Line #21 Characters/GhostbustersIDWComics


1	'''[[center:[-[[Characters/{{Ghostbusters}} Main Character Index]]-]]]'''
2	----
3	Page for characters that are specific to the IDW comic book ''ComicBook/{{Ghostbusters}}''.
4
5	For the characters who first appeared in the 1980s films, see [[Characters/GhostbustersFilmSeriesGhostbusters Ghostbusters (Film Series)]].
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7	[[foldercontrol]]
8	[[folder:Heroes]]
9	!!Kylie Griffin
10	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kylie_griffin_idw.jpg]]
11	Kylie is an employee at Ray's Occult Books that Ray hired to manage the store while he's off doing Ghostbusters stuff. She helps Ray over the phone with research into the occult using the store's books. Later when the Ghostbusters go missing Janine hires her to sub for the boys, and she acts as backup several times after.
12	----
13	* BadassBookworm: She spends her free time going through Ray's books, and can kick ass along with everyone else.
14	* CanonImmigrant: Kylie is originally from ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters'', though here she has a completely different backstory and hair design.
15	* DeadpanSnarker: Which is why she gets along with Peter so well.
16	* PerkyGoth: Dresses in dark and somewhat antiquated clothes, but is positive and upbeat.
17	!!Melanie Ortiz
18	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/melanie_ortiz_idw.jpg]]
19	Special Agent Melanie Ortiz was an FBI agent that ran into the Ghostbusters while they were investigating the ghosts of aliens in Roswell, New Mexico. Later when she's on vacation in New York Ortiz joins the Ghostbusters to fill in for the missing team. After they return Ortiz stays on the team as a liaison between the Ghostbusters and the FBI.
20	----
21	* CoolBigSis: Has moments of this with Kylie.
22	* {{Expy}}: In her original appearance Ortiz was basically [[Series/TheXFiles Dana Scully]], and her partner was [[InkSuitActor Mulder]]. However she is not TheScully, she believes in the ghosts just fine.
23	* UnfazedEveryman: Among the newer Ghostbusters at least.
24	!!Ron Alexander
25	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ron_alexander.jpg]]
26	Ron Alexander stole the schematics for the Ghostbusters equipment, built his own gear, and started his own rival company, The Ghost Smashers. The Ghost Smashers quickly became more popular since their packs disintegrated the ghosts instead of merely stunning them. Of course, [[CheatersNeverProsper this corner cutting backfires horribly]], leading to a massive build-up of spectral energy that almost destroys Manhattan. Afterwards Ron is arrested, but gets released when the New Ghostbusters need someone to repair the packs.
27	----
28	* AesopAmnesia: Didn't quite learn his lesson about stealing tech designs from Egon the first time, since his theft and attempted exploitation of transdimensional portal tech ends up kickstarting the ''Crossing Over'' event.
29	* BoxedCrook: Following his arrest, he's effectively turned into this when the New Ghostbusters need someone to fix the packs.
30	* ComicBookFantasyCasting: Ron is based, visually, on 1980s Creator/ChevyChase. (Though given the art style, he also bears a resemblance to WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget.)
31	* CheatersNeverProsper: Seems to be the end result whenever he attempts to improve or exploit technology designed by Egon. His "improved" proton packs nearly destroy Manhattan, and his monkeying with portal technology start a chain of events that risks [[ApocalypseHow dimensional collapse from the Containment Unit melting down.]]
32	* ChildHater: ''Throws a chair'' at a student during an elementary school appearance.
33	* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: Subjected to one by Egon, who makes Ron and Holtzmann read a subliminal code that prevents them from ever thinking about interdimensional travel technology again. By interrupting their thoughts with The Chicken Dance.
34	* GadgeteerGenius: Ron may be an amoral con man, but he still built his own proton packs, and more impressively modified the design. He later built an interdimensional portal, as well.
35	* {{Jerkass}}: Arguably the biggest dick of the cast, at least on par with original Peck. Absolutely no one gets along with him.
