History ComicBook / GhostbustersIDWComics

Through miniseries, they met the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW IDW versions]] of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles twice in 2014 and in 2017, ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' versions of themselves in 2015, the ''[[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Ghostbusters: Answer the Call]]'' stars in 2017, ''every Ghostbuster ever''[[note]]Except [[Film/GhostbustersAfterlife The Spengler grandkids]][[/note]] in 2018, and the Franchise/{{Transformers}} in 2019's ''ComicBook/TransformersGhostbusters''.

-->'''Walter Peck:''' Ms. Melnitz, after taking that phone call, Peter Venkman ran out of here without a ''single smart-assed remark'' That kind of character inconsistency is, in my experience, the ''reddest'' of red flags.

* TheBadGuyWins: How the second volume ends. Luckily for the world, [[spoiler: Tiamat was only interested in thoroughly kicking her brother Gozer's ass (she does), and checking out/screwing with the humans that did it themselves once before (does she ''ever'' - see the BittersweetEnding entry above). When all is said and done, she just... leaves, satisfied with her work.]]

** There's a scene in the ''Mass Hysteria'' storyline in which a lot of cars are levitating. One of them is a [[Film/BackToTheFuture DeLorean DMC-12]]. The specific DMC from ''BTTF III'' appears in another story.

Through miniseries, they met the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW IDW versions]] of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles twice in 2014 and in 2017, ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' versions of themselves in 2015, the ''[[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Ghostbusters: Answer the Call]]'' stars in 2017, ''every Ghostbuster ever''[[note]]Except [[Film/GhostbustersAfterlife The Spengler grandkids[[/note]] in 2018, and the Franchise/{{Transformers}} in 2019's ''ComicBook/TransformersGhostbusters''.

Through miniseries, they met the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW IDW versions]] of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles twice in 2014 and in 2017, ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' versions of themselves in 2015, the ''[[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Ghostbusters: Answer the Call]]'' stars in 2017, ''every Ghostbuster ever'' in 2018, and the Franchise/{{Transformers}} in 2019's ''ComicBook/TransformersGhostbusters''.

* CompositeCharacter: The [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters Peoplebusters]] are reimagined as a group of demons known as the Collectors that make deals with humans to take away people of their choosing to purgatory taking on the forms of {{Evil Knockoff}}s of their preys as they hunt. They return in ''TMNT/Ghostbusters 2'', this time summoned by the ghost of Darius Dunn to capture the Turtles, turning them into the IDW incarnations of the Dark Turtles from ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', biologically-cloned Turtle PsychoRangers working for Dunn.

* CompositeCharacter: The [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters Peoplebusters]] are reimagined as a group of demons known as the Collectors that make deals with humans to take away people of their choosing to purgatory taking on the forms of {{Evil Knockoff}}s of their prey as they hunt. They return in ''TMNT/Ghostbusters 2'', this time summoned by the ghost of Darius Dunn to capture the Turtles, turning them into the IDW versions of the Dark Turtles of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'', biologically-cloned Turtle PsychoRangers working for Dunn.

* CompositeCharacter: The [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters Peoplebusters]] are reimagined as a group of demons known as the Collectors that make deals with humans to take away people of their choosing (while also taking on the corrupted forms of their victims) to purgatory. They reappear in TMNT/Ghostbusters Vol.2 this time summoned by the ghost of Darius Dunn to capture the Turtles, revealing them to be the IDW version of the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 Dark Turtles]].

** ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters 2'', running through the month of November 2017; a sequel to the ''Ghostbusters'' Collectors arc and an epilogue to the ''TMNT'' "Chasing Shadows" arc.

** ''Ghostbusters 101'' has a form of this with [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddmore, Peter Venkman,]] [[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Abby Yates, Erin Gilbert, Jillian Holtzmann and Patty Tolan.]] Yes, all eight live-action Ghostbusters appearing together. It even includes [[WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters Kylie]] appearing amongst them.

This series ran from September 2011 through December 2012 for 16 issues. It returned as ''The New Ghostbusters'' for a 20-issue run from February 2013 through September 2014. A third ongoing, ''Ghostbusters: International'', ran for 11 issues from January 2016 through November 2016. There were also annuals in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

*** He admits to Janine near the end of Crossing Over that he's pulled this trope with the P.C.O.C. as well, frequently waylaying attempts by the Comission or the City to shut the Ghostbusters down or seize their equipment and tech. Less because he likes them, but more because he's acutely aware the team tends to be the only ones who know how to operate and maintain ghost catching technology in ways that generally won't result in explosions, holes in reality, etc.

-->'''Walter Peck:''' Ms. Melnitz, after taking that phone call, Peter Venkman ran out of here without a ''single smart-assed remark.'' That kind of character inconsistency is, in my experience, the ''reddest'' of red flags.

* SealedEvilInASixpack: In the fourth issue of the "Happy Horror Days" arc, the Ghostbusters used multiple traps to contain [[spoiler:the Bogeyman]]. The entity couldn't be permanently contained like a normal ghost because Egon was worried that their presence would contaminate other the specimens in storage and potentially allow for a breach. [[spoiler:The traps were put in crates that were then filled with cement and sent to a watery grave "until [the Ghostbusters could] find a better solution."]]

