Earlier this year, we showcased a collection of oil painting pastiches by artist Nick Ross, which crossed the streams of Ghostbusters with some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters of the 1970s and 80s, intended to be used as covers for the fan-published comic series, Ghostbusters: Ectocism. In today’s update, Ross is back, sharing a digital release of the spooktacular first issue, which places the Ghostbusters at a seance where there’s somethin’ strange afoot!
Already earning praise from the fan community, mirroring those previously featured covers, all nine issues’ 300 pages are oil paintings, and it’s the art style that readers will notice first, as we are re-introduced to Peter, Ray, Winston, and Egon, as well as a cast of familiar-looking supporting players who, while a bit jarring at first, begin to seamlessly feel at home within this non-canon world of Ghostbusters.
Pairing with the art is a story that points towards well after the events of Ghostbusters II, as ghost-busting has seemingly been almost forgotten. Ray looks to prove the naysayers wrong, gaining hard evidence of the existence of the supernatural, and, in turn, gets granted funding for a return to full-time research.
Each of the Ghostbusters‘ personalities manages to shine through, at least as much as they can, given the first issue’s length and expanded cast, which, in reading through, makes Ectocism feel somewhat of a “What if Ghostbusters III was made in the early 2000s?” scenario. The introduction of Gwendelyn, with Jennifer Tilly serving as the appearance, instantly sets the tone, while Steve Buscemi is also used, giving life to a character likely to play a larger role in later issues. Another highlight comes in a somewhat cross-over between Superbad and Clueless as Johan Hill strikes out with Alicia Silverstone. There are a few other notable appearances and surprises, among them a spectral encounter that has us patiently waiting for the digital follow-up.
In a forward for Issue #1, Ross alludes to this massive undertaking while also hoping that it may garner the attention of those behind the Ghostbusters franchise, writing, “In an ideal world, this would be out in stores—but it isn’t, so it won’t be. I hope you get at least a fraction of the enjoyment I had painting this. It took years to create—hopefully, this work will open doors for me.”
For those who’d like to check out the first issue of Ghostbusters: Ectocism, it’s available now, both through Facebook and Instagram.
