Discuss the Ghostbusters Comic from IDW, as well as the now defunct Ghostbusters: Legion series.
#4880762
I'm looking to get some of The Real Ghostbusters comic sets, but I'm not sure where to start. I want stuff that's more like the early episodes (before it became Slimer! and The Real Ghostbusters). I saw a comment on the U.S. NOW series that indicated it kept to the feel of the early episodes, but then on Amazon, someone reviewed one of the omnibuses and said pretty much the opposite. The summaries didn't really sound much like the early episodes, I have to admit. But as I'm starting to look at the U.K. comic summaries, they sound much more like the exciting plots of the early TV episodes. I'm definitely leaning towards getting whatever trade paperback collections I can of the U.K. series first, but I wanted to hear other fans weigh in before I did anything. Thoughts?
#4880769
When it comes to feeling closer to the original cartoon series, it's the American NOW Comics series all the way. In addition to the feel of the plots, the NOW comics also had references to the continuity of the cartoon, and felt written for a more general, grown up audience. The UK Marvel comics in comparison often felt more intended for a younger audience, so I believe you would prefer the American comic series.
#4880820
I have to disagree with Kingpin. It's completely the opposite way. The UK Marvel comics do a terrific job of presenting a Saturday morning cartoon with the mythology you'd expect from the animated series. In comparison the US Now comics suffered an identity crisis right from the first issue due to meddling from the company. There was little busting ghosts and seemed geared more towards a broad teen audience interested in B-horror movies. Definitely the way to go is the Marvel but it's up to you and your taste. As Kingpin said the Marvel comics are more geared towards kids and have more humour but I would say the writing was much better in Marvel than Now comics which was all over the place.

Best thing to do is try a story from each and see how you feel. Hope that helps. :)
#4880832
It wasn't intended as a compliment when I said they were intended for a younger audience, the childish jokes, the "laugh endings", some of the ghosts/monsters... NOW comics had storylines that were much more on-par with the cartoon in it's prime. I struggle to recall any storylines from Marvel UK spanning more than a single issue.

Do let us know which you end up finding more enjoyable, LL.
#4880848
Thanks for your input, guys! :) It sounds like there's pros and cons about each series. I did get the impression that the NOW comics weren't about ghosts very much. They sounded more like The Real Ghostbusters Meet Kolchak:The Night Stalker. LOL. Which is all well and fine, but I do prefer the emphasis to be on various types of ghosts rather than other types of creepies.

Comparing comic stories from each before buying anything sounds like the best idea. I was hoping I could find some of them at Barnes and Noble to look at, but since they rarely ever have anything in store that I'm looking for, I might not have much luck there.
#4880944
As someone who was recently in the loft (attic) and picked up a couple of my old UK Marvel comics, I can honestly say each story is just pun after pun after pun for three pages a pop. 80s puns, which were inferior to puns from 2k+.

And I must have read every issue a thousand times when I was younger. The NOW comics are better in so much as they have better art, but the stories are mostly pretty awful as well. 1989 RGB as opposed to 1986 RGB.

Why am I being so harsh? Because IDW did such an outstanding job that all other GB comics pale by comparison. They really nailed it. I haven't even started Ghostbusters: International yet because whenever I start reading them, they're over much too soon. I'm building a backlog.

I think there are some UK comics archived on Spook Central. Have you tried there?
#4880963
GBfan_CH wrote:I think there are some UK comics archived on Spook Central. Have you tried there?
There's certainly a lot about the UK comics there (ECTO-1's archived NYGB Comicguide is there).

You can read most of the NOW comics stuff right here at GBFans:
http://www.gbfans.com/wiki/Real_Ghostbu ... ics_Series

Issue 21 of the NOW series is comprised of reprints of stories from the UK series, and the Volume 2 issues have UK stories as backup features. It gives you a little bit of a sample of both.
#4881510
Kingpin wrote:It wasn't intended as a compliment when I said they were intended for a younger audience, the childish jokes, the "laugh endings", some of the ghosts/monsters... NOW comics had storylines that were much more on-par with the cartoon in it's prime. I struggle to recall any storylines from Marvel UK spanning more than a single issue.

Do let us know which you end up finding more enjoyable, LL.
No offence but the Now Comics were nothing like the cartoon series. Now Comics stories hardly had the team battling ghosts, instead they battled interdimensional teens, toxic waste monsters and dinosaurs. Are those elements you associate with Ghostbusters? Now Comics was totally off what the cartoon was doing at times. This of course was because of creative meddling, the writers were really restricted in what they were allowed to do. While I agree the Marvel comic was full of jokes at times it was much closer to the cartoon series both in spirit, art and mythology. I think you're being way too harsh of the Marvel comic.
Lucky_Ladybug wrote:Thanks for your input, guys! :) It sounds like there's pros and cons about each series. I did get the impression that the NOW comics weren't about ghosts very much. They sounded more like The Real Ghostbusters Meet Kolchak:The Night Stalker. LOL. Which is all well and fine, but I do prefer the emphasis to be on various types of ghosts rather than other types of creepies.
That's not to say there weren't any Now Comics stories involving them busting ghosts but it was much more geared to B-movie sci-fi/horror storytelling. Liking the Marvel Comics series depends on whether you can put up with the constant jokes (some good, some bad). I also disagree that there wasn't any continuity between stories. There were at least a couple of times where references were made to previous stories or were sequel stories. There was some great stuff in Marvel, some really cool ideas.
#4881560
pferreira1983 wrote:Now Comics stories hardly had the team battling ghosts
Out of curiosity, I had a quick look through the issues of the comic.

