png) [@kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/kingpin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/2 "2014-03-16T14:16:51Z")
The IDW comics follow the continuity of _Ghostbusters_, _[Ghostbusters II](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-ii-activision)_ and _[Ghostbusters: The Video Game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game)_. The comic features elements and characters inspired by or taken from both _[The Real Ghostbusters](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/the-real-ghostbusters-activison)_ and _[Extreme Ghostbusters](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/extreme-ghostbusters)_, but neither cartoon is considered a part of the established series of events. The comic has also set itself up to potentially lead into the events of _[Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-sanctum-of-slime)_. The current year in the comic appears to be 1996. I believe the year in the comic when it first began was 1992/1993. Do you mean all of IDW’s comic titles, or just the Ghostbusters ones? On the whole all of IDW’s Ghostbusters comics have been set in the same continuity (although I strongly suspect the first miniseries, **[The Other Side](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/publications/comics/ghostbusters-the-other-side)** is largely ignored these days). You can start from the very beginning, picking up **The Other Side** , but you could easily skip most of the miniseries prior to the monthly and not miss out in much (although the **■■■■■■■■■■■■** issue did introduce Winston’s current love interest). ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/3 "2014-03-16T14:35:55Z")
Okay thanks a bunch. I’ll probably just start with the first ongoing, as I know my local comicshop has the trades for those. What year does the game take place in again? What about [Sanctum of Slime](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-sanctum-of-slime)? Are they ignoring that? Edit: Never mind the Sanctum of Slime part of this post. I somehow skipped over that part when I read your reply. lol 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/fritz/32/10773_2.png) [@fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/fritz)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/4 "2014-03-16T14:40:52Z")
> [@LawgSkrak](#): > > Okay thanks a bunch. I’ll probably just start with the first ongoing, as I know my local comicshop has the trades for those. > > What year does the game take place in again? What about Sanctum of Slime? Are they ignoring that? [The Video Game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game) takes place in late 1991. [Sanctum of Slime](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-sanctum-of-slime) takes place about the same time it was released, which was on March 23, 2011, more or less. While it might not be the “set future” of the IDW continuity, they did nod to it in the first issue of the ongoing series–one of the characters hired in the game appears as a child. ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/5 "2014-03-16T14:54:33Z")
Well, I doubt the comic will run for 15 more years (to bring us from 1996 to 2011), so we can probably safely assume that it is the future of the series. 🙂 Have they dropped any Return of the Ghostbusters easter eggs in the comic? ---
**Author:** ![kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/kingpin/32/188026_2.png) [@kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/kingpin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/6 "2014-03-16T16:55:24Z")
There’s been a nod or two to Ed Spengler’s “Uncle Egon” fan artwork that first appeared in [the video game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game) as I recall, but nothing more than that if I remember correctly. ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/7 "2014-03-16T21:09:39Z")
Nice. I’ll keep my eyes open for them. Just ran out and grabbed the [Volume 1](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/releases/complete-collection/volume-1) trade. Gonna go read it right now. ---
**Author:** ![fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/fritz/32/10773_2.png) [@fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/fritz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/8 "2014-03-17T00:17:42Z")
Here’s a more complete rundown of IDW’s Ghostbusters stuff, and whether or not you might “need” to read it: [The Other Side](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/publications/comics/ghostbusters-the-other-side) As Kingpin mentioned, you can safely skip this one. [Displaced Aggression](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/publications/comics/ghostbusters-displaced-aggression) Was a lot better. A character from it is developed in one of Vol.1 of the ongoing’s PCOC files. The Haunted Holidays one-shots (collected in the Haunted Holidays compilation) –Past, Present, Future: A take on “A Christmas Carol”; different from the RGB episode “X-Mas Marks The Spot” –Tained Love: As Kingpin mentioned, the first appearance of Winston’s love interest seen in the ongoing –Con-Volution: Really fun story, but arguably the most “missable” –What The Sam Hain Just Happened? First story to feature Dan Schoening’s artwork. The compilation also includes another story illustrated by Schoening, “[Guess What’s Coming To Dinner](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/guess-whats-coming-to-dinner)?”, which can also be found in the Ghostbusters 100-Page Spooktacular [Ghostbusters: Infestation](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/publications/comics/ghostbusters-infestation) A two-issue tie-in to the “Infestation” event, but you don’t need to read any of the rest of it. Notable as Erik Burnham’s first story ---
**Author:** ![kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/kingpin/32/188026_2.png) [@kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/kingpin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/9 "2014-03-17T01:35:11Z")
> [@Fritz](#): > > Ghostbusters: Infestation > > A two-issue tie-in to the “Infestation” event, but you don’t need to read any of the rest of it. Notable as Erik Burnham’s first story And the story to introduce Winston’s Proton Pistol. ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/10 "2014-03-17T02:05:58Z")
