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In Captain Steel Saves the Day, through paranormal means, Ray's favorite comic book character, Captain Steel, comes to life, and crosses paths with the Ghostbusters. When the evil Doctor Destructo also comes to life, a hero team-up may be the only way to save the world.[2]

Cast[]

Ray Stantz

Egon Spengler

Peter Venkman

Winston Zeddemore

Janine Melnitz

Slimer

Len Wolfman

Captain Steel

Dr. Destructo

Equipment[]

Ecto-1

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Trap

Containment Unit

Mental Neutralizer

Quasitronic Nuclear Inverter

Items[]

Captain Steel Comics

Locations[]

Firehouse

Plot[]

When Ray found out that his favorite comic book was being cancelled the following month, he was very upset. Everyone rushed to Ray thinking a major emergency had taken place. Peter stormed off. Soon after that, Ray and his fellow Ghostbusters were called to investigate a strange occurrence at the office of the comic book's creator. Ray brought 50 comics for him to sign but was still mad about the cancellation. Len Wolfman had been drawing his last Captain Steel comic when the characters came to life and started talking back to him. They wanted more control over their lives. Wolfman instead drew in a comet that bathed Earth in a strange radiation and reduced Steel and Destructo into regular people. Captain Steel refused to accept this ending and jumped out of the page into the real world and flew out to protect New York City. The Ghostbusters heard Wolfman's story and some were skeptical.

For his first act, the Captain apprehended two jewelry store robbers. When he dropped them off at the police station, the officer in charge asked him where his evidence was. During the argument with the officer, the two robbers sneaked away. Captain Steel flew away asking himself what was wrong with this new city he was in. The Ghostbusters caught up with Captain Steel and Peter tried to zap him. Captain Steel, thought the Ghostbusters were supervillains so he disarmed them with his heat vision and bent a steel pole around all of them. As a crowd gawked at the Ghostbusters, Captain picked them up and flew off with them in hand. Just then, Dr. Destructo, who had also escaped the comic pages, blasted Steel making him drop the Ghostbusters. In order to save themselves from falling to their death, the Ghostbusters pointed their Particle Throwers at the water below and crossed the streams. This created a large plume of water that cushioned their impact. Destructo tricked Captain and buried him under a pile of rubble. After he emerged, Ray showed him a membership card to a fanclub. The Ghostbusters finally were able to join forces with Captain Steel and they went to look for Dr. Destructo.

It turned out that Destructo had taken over the Ghostbusters own Firehouse and planned to use its power grid for his own nefarious schemes. He erected a force field around the building that neither the Ghostbusters' Particle Throwers nor Captain Steel's incredible strength nor heat vision could penetrate. Knowing that any technology Dr. Destructo created had to inevitably come out of the mind of his creator, Egon came up with the idea to go ask Len Wolfman for help. Mr. Wolfman drew a picture of a device that would disrupt the force field and Captain Steel pulled it off the page. In exchange, once the crisis was averted, Captain would return to Wolfman's panels. Captain agreed and they rushed off back to the Firehouse. Egon used it to punch a hole into the force field and Captain shattered the weakened field.

The team confronted Dr. Destructo near the Containment Unit. Ray sneaked around behind him and hit a button on the control panel. It opened the Containment Unit grid and sucked Dr. Destructo in. Captain Steel, the other non-living entity in the room, was able to use his super strength to resist the Containment Unit's pull. Since Destructo didn't have super powers, he was trapped like a conventional ghost. After the battle, the team found out that a real life Captain Steel flying around New York generated enough publicity to keep the comic book going. Captain Steel agreed to return to the comic book pages and Wolfman assured him that he would come up with a new villain for him to fight. Wolfman then asked the Ghostbusters if they would be the subject of a new comic. Ray was overjoyed but the guys left very quickly after that.

Quotes[]

Janine: Careful with that equipment, buddy. You break it, you bought it.
Winston: Where're you going, Peter?