36	* NotMeThisTime: The ''Crossing Over'' event plays with this. The main conflict- missing spectral mass from the Containment Unit- isn't his fault at all (Tiamat's the responsible party), but it comes out that he and [[Film/Ghostbusters2016 Jillian Holtzmann]] are responsible for tinkering with the portal technology and subsequent hole in their respective realities that allowed Tiamat the opening to access the containment grid.
37	* TokenEvilTeammate: The only Ghostbuster that could be considered evil. Even Peter has a shred of decency.
38	!!Jenny Moran
39	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jenmoran.jpg]]
40	One of three ladies Ron Alexander hired to staff his Ghost Smashers. Despite that enterprise going south in a hurry, Jenny managed to strike up a relationship with Ray Stantz that quickly developed into a romance. She subsequently appeared as a backup Ghostbuster, and landed a job as the PCOC (Paranormal Contracts Oversight Commission) liaison to the Ghostbusters...
41
42	Then she died. [[spoiler:She got better, sort of.]]
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44	* BadassBureaucrat: Was this during her time with PCOC, doing her best to help the Ghostbusters from within the government apparatus, while ensuring the good taxpayers of New York got the most bang for their buck. Case in point: during an international paranormal emergency she used $400k of government cash to charter-fly the Ghostbusters around the world, and saved $30k by pooling the trips with those of some honeymooners from Long Island.
45	* BewareTheNiceOnes: She's Ray's girlfriend and a sweet and helpful person who helps out on busts and keeps Peck off the team's backs... who's also unafraid of strapping on a proton pack and openly defying the Big Bad. [[spoiler:Becoming a Class 4 entity has only amplified this by giving her access to paranormal powers.]]
46	* ComicBookFantasyCasting: Given her relationship with Ray, the fact that her appearance is based on Donna Dixon, retired actress and Dan Aykroyd's then-real life spouse, is actually rather sweet. Bonus points for a dream sequence of Ray's that saw him and Jenny take on the roles played by Aykroyd and Dixon in ''Film/SpiesLikeUs''. Of course [[Film/TheBluesBrothers Jake]] then had to spoil the whole dream...
47	* CuteGhostGirl: [[spoiler:Ray certainly seems to think so. Of course, being a spirit in the Ghostbusters universe, she's not limited to 'cute' forms.]]
48	* FriendlyGhost: [[spoiler:Is currently this. As mentioned already, she's friendly because she's that kind of person. Piss her off and you get the...]]
49	** [[GlowingEyesofDoom Glowing Eyes of Doom]]: [[spoiler:Can turn these on and off at will. Surprisingly intimidating. She can also break out the...]]
50	** OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Being a ghost does come with perks. She seems to have mastered a degree of shapeshifting, at one point terrifying the ever-living snot out of some students by morphing into a screaming banshee with the head of a gigantic naked mole rat.]]
51	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:At the end of the ''Crossing Over'' miniseries, she voluntarily enters the Containment Unit to prevent it from melting down.]]
52	* SummonBiggerFish: Tried this and failed: when the Ghostbusters were outclassed by the spirit of a powerful sorceror, Jenny decided the best solution was to read a spell from the very tome said sorcerer needed for his evil plot, one she understood might summon an even more powerful entity. It didn't work... in fact it sent her and the rest of the team (bar the spiritually immune Winston) [[ToHellAndBack straight to Hell]].
53	* [[ThePowerofLove The Power of Love]]: Seems to be why she hasn't crossed over to the other side: not even death will keep her apart from Ray.
54	* [[ThrillSeeker Thrill Seeker]]: During her introductory arc, Jenny ended up flying shotgun with Ray on a tiny autogyro, soaring over New York, which was slowly being consumned by a giant ghost. Her only reaction? "I love this plan!"
55	* [[VoiceoftheLegion Voice of the Legion]]: [[spoiler:Seems to be the only part of her 'ghostly' nature she can't hide when in corporeal human form: all of her dialog is rendered in the jagged white-on-black typeface that is used for ghosts within the comics.]]