Issues 4, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 25, 27 appeared to feature ghosts in one form or another.
Issues 9, 10, 11 dealt with a demon.
Issues 17 and 26 dealt specifically with ghosts previously seen in the show, Samhain and the Boogieman.

While that isn't the majority of the series, I feel that's a bit more than them "hardly" battling ghosts, or other traditional paranormal staples.
pferreira1983 wrote:instead they battled interdimensional teens
Which is not out the sphere of what we've seen in the show (admittedly when it was getting poorer): Mean Green Teen Machine.
pferreira1983 wrote:toxic waste monsters and dinosaurs.
Follow That Hearse and Moaning Stones, respectively.
Are those elements you associate with Ghostbusters?
It depends on the circumstances, and the writing. The show gave us Egon's Dragon and Troll Bridge, No One Comes to Lupusville and Poultrygeist, so there's an established history of not just dealing with ghosts.
pferreira1983 wrote:While I agree the Marvel comic was full of jokes at times it was much closer to the cartoon series both in spirit, art and mythology.
The art was okay, though nothing to particularly write home about - likely limited by the format of cheap comic printing that was a staple of the UK comic market compared to the American one, the Now Ghostbusters II adaptation is miles better than anything the Marvel comics produced, and the greater mythology of the UK series is dubious, as the Marvel series didn't feature any of the familiar villains that the show had, as noted above, Now featured two of them, and also had a brief reappearance of the Peoplebusters.
#4881650
Kingpin wrote:the Marvel series didn't feature any of the familiar villains that the show had, as noted above, Now featured two of them, and also had a brief reappearance of the Peoplebusters.
Stay Puft was in the Marvel series. As well as Gozer and the Terror dogs.

Personally, I think both series had their ups and downs.
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#4882100
Kingpin wrote:
While that isn't the majority of the series, I feel that's a bit more than them "hardly" battling ghosts, or other traditional paranormal staples.
Yeah but from what I remember it was more geared towards non-ghosts. Perhaps if the comics had gone on longer they could have done more with it?
Kingpin wrote:Which is not out the sphere of what we've seen in the show (admittedly when it was getting poorer): Mean Green Teen Machine.
Yeah but as the first story of the comic? I love that story by the way, it's my fav of Now Comics but it feels more like an alternate Real Ghostbusters rather than actual Real Ghostbusters.
Kingpin wrote:Follow That Hearse and Moaning Stones, respectively.
A couple of examples from a comic which didn't last that long. The examples you gave are a few from a series that had a lot of episodes.
Kingpin wrote:It depends on the circumstances, and the writing. The show gave us Egon's Dragon and Troll Bridge, No One Comes to Lupusville and Poultrygeist, so there's an established history of not just dealing with ghosts.
Very true, same goes for time travel. However, Now Comics RGB was more geared in it's style towards B-movie horror or sci-fi and not the mythology of the animated series. Marvel got that done better. What Now did better was extending their storylines past one issue to develop the characters more.
pferreira1983 wrote:While I agree the Marvel comic was full of jokes at times it was much closer to the cartoon series both in spirit, art and mythology.
Kingpin wrote:The art was okay, though nothing to particularly write home about - likely limited by the format of cheap comic printing that was a staple of the UK comic market compared to the American one, the Now Ghostbusters II adaptation is miles better than anything the Marvel comics produced, and the greater mythology of the UK series is dubious, as the Marvel series didn't feature any of the familiar villains that the show had, as noted above, Now featured two of them, and also had a brief reappearance of the Peoplebusters.
Roger Rabbit answers part of your criticism. As for your first criticism definitely disagree. Considering how frequently the comic was produced Marvel did a terrific job pumping out great, imaginative stories that held true to the animated cartoon. Now Comics had stories that paled in comparison and seemed unfocused a lot. It's understandable why when you read about how Now writers and artists had their hands tied behind their backs. Marvel in comparison didn't and were given the free reign to produce fun stories in the spirit of the cartoon. Also who can honestly tell me Now Comics was closer to the DIC artwork of RGB than Marvel was?
Roger Rabbit wrote:Stay Puft was in the Marvel series. As well as Gozer and the Terror dogs.

Personally, I think both series had their ups and downs.
Yep, I remember. Marvel were free to do their own thing, sometimes a little too free however ignoring what the Marvel comic did in favour of Now Comics being supposedly better I have to strongly disagree with. Both approached the source material differently. Marvel sticks in my mind the most not only because I always tried to buy each issue but because every story was unique and imaginative. I only wish in retrospect they could have extended and developed the episodes as long as they didn't take it in the direction Now Comics did with their stories and artwork.
#4888185
Issues 4, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 25, 26, and 27 are some of my favorites since they deal with ghosts and to me feel more like the early seasons of the television series. I especially liked seeing the Boogeyman and Sam Haine return since both of them are great villains. The Ghostbusters II adaptation was also a fun read since it was based on early version of the script.
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