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The Nameless Book[1] is relic from a time when the Old Ones ruled Earth, a book so powerful, ancient, and full of magic that no one can say its real name or terrible things would happen.[2]

History[]

During a paranormal conference, the Nameless Book was stolen from a Soviet institute's collection by Vladimir Pavel Maximov and Dmitri Smerdyakov. In order to distract the authorities, they pinned the theft on the Ghostbusters. In the confusion, they took the book to the Old One Cult and began to cast a spell from it. The cult was taken to the Temple of the Old Ones where the book awakened Yibb-Tstll. The book was never seen again after the Ghostbusters defeated Yibb.

Powers[]

The Nameless Book is one of two books that has the ability to awaken the Old Ones. According to the P.K.E. Meter, the book is very powerful and puts out a lot of paranormal energy.[3] When a spell is being cast from the book, it is impervious to the Proton Streams.

Trivia[]

  • "The Nameless Book" is an old reference to the Necronomicon. Originally, J. Michael Straczynski wanted to use the Necronomicon in "Russian About" but Broadcast Standards and Practices rejected it despite its prior appearance in one of the syndicated episodes "The Collect Call of Cathulhu" due to their claim of its ties to Satanic lore. Straczynski objected but the network didn't care if the Necronomicon existed or not. He found an old reference to the Necronomicon as "the nameless book" and went with that in the script.[4][5]
    • Straczynski almost quit the series a second time over not being able to reference the Necronomicon or H.P. Lovecraft but Ame Simon at ABC convinced him to let it go as a favor since it was one of the last scripts of the season. However, he later published an article on censorship in network television animation in Penthouse's June 1991 issue.[6]
  • On page 19 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1, the Nameless Book makes a non-canon cameo behind Janine.

Appearances[]

The Real Ghostbusters

References[]

  1. Katarina Novachenka (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Russian About" (1990) (DVD ts. 07:16-07:18). Time Life Entertainment. Katarina says: "It was a thing called the Nameless Book."
  2. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Russian About" (1990) (DVD ts. 07:25-07:32). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "It's a book so powerful, so ancient, so full of magic you can't say it's name. If you do, terrible things happen."
  3. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Russian About" (1990) (DVD ts. 07:12-07:15). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "My P.K.E. Meter said something very powerful was once in here."
  4. Radio Free Amerika with J. Michael Straczynski 5/2/1991 Line reads: "I did the script, then one day arrived the notes from Broadcast Standards and Practices (BS&P;) which said that I couldn't use either Cthulhu or the Necronomicon since these were both "established occult and cult lore." Now, hold the bus, says I. They're FICTIONAL CREATIONS.Not real occult figures."
  5. Radio Free Amerika with J. Michael Straczynski 5/2/1991 Line reads: "I called the Big C one of the Old Ones (knowing that Lovecraft scholars will figure it out), and found an old reference to the Necronomicon as "the nameless book," which I then used in the script."
  6. Straczynski, J. Michael (2019). Becoming Superman, p. 291. Harper Voyager, New York NY USA, ISBN 0062857843. Line reads: "When I threatened to walk off the show again, Ame Simon pleaded for understanding. "Let it go," she said. "It's one of the last scripts of the season, and we don't want a fight. This isn't a hill to die on." As a favor to Ame, who had to live with these jerks, I changed The Necronomicon to The Nameless Book because if you said the name aloud, terrible things would happen. That compromise seemed to make everyone happy. That is, everyone except me, and for the second time the voice inside my head that does the actual writing whispered, You're done with animation. Move on."

Gallery[]

Primary Canon[]

Secondary Canon[]

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