56	!!Optimus Prime
57	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ghostbusters_9.png]]
58	[[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer Yes, you're seeing this right.]] The leader of the Autobots got a chance to bust some ghosts with the best of them. In this universe, Cybertron was destroyed by Gozer right after the Autobots left, killing all the Decepticons in the process. Left adrift for millions of years in space while searching for a new home, a signal on Earth--and a curious nature by the theoretical physicist Ectotron--sends Prime to Earth in search of a [[TheStarscream familiar looking specter]].
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60	* AdaptationalNiceGuy: {{Downplayed}}, as Prime is still AFatherToHisMen like always, but he's considerably more patient with his crew's foibles than others would be. [[AdaptationalJerkass To a point]].
61	* AdaptationalJerkass: {{Downplayed}}, as he's still [[BigGood Optimus Prime]], but he's notably more annoyed at some tendencies his crew has. Notably, when Ectotron confirms he's shortening his name, Prime is actually ''relieved''.
62	* ArbitrarySkepticism: He's a giant robot who can turn into a truck, and carries a mystical talisman inside his chest containing the collective wisdom of the ancients of his people, yet he's a little hesitant to believe in the presence of ghosts. He even [[LampshadedTrope lampshades]] this when he [[spoiler:sees the ghosts of Megatron, Shockwave, and Soundwave in front of him]] and how he shouldn't have had such doubts.
63	* ArchEnemy: To Megatron, like always.
64	* BigBadassRig: His Earth mode is a 1984 Freightliner cabover truck, which he later paints in the Ghostbusters' colors.
65	* BigGood: Of the Autobots.
66	* CanonWelding: Hails from the ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' franchise and is made one of numerous iterations of himself from throughout the multiverse, specifically one who exists in the ''Ghostbusters'' reality.
67	* CoolVersusAwesome: A giant robot who can turn into a truck fighting ghosts of his old enemies. Awesome should be Prime's middle name.
68	* DeadpanSnarker: He has shades of this, notably when Wheeljack suggests not going to help Ectotron for being a little "nuts". Prime gently reminds him that people thought the same of the engineer... while the panel is focused on [[BloodKnight Grimlock]], his own creation.
69	* AFatherToHisMen: Aside from being mildly annoyed at his crew's antics, he couldn't be more determined to help them when needed.
70	* ForgotFlandersCouldDoThat: Prime's been [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] since Season 3 of the cartoon, to the point every Prime since then has almost always been TheStoic. This Prime is not only annoyed at a few of his teammates antics, he cracks a joke (though he does note that Earth seems to be rubbing off on him).
71	* GenericGraffiti: Some hoodlums cover him in it when he waits outside the firehouse. Luckily, he can change his paint scheme to hide it.
72	* LetsGetDangerous: When he encounters [[spoiler:the ghostly Decepticons]], he quickly connects his proton pack to his ax to take them on.
73	* NotSoAboveItAll: Aside from the aforementioned relief he got at hearing Ecotron is shortening his name, he actually cracks a joke to Peter while discussing size changing amongst the Cybertronian race. Peter [[ActuallyPrettyFunny thought Prime was funny]].
74	* PaletteSwap: He changes his more familiar red and blue colors to white black to better match the Ghostbusters. {{Justified}} due to him getting covered in graffiti.
75	* SixthRanger: To the OG Ghostbusters and Ectotron.
76	!!Ectotron
77	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ghostbusters_2.jpg]]
78	A native of the planet Cybertron, Ectronymus Diamatron is a theoretical physicist by trade, but a being without a home. With Gozer having destroyed Cybertron and the Decepticons, he and the other Autobots have been wandering the stars for eons in search of a new planet. The time seems to have come when he picks up a Cybertronian signal on Earth and gets permission from Optimus Prime to investigate, where his journey leads him into contact with the Ghostbusters.
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80	* BreakTheHaughty: One robotic foot on Earth, and the ego inside Ectotron's processors gets knocked down hard. Unlike [[WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated a certain jerkass by the name of Sentinel Prime]], he learns from this and emerges a better bot.
81	* ButNowIMustGo: He remains a Ghostbuster, but he decides to leave Earth for the time being so he can find out what happened to the other Decepticons and see if he can help them. Or, as Peter refers to it, an "expansion" of their business.
