The Real Ghostbusters Comics

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About 4 years ago when I was putting together the old sub site I knew I wanted to add The Real Ghostbusters comic books. For personal reasons it had to be put on hold indefinitely or 2012. Before I started writing about Kenner toys I knew I was getting a little closer to when I could start adding comics to Ectocontainment.™

After Paul from Spook Central and Matthew from GB Wiki began launching the Ghostbusters PDF eBook Preservation Project which is to include Ghostbusters comics I chimed in about contributing to the digital preservation of Ghostbusters comics, beginning with The Real Ghostbusters issues from NOW Comics. (Ghostbusters Firehouse) Just as I had with The Real Ghostbusters Magazines. (Ghostbusters Firehouse) At the time I didn’t know when I could start this as I was getting ready to write about the history of Ghostbusters toys.

This week I scanned Issue 1 (Ghostbusters Firehouse) cover-to-cover and restored it as kids and teens probably would have seen it at comic book shops and finer retailers in August 1988. Their could be slight imperfections mainly with advertising which contains a dark background. With comic book pages some imperfections were left intentionally as that’s how it was originally printed. It gives the comics a bit of a nostalgic charm.

Ghostbusters Legos?

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When I first posted about The Real Ghostbusters minimates last September I had talked about how growing up I would have wanted Ghostbusters™ Lego toys. The only official toys that could be compared in the 21st Century are the Ghostbusters minimates from Art Asylum/Diamond Select.

It seems surprising today that Lego didn’t produce Ghostbusters or The Real Ghostbuster Lego toys and sets during the series run. A little research for Lego toys based on movie properties in the 1980s didn’t come up with anything conclusive.

In the twenty teens fans may get Ghostbusters Legos yet. Cuusoo is a Lego community that designs and support Lego toys that their members and definitely others would want to see be made. This wouldn’t necessarily be newsworthy for Ectocontainment,™ except for a couple of things. They’re coming up with ideas for potential Ghostbusters legos (like the Ecto-1 above) and Cuusoo has the ear of Lego.

Really? Yes! After 10,000 people signed one of Cuusoo’s petitions for Minecraft Lego agreed they would look into that properties license. If Cuusoo’s Ghostbusters petition reaches 10,000 supporters (155 + as of February 17, 2012) Lego will evaluate the possibility of acquiring the rights to make a Ghostbusters Lego series.

Please check it out. sign the petition, and share it through your choice of social media.

Photo Credit: TeeKay

Kenner: Ecto-Charger Pack

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When it came to toys based on Ghostbusters II Kenner didn’t fully capitalize on the potential opportunities. Even with a The Real Ghostbusters episode, Partners In Slime which has the most Ghostbusters II influence.

The toy someone was bound to make because of Ghostbusters II was the Slime Blower. Fortunately as Kenner made The Real Ghostbusters toys and had previously made a Proton Pack they created the Ecto-Charger Pack.™

Kenner: Ghost Grab-A-Meter

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When it came to The Real Ghostbusters toy weapons and tying them into Ghostbusters II their was only one you could say is directly from the movie. That’s the Ecto-Charger. The Ghost Grab-A-Meter™ on the other hand while not exactly based on equipment from Ghostbusters II reminds me of a Slime Scoop merged with a Giga Meter.

 

Kenner: Proton Pack

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I first saw Ghostbusters™ in theaters when I was six. I had a real wonderment about the ghosts in the movie and the equipment that caught them had almost magical qualities to me.

If I thought the Proton Pack™ was really cool I couldn’t have imagined how happy Kenner was going to make me a mere few years later.

Kenner: Ecto-Goggles & Ecto-Popper

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I don’t know if it’s the way toy companies have evolved since the 1980s or it’s my perception of companies as a toy collector. Kenner could have easily sold the P.K.E Meter™ separately. Fortunately for kids they didn’t.

The Ecto-Goggles™ are another example of how cool Kenner was in the ‘80s. Like my earlier perception Kenner could have just sold them separately. They included a miniature rubber version of the nutrona wand called the Ecto-Popper.™ Which was somewhat similar to the Ghostpopper.™

Kenner: GhostZapper & Ghostpopper

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Before Kenner ever made the Ecto Goggles, Proton Pack, or even a Ghost Trap they created the first two ghostbusting weapons for kids in 1986. The first is a light and sound toy known as the GhostZapper.™ The second is a Nerf like blaster (before Nerf came out with them in the late ‘80s) called the Ghostpopper.™

Mr. Stay-Puft “Ghost” Bio

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I was going to (and still could someday) add an update to the site (away from the old Tobins Spirit Guide) which would have included Mr. Stay-Puft. C’mon, this is the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man! With a refresh underway it was the right time to recall where he came from, what he is and talk about his accomplishments.

Post Update: When I made the decision to evolve Ecto-Containment to an overall Ghostbusters web sites, pages such as the friendly ghosts page were removed.