I have the Infestation issues already. I grabbed the whole Infestation crossover when it came out as I’m also a fan of IDWs Transformers comics. ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/11 "2014-03-21T06:15:31Z")
Just finished reading [Volume 1](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/releases/complete-collection/volume-1) and have [Volume 2](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/real-ghostbusters/releases/complete-collection/volume-2) on order. I loved it! Can’t wait to read more. The only problem I had with the story was Winston not seeming to know who [Slimer](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/characters/slimer) was (In the very beginning of Chapter 2 of Vol. 1). But then I guess, if you’re just counting the movies and [the video game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game), he never really saw Slimer, did he? I had been thinking he saw Slimer in the video game, but the Rookie and Peter caught him before Winston showed up at the Sedgewick. BUT, didn’t they keep Slimer in a containment box that was right there in the office, so shouldn’t Winston, by the time of the comic, have known who Slimer was? Been a while since I’ve played the game, so I can’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![mrmichaelt](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/mrmichaelt/32/188045_2.png) [@mrmichaelt](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/mrmichaelt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/12 "2014-03-21T10:24:23Z")
Uh, he knows. I took it as banter. In Vol.1 Issue #2, Winston said he read the file on [Slimer](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/characters/slimer). Maybe he didn’t participate in any of the recaptures between [Ghostbusters II](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-ii-activision) and [The Video Game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game) or The Video Game and the ongoing series. But he definitely would have seen Slimer in the Firehouse in the Paranormal Containment Research Tank at some point. He doesn’t necessarily have a close connection to it like the others so I suppose Slimer never made much of an impression on him. I’m not sure he cares to remember what every ghost looks like either. ---
**Author:** ![fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/fritz/32/10773_2.png) [@fritz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/fritz)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/13 "2014-03-21T14:58:05Z")
[Slimer](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/characters/slimer) was one of the areas that IDW was playing a little bit of “pick and choose” with Video Game continuity. They did that a lot, especially early on, for new readers who would only be familiar with the movies [Don’t take my word for it](http://www.ectozone.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=3808#p3808): > [@Erik Burnham](#): > > I kept the first two movies, period. The game? I cherry-picked from it. I admit it! Assume that the events from the game happened… unless you see me contradict them (as is the obvious case with Slimer or Winston’s doctorate.) I’m trying to please fans, straights, Sony, IDW, and myself… there will be hiccups, and with a complex timeline, probably mistakes too – so I have to seize flexibility where I can find it. ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/14 "2014-03-22T22:50:17Z")
Well, I don’t think the writer should be contradicting [the video game](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/games/ghostbusters-the-video-game) for the sake of readers who have only seen the movies. The game, like it or not, is considered canon for now, so it shouldn’t be contradicted. Hopefully it doesn’t happen too often. Besides, I’m pretty sure that the majority of ppl who are actually big enough fans to buy the comics have probably played the game as well. It’s just wishful thinking, in this day and age, for the writer to think casual fans of only the movies are going to be reading the book. They probably have no clue it even exists. ---
**Author:** ![ErikBurnham](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@ErikBurnham](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ErikBurnham)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/15 "2014-03-23T17:25:21Z")
> [@LawgSkrak](#): > > Well, I don’t think the writer should be contradicting the video game for the sake of readers who have only seen the movies. The game, like it or not, is considered canon for now, so it shouldn’t be contradicted. Hopefully it doesn’t happen too often. > > Besides, I’m pretty sure that the majority of ppl who are actually big enough fans to buy the comics have probably played the game as well. It’s just wishful thinking, in this day and age, for the writer to think casual fans of only the movies are going to be reading the book. They probably have no clue it even exists. Except for the movies, things are only canon until Sony decides they’d like it changed, and, like the comics or the cartoon, it would likely be completely ignored when and if they do more movies. Right now, to Sony’s mind, the comics are canon above the game. The next active project will supercede us. Only the films - only the films! - are sacrosanct, and if there’s a total reboot, even those will become open to future interpretation. Sony has some very specific rules about what we’re allowed to change/use in the comics; sometimes I have to agree to conditions to use (a character or idea.) “You can use Louis – so long as he doesn’t have three kids and a wife,” for example. That’s also the thing that keeps me from having an on-panel Egon and Janine relationship; using two major characters in such a way, the shipper fans may not like what conditions Sony would impose. So I shy away until there is permission. And there are casual fans, believe it or not. They don’t outnumber the hardcores, and they have different things they’re looking for in the book (mostly… stuff they liked from the first movie.) But they are there. This book has been a pretty major part of my life for three years now – so take my word for it. (: ---