** In the 2011 holiday special "What in Samhain Just Happened?", there's a variety of shout-outs in the form of party guests' Halloween costumes, including: Dana Barrett ala the "There is no Dana, only Zuul" scene from the first movie, Stay Puft, WesternAnimation/BugsBunny's witch costume from "Broom-Stick Bunny", [[Creator/TexAvery Red and the wolf]], Music/MichaelJackson dressed in his "Thriller" outfit along with other zombies, [[WesternAnimation/GarfieldSpecials Garfield in his pirate costume]], two of the WesternAnimation/LonesomeGhosts, [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman]] (sans horse), [[WesternAnimation/ItsTheGreatPumpkinCharlieBrown Charlie Brown and Lucy in their Halloween costumes]], [[Film/TeenWolf Scott (in werewolf form) and Boof]], and the witch from ''[[HalloweenSpecial Disney's Halloween Treat]]''.

* {{Stripperiffic}}: Invoked, but downplayed. The marketing consultant doesn't deny that the new (mandated) outfit for the female Ghostbusters is to make then "look better," but the actual outfits are basically the coverall tops with really short shorts. Janine initially assumes they're costumes for photo shoots... and then it turns out the consultant has had the coveralls sent to storage so they ''have'' to wear the short shorts as uniforms. Naturally, Janine pointedly makes a good argument on why such a design for her, FBI Special Agent Melanie Ortiz, and Ray's assistant[=/=]employee Kylie Griffith is impractical for their line of work after coming back from an unexpected bust with cuts all over their legs.

* BewareOfHitchhikingGhosts: During the "Haunted America" arc, there's a multi-issue side story where Peter picks up a young woman named Laura whose car was totaled by a haunted 18-wheeler that's been terrorizing a certain non-New York local road. He captures the ghost trucker and drops Laura off at her house, though she disappears without getting out of the car. And when he goes to her house, her elderly mother says that [[spoiler:Laura was killed in an accident on that road twenty years earlier.]] Then again, the [[SpoilerTitle ending was essentially spoiled already by the story's title]], [[spoiler:"Who Killed Laura Parr?"]].

* BittersweetEnding: The world is safe at the end of the second volume... only because [[spoiler: Winston ''kills himself'' as a sacrifice to Tiamat. Then Tiamat decides that's "too easy," ''brings him back to life,'' almost kills his wife Tiyah, but then gets an even better (to her) idea. She makes Tiyah, and the entire world - except Winston, forget they were ever married!]]

--->'''Peter:''' There's a reason we ''never'' say "Get her!"

** Idulnas eventually possesses Janoz Poha and uses him as a means of summoning the demonic Collectors to [[spoiler:send the Ghostbusters into limbo.]] Much later, Kylie eventually drives a wedge between the two and [[spoiler:Janoz changes the painted spell so that the Collectors abduct Idulnas instead]].

* KilledOffForReal: Played with. After a DisneyDeath storyline involving Egon, Jenny stops the godlike being who brought him back from forcing them to give it an ArtifactOfDoom. In outrage, the being obliterates her, but instead of passing on she continues to help the Ghostbusters as a [[CuteMonsterGirl Class 4 spirit.]]

*** Ray's counterpart's last name being the only one mentioned leads to a bit of FridgeBrilliance: Peter's and Winston's voice actors changed over the course of the series, whereas Ray's and Egon's did not. Narrative flow aside, only using first names for the others kept the writers from having to choose which voice actors' last names to use.

** In the second crossover with the Ninja Turtles, Peter and Michelangelo end up in an AlternateUniverse populated by FunnyAnimals -- including turtle Ghostbusters. Each is named after the actors who played their counterpart in the original films and ''The Real Ghostbusters''; for example, Ray's counterpart is [[Creator/DanAykroyd Dan]] [[Creator/FrankWelker Welker]].

** In the 6th issue of ''Mass Hysteria'', [[spoiler:Gozer]] tries to open the containment unit while [[spoiler: possessing Ray]]. Something similar happened to Peter in "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" (Episode 103).
** The whole concept of Ron starting up a rival business with stolen tech, his method of dealing with ghosts (dispersing instead of trapping), stealing business from the Ghostbusters, and the end result of the dispersals is a variation on the plot from "Robo-Buster" (Episode 406).

Through miniseries, they met the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIDW IDW versions]] of the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles twice in 2014 and in 2017, ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' versions of themselves in 2015, the ''[[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Ghostbusters: Answer the Call]]'' stars in 2017, ''every Ghostbuster ever'' in 2018, and the Franchise/{{Transformers}} in 2019.

** Aside from the ones mentioned above in 'ActorAllusion', the comic is also chock full of references to the various comedy films and television shows associated with the cast of the original film. These include, but are not limited to, a group of ghosts haunting a diner who are made to look and act exactly like the 'Olympia Cafe' sketch from SaturdayNightLive, and a pair of Canadian ghosts riding a giant monstrous moose, referencing Rick Moranis' famous McKenzie Brothers sketch from 'SCTV'.

--->'''Eugene:''' C'mon, Eeg. Pop caught me up. He told me what you do for a living now. . . you tryin' to tell me this is the weirdest thing you ever came across? \\

** ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}[=/=]Ghostbusters'', from June through October 2019. Unlike the ''TMNT'' storylines, this crossover does not involve a dimensional breach with the universe of the then-concurrent ''ComicBook/Transformers2019'' but instead posits that the Transformer race has always existed in this ''Ghostbusters'' universe, driven to near-extinction by Gozer before the comics began; the {{last|OfHisKind}} Autobots just never set foot on Earth until they detected the emergence of the ghost of Starscream.

* NoodleIncident: "C'mon, Eeg. Pop caught me up. He told me what you do for a living now. . . you tryin' to tell me this is the weirdest thing you ever came across?" "No, that involved an emu."