Peter: To find Ray's marbles. Then I'm gonna put them in a sock and beat him unconscious with them.

Trivia[]

  • The episode was recorded on December 12, 1986.[3]
  • In an interview with Michael Reaves, he revealed he wrote the whole episode and DiC made a mistake of co-crediting Steve Perry.[4]
  • When the Ghostbusters see Ray upset, Winston guesses he is upset because Gozer has returned and Egon guessed the Containment Unit has been destroyed. Both are references to the movie.[5] [6] Peter refers to the latter event later in the episode.[7]
  • Ray's favorite comic is Captain Steel.[8]
  • Ray Stantz reveals Captain Steel was his hero and one of the reasons he became a Ghostbuster.[9]
  • Ray compares Captain Steel's appeal to "Moby Dick"[10]
  • Len Wolfman is an homage to two comic book writers, Len Wein and Marv Wolfman.
  • Dr. Destructo references the Comics Code, a regulatory body in the comic book industry.[11]
  • Ray brought 50 comic books for Len Wolfman to sign.[12]
  • Peter mentions they'll fight the Tooth Fairy next.[13]
  • The elder police officer mentions the Macy's parade.[14]
  • Ray quotes a classic line from Superman, "Look, up in the sky!"[15]
  • Captain Steel initially mistakes the Ghostbusters for supervillains and a fight ensues. This is a common trope in comic books when heroes meet for the first time.
  • The Ghostbusters Cross the Streams to save themselves again.[16]
  • Ray is a member of good standing with the Official Captain Steel Junior Crimestoppers Club.[17]
  • When Captain Steel changes into his disguise, Peter comments "All he did was change his clothes and put on a pair of glasses. Some disguise." This is a nod to Superman's alter ego Clark Kent.
  • Captain Steel appears one more time on the show as a form taken by the Copycat in episode "The Copycat".

Animation Errors[]

  • Ray's Proton Gun is colored red when sitting at Len's desk.[18]
  • Before Captain Steel changes into his disguise, two Rays appear in shot and Winston is missing.[19]

References[]

  1. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1986).
  2. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 23. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  3. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1986).
  4. Spook Central Episode Guide - "The writing credit is split between myself and Steve Perry, but that was a mistake on DiC's part -- I wrote the whole episode."
  5. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 1:33-1:34). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Gozer's back, right?"
  6. Janine Melnitz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 1:41-1:42). Time Life Entertainment. Janine says: "Worse than Gozer?"
  7. Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 16:20-16:22). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Don't tell me. I remember the last time it happened."
  8. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 1:57-2:00). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "They're canceling my favorite comic book!"
  9. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 2:31-2:36). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Egon, Captain Steel is my hero. He's one of the reasons I became a Ghostbuster."
  10. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Captain Steel Saves the Day " (1987) (DVD ts. 02:43-02:46). Time Life Entertainment.
  11. Dr. Destructo (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Captain Steel Saves the Day " (1987) (DVD ts. 04:55-04:56). Time Life Entertainment.
  12. Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 5:19-5:23). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "I can't believe you brought 50 comic books for him to autograph."
  13. Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 6:35-6:37). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Next we'll be busting the Tooth Fairy."
  14. Cop (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Captain Steel Saves the Day " (1987) (DVD ts. 07:12-07:14). Time Life Entertainment.
  15. Ray Stantz (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Captain Steel Saves the Day " (1987) (DVD ts. 08:09-08:10). Time Life Entertainment.
  16. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 11:33-11:35). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Aim at the water and cross the streams!"
  17. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD ts. 13:54-13:58). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "See? Member of good standing of the Official Captain Steel Junior Crimestoppers Club."
  18. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters-"Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD). (DVD ts. 06:23-06:26). Time Life Entertainment.
  19. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters-"Captain Steel Saves the Day" (1987) (DVD). (DVD ts. 15:04-15:15). Time Life Entertainment.

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

RGB DVD Boxset Features[]


 
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