82	* ButtMonkey: Not only do the other Autobots barely tolerate him, his time on Earth leads him to tripping over himself, having his ego knocked down a few pegs, and [[spoiler:getting possessed by a ghostly Megatron.]]
83	* CanonImmigrant: He's a ''Transformers'' character designed for their ''Collaborative'' crossover line. In his case, he's part of a joint celebration of the two franchise's thirtieth anniversary.
84	* CharacterDevelopment: His time on Earth helps to humble the scientist into a more collaborative bot.
85	* CoolCar: He takes the form of ECTO-1--while the real one's trashed in a ditch.
86	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: It's clear that, in spite of his skills, he's just barely tolerated on ''The Ark'' due to his condescending attitude. Even ''Optimus Prime'' has his limits with the guy. Fortunately, Earth proves to be a humbling experience for him.
87	* TheGlomp: He gives a big old hug to Prime when the Autobot leader approves his mission to help the Decepticons [[spoiler:possibly be restored to corporal form.]]
88	* GrandTheftMe: [[spoiler:Megatron briefly possesses him until the Ghostbuster give him a mouthful of mood slime.]]
89	* TheKlutz: Being an Autobot in a human world isn't all that helpful for his size. He causes damage to the firehouse and the warehouse by tripping over himself trying not to squish anyone.
90	* OverlyLongName: Ectronymus Diamatron is a bit of a mouthful, as pointed out by Janine. She convinces him to shorten it (much to Prime's relief).
91	* SeenItAll: On the receiving end of it. The other Ghostbusters don't bat an eye at his presence, as they've been in the business long enough not to be shocked by an alien robot who turns into their car suddenly showing up.
92	* SmallNameBigEgo: His insistence on being referred to by his OverlyLongName, combined with his prowess as a theoretical physicist (not to mention his unpopularity with his teammates), give him an ego that could rival Starscream. Fortunately, he grows out of this.
93	* TheyCallMeMisterTibbs: He insists the other Autobots call him Ectronymus Diamatron, as he worked hard to obtain that title, but his time with the Ghostbusters leads him to stop this.
94	[[/folder]]
95	[[folder:Villains]]
96	!!Tiamat
97	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tiamat_idw22.jpg]]
98	-->''"When I first came back to this plane of existence, it was mostly curiosity. The same worms that once worshiped us could suddenly rip holes in the fabric of the universe... and beat you soundly. I wanted to play with them."''
99
100	Tiamat is the sister of Gozer and the one to originally banish him from Earth. When Gozer is defeated by the Ghostbusters, Tiamat takes an interest in the planet and the Ghostbusters and invades Earth for fun.
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102	* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: To Gozer. Not only was she able to fight him head on and '''win''', she was ''toying with him the whole time''.
103	* TheBadGuyWins: Fortunately for the Earth, it was never her intention to destroy it. She just wanted to mess with Gozer for a bit. Once she's had her fun, she leaves.
104	* BigBad: Of the second story arc of the IDW comic [[spoiler:and the ''Crossing Over'' miniseries.]]
105	* CruelMercy: Rather than simply destroying her victims, she likes to watch them live with their suffering. [[spoiler:When Winston offers himself as a sacrifice to save Ray, Tiamat accepts, but then changes her mind when she realizes his HeroicSacrifice would send him to Heaven, so she decides to take Winston's fiance as the sacrifice instead. However, instead of killing her, Tiamat removes all memories of their relationship from Winston's fiance AND EVERYBODY ELSE, so Winston is the ONLY person who remembers.]]
106	-->'''Winston:''' Giving up my friends, my family, [[spoiler:my WIFE?]] That's a sacrifice, all right.\
107	'''Tiamat:''' But it's not yours. If you want to banish me, you must live to face the consequences. I insist you choose another sacrifice.
108	* ExactWords: [[spoiler:After taking Winston's marriage as a worthy sacrifice]], she pledges to permanently leave the Ghostbusters' plane of existence. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, all of the dimension-hopping adventures the boys have been on lately gives her [[LoopholeAbuse an interesting loophole...]]]]
