We all remember “Ghostbusters,†that movie about four guys starting a business where they capture ghosts. Not mention a Sumerian god coming to wreck havoc on the world. It was a silly, but fun movie that spawned a sequel, two cartoon shows, lots of merchandise and tons of fans. The fandom continues even today, and one of those comes in the form of a comic called “The New Ghostbusters†written by Erik Burnham and drawn by Dan Schoening.
The story is about all four Ghostbusters getting kidnapped by ghosts that look like them. With the absence of the guys, the Ghostbusters smart mouthed secretary Janine Melnitz decides to take over. She enlists the help of FBI agent Mel Ortiz and Ray’s book store employee and paranormal nut Kylie Griffin. They’re also joined by wannabe Ghostbuster and tech expert Ron Alexander.
The comic feels exactly like watching an episode of “The Real Ghostbusters.†Burnham has got the comedy of the show down pat. The majority of the comedy comes from Janine and, of course, Peter. It’s even funnier if you can imagine the cast doing the voices in your head.
Burnham even went to lengths to make sure he got everything right about how a “Ghostbusters†story should feel like. Even though the story is about a new group of Ghostbusters, it doesn’t feel like an excuse to make these characters be more than background characters.
The art is a bit of a disappointment. Schoening went for a Saturday morning cartoon style, but there are certain things that seem awkward. These are mostly from the face. One is the mouths look really off, almost like the characters are dislocating their jaws. Not to mention all the facial features look really blocky and every character looks either really bored or lifeless.
“The New Ghostbusters†has the soul of the franchise that any fan, new or old, would appreciate. If the art was any better this would have been one collectible comic for all future generations to read.
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