Luke Owen reviews Ghostbusters #15 from IDW…
Louis Tully was an average accountant until the day that Vinz Clortho Keymaster of Gozer the Traveler—possessed him in service of the end the world. Now the news says New York is at the center of Sumerian shenanigans again, and Louis should want nothing more than to steer clear… but something is drawing him back. Is it morbid curiosity or something more sinister?
Erik Burnham’s Mass Hysteria is more than just a on-going Ghostbusters series, this is a celebration of a franchise that has stood the test of time even 30 years after its initial release. Often, comic book writers will come under fire (as do some movie makers) for appealing to “fan service”, particularly when dealing with something as big as Ghostbusters but in the case of Mass Hysteria, it feels justified. This is a Ghostbusters comic written by fans, for fans.
Everyone’s favourite tax man Louis Tully is back in the realm of IDW’s Ghostbusters universe as he feels a need to return to the big city – and with Dana Barret being visited by her new tormentor Tiamut, it seems he picked the wrong time to do it! Meanwhile, Egon believes the blood rain might actually be something to worry about as Kylie and Eduardo explore more in Ray’s Occult. However, Dana’s plea for Venkman not to know she’s in trouble comes crashing down when Tiamut gets her claws into her.
Edgar Wright once said in an interview that the joy of reading a comic was to first go through and read the story so you at least know what happens before the wait for the next issue, but the second read was to admire the artwork and detail. The team of Erik Burnham and Dan Schoening have encapsulated this ethos with their long tenure on Ghostbusters, but Ghostbusters #15 is almost the perfect example of it. Not a panel goes by where there isn’t a subtle reference to the original movie, its sequel, the cartoons, games etc and it’s a such a joy to notice them. Each time you spot one, the smile on your face gets a little bit bigger. Look out for the ticker tape on the news to see exactly what I mean. Subtle touches like this is what makes this duo the perfect pair to pen the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters.
But it’s not all in the dialogue and references where Ghostbusters #15 succeeds. There’s a section towards the end of the issue where Venkman is arguing with Walter Peck (as always) only for his meeting to be disturbed when he picks up the phone and hears Dana’s voice. As Ghostbusters fans, we know how much this means to him as a character, but Schoening captures this so perfectly that you don’t need to be an aficionado to understand his emotion. The following panels of his race to her apartment are simply superb and its all down to Schoening getting Venkman and his love for Dana. Great stuff.
You don’t have to be a huge fan of the franchise to enjoy it, but it probably helps. Just three parts into Mass Hysteria and it’s already shaping up to be something truly special. Burnham and Schoening get this series and understand what it means to the hardcore fans to give them a 30th anniversary series that they’ll love for years to come. Heck, there could even be an Extreme Ghostbusters reunion of sorts if Eduardo picks up a pack!
Plus – Louis Tully is back! Stay fit, keep sharp, make good decisions!
Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.
Originally published April 30, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
