Main Story: "Ready to Believe Everyone"
After a bust at the United Nations, the Ghostbusters are hired by a man named Erland Vinter to investigate a haunting. The story, set entirely in New York City, establishes the international premise: the team will take on cases both locally and abroad, starting with an Old World haunting in Venice, Italy (specifically the island of Poveglia near Venice). Meanwhile, Janine Melnitz is operating out of the Warehouse because the Firehouse is still undergoing repairs following the events of Volume 2. Jenny Moran serves as the Ghostbusters' new liaison, and Janine is wrestling with the question of hiring additional help. Walter Peck appears representing the Paranormal Contracts Oversight Committee.
Characters
Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman, Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore, Janine Melnitz, Kylie Griffin, Walter Peck, Jennifer, Jenny Moran, Erland Vinter, Mr. Okonjo, Werecat Ghost, Ghost Priests, Gulper Ghost
Equipment
Proton Pack, Particle Thrower, Ecto Goggles, P.K.E. Meter, Ghost Trap, Paranormal Containment Research Tank
Backup Story: "Haunted America Case Files"
The subscription cover's backup story follows Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, Kylie Griffin, and Peter Venkman investigating Florida's St. Augustine Lighthouse. The file notes the lighthouse's history of paranormal activity marketed through "ghost walks," and includes an incident involving Ghost Alligators. Among the equipment listed are the Boson Pack, Proton Grenades, and Psychomagnotheric Slime (called "Mood Slime" in the file). The agent taking witness statements is identified as Special Agent Tanaka, named as a nod to Ghostbusters Wiki administrator Mrmichaelt. The nearby zoological park referenced is likely the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, founded in 1893. Melanie Ortiz's investigations in this backup are a continuation from the end of Volume 2, Issue #20.
Covers
The regular (Cover A) continues a theme Dan Schoening established for the entire Ghostbusters International run: each issue's Cover A is inspired by old European postcards and advertising. The subscription cover (Cover B) features Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, Kylie Griffin, and Peter Venkman battling Ghost Alligators at the St. Augustine Lighthouse, tying into the backup story.
Development
The road to Ghostbusters International stretched across about 18 months of fan anticipation. On August 2, 2014, Burnham confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that the end of the previous ongoing was not sales-related and that a Volume 3 was possible but not yet confirmed. Tom Waltz hinted at SDCC 2014 that events from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters crossover miniseries would have future resonance in both franchises.
On July 12, 2015, Burnham formally announced Volume Three for 2016 with Schoening and Delgado returning. On October 9, 2015, the series was officially announced under the title "Ghostbusters International." Burnham noted that the title was a pure coincidence with no direct connection to the discarded ending of the first film or the Ghostbusters Role-Playing Game; the title and direction came from Tom Waltz.
By December 2015, Schoening had seen the printed proof. On January 5, 2016, IDW included three preview pages in their 2016 preview catalog; a fuller five-page preview followed on January 26, 2016. The issue went on sale January 27, 2016.
Burnham confirmed early on that the series would not be an all-road-trip format. Stories would regularly cut back to New York City, and Janine would be looking at expanding the roster. The narrative continues a connective mystery begun in prior volumes.
Trivia
- Jennifer, who appeared briefly in the first film, makes her debut in the IDW Comics continuity in this issue; she is shown to have taken Peter's words to heart and become a psychic.
- Ray is wearing the outfit from his first appearance in the original film on page 2, and is drinking from Pequod's, the coffee chain introduced in Volume 1.
- The Werecat Ghost on page 4 is visually based on Michael Jackson's transformation in the "Thriller" music video.
- Walter Peck mentions the Paranormal Contracts Oversight Committee on page 19.
- The Gulper Ghost in Egon's containment tank (page 17) is based on the Kenner Egon classic hero action figure's included ghost.
- Janine's outfit in this issue matches what she wore in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions), and the Ghostbusters Cereal box visible in her workspace advertises the glow-in-the-dark Ghost Flyer frisbee.
- Janine's white leopard coat from Ghostbusters II can be seen on the coat rack in panel 2 on page 13.
- O'Shaner's bar (page 15) is named after artist Evan Shaner, who contributed to the Ghostbusters ongoing series, and stands in for Baker Street Pub and Restaurant at 1152 First Avenue. One of the bartenders is visually based on Shaner.
- In Vinter's check (page 12), a reference to "Kahlil" appears, nodding to the Extreme Ghostbusters episode "Casting the Runes."
- The building on page 18 is based on Grossjuck Plaza from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Robo-Buster."
- Egon's apartment on page 16 references his rooftop fungus farm, previously mentioned in the Ghostbusters: The Supernatural Spectacular novelization.
- In panel 4 of page 14 is a glimpse of the Ecto-3 from The Real Ghostbusters.
- Ray references the A-Team on page 15; Burnham wrote an A-Team comic before taking on Ghostbusters.
- Kylie mentions the Kemp's Paranormal Encyclopedia on page 17, a nod to the late Ghostbusters fan Ryan Kemp following his cameo in the Annual 2015.
- The Dramatis Personae bios in this issue include callbacks to the films: Ray's entry mentions the Mass Sponge Migration, Winston's alludes to his "seen shit" line, and Egon's covers both the drilled-hole anecdote and his polyphasic sleeping habit (first introduced in Volume 1, Issue #8).
- The events of this issue are summarized in Ghostbusters: Deviations, with panels from pages 5 and 20 reused on pages 36 and 38 of that book.
References
- IDW Publishing, Ghostbusters International #1 (January 27, 2016). Written by Erik Burnham, art by Dan Schoening.