**Author:** ![kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/kingpin/32/188026_2.png) [@kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/kingpin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2014, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/16 "2014-03-23T17:38:39Z")
Sometimes the controlling powers make decisions that don’t always make a lot of sense to us fans, another dictate on a comic that was probably issued by its’ respective major rights holder was that the comic continuing the events of the _Evil Dead_ series was titled _Army of Darkness_, with the logic (from what I remember) being that AoD was the most recent movie of that franchise. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@LawgSkrak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/LawgSkrak)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/17 "2014-03-24T05:29:34Z")
The comics are more canon over something that has all the actors from the films in it, and something we were told was basically [Ghostbusters 3](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/ghostbusters-3), since it’s been taking forever for us to get one? Okay, that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me at all. Why not just include everything? I see no real reason to contradict the game. You don’t really even have to mention it all that much. I’m sure the casual fans would just gloss over any mention of the game events as ‘just some past adventure the GBs had that we haven’t seen’ and move on. And I didn’t mean to imply that there were NO casual fans picking up the book, but I doubt there are that many compared to the ■■■■■■■■ guys. I would worry more about what the ■■■■■■■■ fans want to see, as that is where most of your customer base lies. Of course, you have to listen to what Sony says, and I get that. Oh well, from what I’ve read so far, you haven’t really contradicted it too much, so I’m probably worrying over nothing. I’m just one of those fans that likes everything to fit together, and don’t understand why creators don’t want that as well. And by creators I mean the actual owners of the franchise. One big story that fits together is always more enjoyable than a bunch of stories that contradict each other every time you turn around. And I’m not too worried about the new movie contradicting the game OR the comics. Pretty sure it’ll be set in modern day, while the original movies/game/comic timeline is only up to the late 90s, so plenty of wiggle room there. And if we get a complete redo ala nuTrek, it doesn’t matter anyway. I AM loving the comic so far, though. Don’t think I’m saying otherwise. 🙂 All I’m asking is, please don’t contradict the game if you don’t have to. (I’m only through Vol. 2 of the trades, so I’m still a bit behind. ) Thanks for answering, Erik. Honored that your first post was in my humble thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ErikBurnham](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@ErikBurnham](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ErikBurnham)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/18 "2014-03-24T08:36:46Z")
By that I meant that I would’ve been allowed to ignore the game entirely, but not the movies. Nothing licensed (including the game, all the actors or no) is on the same field as the movies in Sony’s eyes. And I’ve said it before, I do kind of wish for a floating timeline for GB comics to not tie it too closely to any year (just fudging things like “Jan. 1 1990.”) otherwise, you put a clock on the characters. You either run out of years to tell stories, have to start contradicting, or just out and out drop stories. Which some fans are fine with, I know. But who knows. I do know we’ll see a reboot of the franchise sooner than later. The concept is too strong. I do wonder whether it will contemporize Venkman and co, build from the foundation of the originals, or just start fresh with new guys coming up with the concept of [proton packs](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack) and catching ghosts. ---
**Author:** ![philmorgan81](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@philmorgan81](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/philmorgan81)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/19 "2014-03-24T11:54:36Z")
Erik these comics have been a monthly delight for me. :). I love what you and your team have put together and believe that with you and your team have done a superb job incorporating stuff or characters we’ve seen from the franchise these 30 years. Weather written into the dialogue or an Easter egg they have been fun to spot. Which I find very impressive giving the guidelines you have to follow. :). I hope you guys are able to continue bringing more stories to life regardless if there is a new movie or not. From a real big fan, Thank You and your team for what you have put together. Really excited to see where [Mass Hysteria](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/publications/comics/ghostbusters-mass-hysteria) is heading. 🙂 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/kingpin/32/188026_2.png) [@kingpin](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/kingpin)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520/20 "2014-03-24T12:11:33Z")
> [@ErikBurnham](#): > > But who knows. I do know we’ll see a reboot of the franchise sooner than later. The concept is too strong. I do wonder whether it will contemporize Venkman and co, build from the foundation of the originals, or just start fresh with new guys coming up with the concept of proton packs and catching ghosts. Sadly I strongly suspect the latter as I imagine Sony will happily rationalise “why should we bother referencing the 80s Ghostbusters when we can get new fans hooked by starting from the ground up?” It’s a similar problem that’s been experienced by the _Doctor Who_ community… although not so much from the BBC, there’ve been some very vocal fans who have little to no interest in the show before it was relaunched back in 2005, and that’s disappointing. Even more saddening were the groups of fans who insisted that the Doctor can only be young an attractive, and who were quite appalling in their remarks about Peter Capaldi (who’ll be starting his time as the Doctor later this year), claiming he was too old… we’re happy to lose those fans. 🙂 [Next page](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/idw-ghostbusters-comics-i-have-questions/15520.md?page=2)