109	* ForTheEvulz: Tiamat doesn't have any real motive, she just wants to ruin the Ghostbusters' lives and mess with reality for fun.
110	* HumanoidAbomination: She's a tremendously powerful DimensionLord and takes the form of a snakelike humanoid, is related to Gozer and is his superior when it comes to power, and possesses an extremely warped mindset that makes her both capricious and inimical.
111	* HopeSpot: Gives one ''to Gozer''. [[spoiler:When Gozer possessed Ray, he thought he could beat Tiamat by opening the containment grid and using the ghosts inside to increase his power. However, Tiamat had manipulated Ray's memories so Gozer wouldn't realize the containment grid had security measures that could detect if a Ghostbuster was possessed and deny them access. Tiamat did this just so Gozer could have a brief hope of winning, then complete despair in the face of defeat.]]
112	-->''I do truly love the feeling you people get when hope is snatched away. It's like nothing else.''
113	* ItAmusedMe: About the only consistent motivation for anything she does.
114	* JerkassGod: She isn't one for playing nice with her subjects, and when she feels like hurting someone to pass the time, is downright vicious.
115	* MadGod: Which works somewhat in the Ghostbusters' favor, since simply destroying the Earth would end any way of causing more chaos.
116	* ManipulativeBastard: For such a chaotic god Tiamat is good at messing with people's emotions, especially her brother's.
117	** [[spoiler:Engineered most of the events of the ''Crossing Over'' miniseries in order to generate fear and chaos across the dimensions.]]
118	--->[[spoiler:'''Real!Egon:''' It's [Tiamat] been '''following''' us!]]
119	--->[[spoiler:'''Prime!Egon:''' Worse - it's been '''influencing''' our situation.]]
120	--->[[spoiler:'''Tiamat:''' Of course! I ''want'' you to continue visiting other worlds, throwing ghosts and demons and things you can't even ''classify'' yet into fits of panic. ''Chase'' them. ''Upset'' the ''order'' of their environments. Leave ''chaos'' in your wake and ''increase'' my power - '''OR BE DESTROYED!''']]
121	* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: [[spoiler:Is brought down to size by Rachel Unglighter's magic, socked in the face by Winston with the Proton Glove, has the vast majority of her power scattered to the dimensional winds by numerous modified Trapgates, and is finally captured in a conventional trap and left in the Limbo Dimension to rot. One can only hope that it sticks...]]
122	* NonhumansLackAttributes: Her humanoid form is a snake woman wearing nothing but her scales, but she has no visible nipples or genitals.
123	* SnakePeople: She's basically a cluster of snakes in humanoid form.
124	* VillainRespect: The Ghostbusters cross '''''NINE''''' proton streams fighting against her in her home dimension. Although she survives, she's still surprised and calls it "an attack worthy of a Goddess".
125	[[/folder]]
126	[[folder:Others]]
127	!!Roger Baugh
128	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/roger_baugh_idw.jpg]]
129	Janine's boyfriend in the IDW comic, who looks suspiciously like [[WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters Egon with a blond ponytail]].
130	----
131	* CanonImmigrant: A very interesting possible example, given that he looks exactly like Egon in ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters''.
132	* NiceGuy: To contrast Egon, Roger is friendly and sociable.
133	* IdenticalStranger: He doesn't look exactly like Egon, but he looks enough like Egon. In fact, he looks like Egon in ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters''. This is even referenced when Janine mistakes [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters a parallel version of Egon]][[note]]who is effectively the same Egon as Roger is based on...[[/note]] FOR Roger!
134	* PutOnABus: Accepted a teaching job in San Francisco and asked Janine to go with him, but Janine wouldn't leave... New York.
135	* ReplacementGoldfish: It's painfully obvious to everyone that Janine is dating Roger because she can't date Egon.
136	* SatelliteLoveInterest: Only exists as a boyfriend to Janine.
137	[[/folder]]

Context Characters / GhostbustersIDWComics