Spectral Ghostbusters

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Spectral Ghostbusters
Occupation:	Taking Over
Also Known As:	Anti-Ghostbusters
Appeared In:	The Real Ghostbusters; "Citizen Ghost" The Real Ghostbusters Magazine Summer 1990
Played By:	Maurice LaMarche, Frank Welker, Lorenzo Music, and Arsenio Hall

Spectral Ghostbusters ^{[citation needed]} (also known as the Anti-Ghostbusters) ^{[citation needed]} appeared in the episode "Citizen Ghost" and are the results of the battle against Gozer which has manifested into evil doppelgängers using the Ghostbusters' old uniforms. In a way, Peter Venkman was responsible for their creation (as they were created from the duties he was too lazy to perform). The mission of the Spectral Ghostbusters was to get rid of the Ghostbusters.

History

The Spectral Ghostbusters are the old uniforms of the Ghostbusters given life from a combination of psychokinetic energy absorbed from the battle with Gozer and a leakage in the Containment Unit. After the Ghostbusters had defeated Gozer, as seen in the first movie, their outfits were polluted with some left over residue of the evil god. After they were given their new uniforms, Egon ordered that the outfits be destroyed by Peter. However, Peter was too lazy in to do it right away and the suits were exposed to some ectoplasm from a leak in the newly built Containment Unit (something Peter was supposed to check for). This mixed with Gozer's residue and the Ghostbusters' mental imprints. Over time, this caused evil ghostly versions of the Ghostbusters to be born. This new team attempted to take over the Ghostbusters' job and lives by eliminating them. The Ghostbusters forced them out of their headquarters and soon discovered what caused them (to which Peter received the blame).

The Spectral Ghostbusters resurfaced several days later and followed the Ghostbusters back to their headquarters. It was here that the Ghostbusters were at a disadvantage as they only had one pack that was not even fully charged. However, they discovered that the Spectral Ghostbusters' stream blasts are made from their own ectoplasm and that constant use of their streams weakened them. Slimer then went out and drew away their fire until they were weak enough for capture. After the Spectral Ghostbusters were successfully captured, Slimer was accepted as a pet ghost by the Ghostbusters and the old outfits were properly disposed of. Peter later retold the encounter with the Spectral Ghostbusters to UBN reporter, Cynthia Crawford.

RGB Magazine Summer 1990

As Seen in RGB Magazine Summer 1990 issue

They return and take the uniforms and packs of the Ghostbusters that Peter had thrown away. It is noted that they were using the Ghostbusters outdated models, as that is why they got rid of them. The Spectral Ghostbusters go on a bank robbing spree, which gets the real Ghostbusters in jail. The Spectral Ghostbusters then go to the Firehouse and planned to open the Containment Unit. The Ghostbusters get released from jail after explaining that the robbers were imposters with their old equipment. The Ghostbusters then get back to the Firehouse and confront the Spectral Ghostbusters and bust them once again.

It is not explained how the Spectral Ghostbusters escaped the Containment Unit after the first time.

Abilities

The Spectral Ghostbusters have all the abilities of the real Ghostbusters, but they also have ghostly abilities as well. Their packs also do not have charges as they use their own ectoplasm for the streams. Unlike the Ghostbusters' streams that merely capture ghost by their protons, the Spectral Ghostbuster streams seem to flat out kill their targets. Despite possessing nearly all the equipment of the real Ghostbusters, the Spectral Ghostbusters seem to only use their particle throwers. The Spectral Ghostbusters have only one weakness, their streams are created from their own ectoplasm and constant use of the streams drains their power and weakens them. This weakness is ultimately what led to their downfall at the hands of the real Ghostbusters.

Personality

They all seem to all have personalities that match the real Ghostbusters, though they are off the darker variety. The Spectral Ghostbusters seem to think that they are the real Ghostbusters and the real Ghostbusters are impostors. The Spectral Ghostbusters also do not seem to think independently like the real Ghostbusters and only live for their mission. They also seem to have some kind of weakness when it comes to choosing between humans and actual ghost, as they all immediately started to shoot at Slimer upon first sight rather than divert some attention to the helpless Ghostbusters in front of them.

Trivia

• In Ghostbusters Issue #5, the box of contaminated jump suits makes a non-canon cameo on a desk in the Paranormal lab construct.
• On page six of Ghostbusters Issue #13, the box of contaminated jump suits makes a non-canon cameo in the Firehouse to the far left of Ecto-1a.
• On page 18 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1, the box of contaminated jump suits next to Special Agent Melanie Ortiz.
• On page four of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #14, the box of contaminated jump suits makes a non-canon cameo behind Egon.
• On page 20 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #17, the box of contaminated suits makes a non-canon cameo on top of the footlockers.

Appearances

The Real Ghostbusters

• "Citizen Ghost"

Ghostbusters Sega

• In the Ghostbusters game for the Sega Genesis, similar villains appear as mini-bosses in the penultimate level. The only difference was that they were the other Ghostbusters possessed by an evil ghost rather than creatures spawned from fragments of Gozer. They were either Egon and Ray, Ray and Peter, or Peter and Egon depending on which Ghostbuster the player was playing as.

The Real Ghostbusters Magazine

• "Summer 1990"
  • They return and go around robbing banks. The story is not canon.

Also See

• Peoplebusters
• Copycat
• Ghostmakers

Gallery

Collages

Primary Canon

Secondary Canon

Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters Issue #13

Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1

Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #14

Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #17