Alternative rock band Hoobastank dawn neo-RGB (The Real Ghostbusters) costumes, packs and traps in this most excellent music video to their latest Ghostbusters cover.

If you follow @ghostbusters on Twitter, you may remember hearing about the band covering Ghostbusters at a series of concerts this August.

[source: Proton Charging]

Hot Topic was our hero. I know those aren’t words that are uttered all that frequently, but let me take you in Doc Brown’s DeLorean for a moment. Circa 2000 or 2001 when Ghostbusters was almost completely off the radar, we considered ourselves lucky the moment that official merchandise was being released through Hot Topic in the form of a red “ringer” t-shirt and a hoodie. It was the most we had been enticed with since Extreme Ghostbusters, and we loved every minute of it (you’ll also recall that there was a cell phone cover for the candy bar Nokia phone of choice released at the same time). That red ringer shirt was a big deal, and the message boards were lit up with fans trying to track one down (long before the internet Hot Topic site made things accessible).

Here’s the scary part… I still have that t-shirt. In fact, in complete contrast to 2001, I now have enough Ghostbusters t-shirts that I could probably wear a different one every day for two weeks straight. That’s a lot of damn Ghostbusters t-shirts, and many of them (especially the older ones including the aforementioned “red ringer”) are ugly as sin. I never wear 80% of them.

Why does this come up? Why is Troy waxing semantics about t-shirts? I moved for what seems like the fiftieth time out here in Los Angeles last June and I sat, looking at the stack of Ghostbusters t-shirts in front of me and actually faced a dilemma that “Me of 2001” would never have dreamed of… should I give a few of these to Goodwill?

Aside from my GB Video Game promo shirt and my 25th Anniversary Logo shirt, I never wear them. In fact a few of them were only purchased because of the excitement that I finally had the ability to buy Ghostbusters shirts again. So why am I hanging on to several of these shirts? Nostalgia? Not really, unless I was nostalgic for the “I’ve Been Slimed” shirt that I had as a kid (that, coincidentally you can now buy again from the GBFans.com store). I’m telling you, I could donate a handful of these and before you knew it, you’d see an army of homeless dudes in Santa Monica rocking the No-Ghost logo.

Maybe that’s indicative of how readily available the shirts are now; I can buy a variety of shirts from a variety of places. And, that being the case, maybe the allure of holding onto the shirts from nearing ten years ago had lost its luster. As B.B. once famously said, maybe the thrill is gone? I’m curious if anyone else out there has gone through this transition or faced a similar dilemma?

As an aside, I’d like to thank everyone for their comments and questions following what was just the introductory column of The Private Sector. I figured 9/10ths of folks would be scratching their heads saying, “Net who? That’s a lame name for a lame guy.” (It is, and I am). I’m going to run one question per week with a short answer that hopefully everyone will benefit from… this week’s question comes from “Bennythegeek”, who – in a great letter asks:

“We all know that everyone involved in getting the project running have all said ‘maybe, possibly, it will happen, 2010 start date, 2011 release date & need a production number.’ How can we all sit here and just accept what we’re being told about Sony Pictures not greenlighting the project? Truth be told, ever since the first hints of a new GB video game the GB merch business (ie. figures, RGB box set, ect.) has been booming! But why would they approve it all if Sony had no intentions of doing a third film? Think about it, man! What’s the best way to get a huge fanbase for your film BEFORE it hits the screen?”

Benny, good point – here’s the scoop. The term “greenlight” is thrown around outside of Hollywood quite a bit as the term for “go ahead”. Makes sense – “I just got the greenlight from the wife to play poker tonight”, right? But in reality, here in LaLa Land, it’s a little different. The greenlight isn’t as informal as a “blessing” or “permission.” The greenlight is the term for the official moment that all pieces are in place for the actual physical production of a film to start (that’s also when the majority of the funding is provided by the studio or by the financial backer to start spending money, hence Dan Aykroyd’s quip several weeks ago). Sony is well aware that a third Ghostbusters movie is in pre-production, in fact – they’re the ones that put in the order and approved the new screenwriters to be commissioned to write the film. They have every intention of making another film – as long as all of the proverbial ducks and in a row (and committed to marching in step). So there’s no deception or curtain pulling involved. Once all parties (including the studio) are happy with the screenplay, once agreements are put into place for key roles including the directors, lead actors, etc., and (without going too far into the business side of things) a very specific line-itemized budget has been submitted and approved, a movie receives the greenlight and (generally) principal photography starts very quickly after that. Sometimes productions WILL have all the pieces in place, but the studio doesn’t want to commit to the financial obligation – and the movie will sit in a purgatory state, infinitely waiting for “the greenlight.”

That said, it’s a pretty safe bet that licensing and merchandising is working very closely with the marketing departments at Sony on a very specific strategy to increase awareness. None of these home video releases, toy releases, etc. is coincidence. These things are planned years in advance… I pause for dramatic tension on this ominous note because I want to tease that there’s someone, wearing a very nice suit, sitting in a very nice desk chair, that knows exactly what’s in store for us all over the course of the next couple years. Think about that…

Whew. That’s all the space the guys are kind enough to give me this week, as always keep your thoughts and questions coming to me at netsolo@aol.com and here in the comments sections of the respective sites. See you next week!

[The Private Sector is a weekly syndicated column written by Troy Benjamin presented every Wednesday on Proton Charging, GB Fans, and Ghostbusters.net as an op-ed look at the goings on in the world of the Ghostbusters franchise.]

Dan Aykroyd and his father, Peter, appeared on this morning’s TODAY show on NBC.  While discussing Peter Aykroyd’s new book entitled “A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters“, Al Roker asked Dan Aykroyd about the possibility of Ghostbusters 3.

Welcome to The Private Sector, where results are expected and patent clerks still continue to earn next to nothing… This is a bit of a unique experiment as, for the first-time ever; we’re simulcasting an op-ed article across three Ghostbusters fan sites at the same time. Syndication comes to Ghostheadom, you might say.

I know what you’re thinking right about now… So what exactly is this all about, and who the hell is this guy?  Is he really that narcissistic to want an article on three websites? First of all, the answer is yes. But here’s the lowdown on what The Private Sector is and who I am.

The Private Sector is going to be an editorial column on recent goings on, a bit of nostalgia, and a whole lot of gibberish spewing from my crazy mind about the crazy community we have. Every Wednesday, Proton Charging, GBFans, and Ghostbusters.net will syndicate the column to each of their sites for your reading pleasure (or displeasure, if you can’t stand me).

Which brings us to the next question that I thought I was affectively going to dodge: who am I? Well, I’m the old man around these parts that grumbles and shouts at people to get off his lawn. Posing under the super-chick-magnet handle NetSolo for close to almost fifteen years, I was the maniac behind the wheel at Ghostbusters HQ for what seems like an entire lifetime. If you haven’t heard of me, I can’t blame you; I had taken a bit of a backseat in recent years when it came to community goings on. During that time Ghostbusters, as the little franchise that could, exploded and left me behind. I’m actually working in the entertainment industry now and have signed so much of my life away to non-disclosure agreements that make discussing anything that isn’t my opinion increasingly difficult. If you’re interested in my credentials, you’re more than welcome to stalk me on the interwebs over at stillplayingwithtoys.com. Or you can do a Google search for Troy Benjamin – I’m the one that’s not a football player or porn star. Okay, well maybe I aspire to be the latter. But that’s beside the point.

The Private Sector isn’t just an outlet for me to pull a Michael Corleone and come back to the family and get back involved; it’s also very interactive as well. Especially with Ghostbusters III on the horizon, there can be a whole lot of confusion as to how the development and pre-production process for a feature film works. When is a project greenlit? What is needed for that greenlight from the studio? What’s going on behind closed doors now? If you have any questions, no matter how great or small, film related or not, or if you just want to send rampant hate mail - feel free to fire away to netsolo@aol.com (yes, I’m still on AOL – if that’s any indication as to what a fossil I am around these parts).

All right, so with the pleasantries out of the way – we now resume you to your regularly scheduled GB site programming. Tune in next Wednesday for the first REAL column of The Private Sector!

Please post your comments on the Ghostbusters Message Board, just until the site re-launches with a proper commenting system.

If you weren’t already aware, the wonderful folks at Mattel (via MattyCollector.com) have brought every Ghostbusters fan’s dream to life by announcing a line of 6″ and 12″ Ghostbusters action figures bearing the respective likeness of Ernie Hudson, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray.

Although MattyCollector announced a limited edition 6″ “Slimed” Egon Spengler during San Diego Comic Con this year, the line officially begins with 12″ and 6″ versions of Ray Stantz.  There have been several reviews of the action figures including this Action Figure insider review of 12″ Ray Stanz which includes some great photos of the removable / light up Proton Pack. I leave you with video reviews of 6″ and 12″ Ray Stantz from TNTS, but not before mentioning that (during time of publication) there are only 2,869 12″ and 9,219 6″ Ray Stantz figures left and they are going fast.  Be sure to get yours before they are gone forever.

Super Casual: Ghostbusters “ROOKIE” Uniform Tee ($15)

This tee is available online @ Hot Topic for $15.  It is similar to the glow-in-the-dark Venkman uniform tee, which is also available.  Take note, the Venkman tee glows in the dark, but it doesn’t have the proton pack printed on the back.

Casual: Ghostbusters Uniform w/ Inflatable Proton Pack ($25 - $40)

The Ghostbusters costume with inflatable proton pack is the perfect option for fans who are willing to kick it up a notch and cross the streams.  Available in kids and adult sizes, you can find this costume in most retail stores including Target and Walmart.

DIY / Hardcore Fan: Ghostbusters Flightsuit /w “real” Proton Pack ($100 - $1000)

Last, but certainly not least, you can re-create the real thing with a little blood sweat and tears (and some cold hard cash as the offset).  You can go all in and download plans to assemble your own proton pack and Ghostbusters flight suit like Egon Spengler himself.  Alternatively you can gather patches, flight suits, proton packs, and other props on Ebay.

Big ups to Proton Charging for inspiring this updated version of the classic Ghostbusters costume - cheap and easy post from 2005.  Use your imagination and have a Happy Halloween!

A mashup of The Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic” and Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” by The Beatcrafted.

The film is only available for a little while longer and Crackle is hosting a viewing party tonight at 9PM EST // 8PM CST // 6PM PST respectively. Be there and don’t cross the streams!

Show your #ghostbusters spirit on Twitter and commemorate the 25th anniversary of Ghostbusters and the release of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.

Support Ghostbusters, add a #twibbon to your avatar now!

Add Ghostbusters to your Twitter Avatar

Until the pre-2.0 re-launch of the Ghostbusters.net Blog and the Ghostbusters Message Board hits the web in the coming weeks, all future updates will be in the form of tweets via the Ghostbusters.net Twitter account.

If you are on Twitter (aside from Letterman, who isn’t these days) please follow @ghostbusters to stay current with all the goings on in the Ghostbusters community (online and off).

Regular blog updates will flow like the river of slime as soon as the site is up on its new foundation. This is purely an effort on my part to focus on new development in my spare time, which is very limited at the moment.

If you missed the next-generation (Xbox 360 / Playstation 3 / PC) trailer, check it out.  Thanks to Ben for the heads up.

I think the fans, as a collective, have several rounds of graditude to bestow upon the teams who have worked hard to deliver such an outstanding game and the families that have supported them and now get to (hopefully) rest and relax.  Ghostbusters: The Video Game, as Proton Charging’s Chris Stewart noted in his recent review of the game (SERIOUSLY, READY THIS), is a must buy for any Ghostbusters fan.

How are you spending launch day? Share your Ghostbusters: The Video Game experience with the community at the Ghostbusters Message Board!

Choose (Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, DS, PC, Playstation 2) or Perish.

To celebrate, enjoy these rare behind the scenes interviews with Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman from the set of Ghostbusters II.

Big thanks to Ron Daniels (the heart of Ghostbusters II within the community) for the inspiration.

To give you some inspiration, here’s some never-before-seen footage from the new Ghostbusters Blu-ray coming out on June 16th.

Be sure to pre-order the Ghostbusters Blu-ray now so you get it when it arrives June 16th!

Marvel’s latest Amazing Spider-Man (#589 to be exact) contains a Real Ghostbusters reference.  Winston, Ray, and Egon cameo as they are greeted by Peter (Parker).  Click above for the full panel.

Gotta love that Marvel humor.  Thanks to MotherPussBucket for the tip!

Earlier in the week Art Asylum, makers of Minimates and other fine things, announced a line of Ghostbusters Minimates.

Update (2/8/09): Thanks to Dan Liberg (Ghostbusters.net member Dr. Venkman) for the Ghostbusters Minimates poster he sent to tips [at] ghostbusters [dot] net.  Click for higher resolution.

Comic Book Resources has a 5-page preview of the new issue of Ghostbusters: The Other Side, which is available at your local comic shop today.  I just picked mine up after walking several snow-laden Chicago blocks to get it.  Go, now!

Writer Keith Champagne and artist Tom Nguyen will complete the series next month with issue #4.  There has been talk of future Ghostbusters comics from IDW.  I’m not sure if it will be a continuation of the current series or a new series altogether, stay tuned.

What do you think of the new issue of Ghostbusters: The Other Side? Please post your thoughts on the Ghostbusters Message Board.  Thanks to Ghostbusters.net member Doctor Venkman for the confirmation.

Two weekends ago, I was lucky enough to find some VHS tapes of Ghostbusters II which contained special bumpers from ABC.  Today, while at home for Thanksgiving, I found the holy grail.  This tape was my first look at Ghostbusters (the film, my first intro to the franchise was The Real Ghostbusters).

This taping was recorded from ABC 7 in Chicago (WLS) in 1987.  Enjoy the bumper and, for those in the states, have a happy Thanksgiving!

What do you get when you mash-up one of the most quotable movies with a syncopated beat? A fresh and original remix by Dave Thomas.  Truly amazing, very creative!

I received my advance copy of the DVD set on Friday and it is simply outstanding.  I’m working on my extensive review, which will be published here by the end of the week.  Until then, please check out the following hands on reports.

• Proton Charging
• Spook Central
• RealGhostbusters.com
• CinemaBlend

For the curious who are waiting for their DVD sets to arrive, head over to the Official Real Ghostbusters DVD Q&A Thread at the Ghostbusters Message Board.

Be sure to vote for the Ghostbusters during AMC’s Monster Hunter Tournament.  Currently, the boys in grey are up against Hellboy. No registration is required, it’s very quick and easy.

Be sure to check back as the tournament evolves to the next round.

Given all the drama we’ve had, I thought it would be interesting to look back at the original Ghostbusters video game, which was published by Activision. Originally for Commodore 64 and later published on the Atari 2600 (what irony), Nintendo Entertainment System, and several other platforms, Ghostbusters was a commercial success, despite the questionable game play.  In fact, Activision published the majority of the Ghostbusters video games for various systems through the 80’s and 90’s.

In the clip above, Activision co-founder and legendary game designer David Crane (Pitfall, A Boy and His Blob) gives a demonstration of the Ghostbusters video game for the Commodore 64 during the January 21, 1985 episode of Computer Chronicles.

The video game industry has evolved by leaps and bounds since 1985 and Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009) is a great example of how licensed properties should be handled and turned into video games.  Hats off to Terminal Reality for all they have done.

I was digging through some artifacts this weekend during a visit at my parent’s house.  I managed to find the complimentary video to the very special (to me, anyways) Ghostbusters ABC Sunday Night Movie Intro, which was my first interaction with the original film as documented in the first episode of Ghostheads. Judging by the commercials my guess is this was recorded in 1991 - 1992.  

For Ghostbusters II fans, you’re in for a mini-bonus, of sorts.  I also managed to find a recording of the ABC 7 Chicago (WLS) broadcast of Saturday Night Movie featuring Ghostbusters II.  Judging by the commercials, this was recorded in 1996.

Please let me know if you have an exact air-date for either of these.  Thanks in advance!

IDW published a 5 page preview of Ghostbusters: The Other Side issue #2, which is available today in comic shops.

Thanks to Ghostbusters.net member Dr Stantz for the heads up.  Post your thoughts on issue #2 on the Ghostbusters Message Board.

Ghostbusters is a supurb and wonderful game which includes all the ghostly capes of the source material.  It will have you humming the theme tune all day long, itching for another ghost.

For the impatient, the review begins at 2:02.

Run, don’t walk, to your local comic shop and pickup Ghostbusters: The Other Side #2. As artist Tom Nguyen stated in an interview last month, the new comic series will include some celebrity ghosts and other past characters from the Ghostbusters franchise.  I’m personally very eager to learn what writer Keith Champagne has in store for us in the coming months.

Graham Crackers Comics has Ghostbusters: The Other Side issue #1 (including the GCC exclusive cover) and issue #2 available for sale online and all 9 Chicagoland locations.

Paul Rudoff, one of the original ghostheads and creator of Spook Central, published an interesting sneak-peak of The Real Ghostbusters Pilot, which is what I believe to be the most anticipated feature of The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection on DVD from Time-Life.

If that isn’t enough to get you excited about the DVD set, Paul has also been counting down his 31 favorite Real Ghostbusters episodes.  As a very big fan of The Real Ghostbusters, I want to thank Paul for doing a magnificent job with this blog series.

In related news, The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection ship date has slipped a little due to the complications in making the firehouse.  Just one look at the video above and you will appreciate the effort put forth into the packaging.

The DVD set was set to ship on November 15 via USPS (7 - 10 days).  Instead of shipping on the 15th, Time-Life will ship on November 25 via Fed-Ex (1 - 2 days).  Most people will not notice a difference and Time-Life is absorbing the significant cost difference in shipping.  

If you order your DVD set before November 15, your set will ship on the 25th along with the pre-orders.  Don’t wait, order today!

I heard about this on Twitter last night from people who attended the show.  Thanks to becembill for sharing.

Dom wrote in and gave us an update on his Mr. Stay Puft Ghostbusters Halloween costume.

I made a Stay Puft Man costume this Halloween and wanted to share some of the
pics. The head is paper mache, and the hat is a styrofoam ring glued to a
pillow. The body is a painters coverall filled with stuffing.

Outstanding work, Dom!  You can view all of the photos in the gallery below.

True dedication, thanks for sharing with us Kevin!

I’m normally not a fan of tribute videos, but this Ghostbusters tribute video by Kenny does justice to Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II.  Well done!

The ectomobile now features Sony’s slim series subwoofers, a DVD A/V system, iPod adapter, and Sony marine amps (to cope with all that ectoplasm, presumably) and some hefty speakers. It also has a Sony MP3 player, 10-disc CD changer and NV-U83T navigation system installed.

From a very interesting blog post written by Mark Harris for TechRadar UK. Looks like the car is going to SEMA this year. 2009 is going to be a great year to be a ghosthead.

How about a Ghostbusters meme this Halloween? Trick-or-Treat!

9000!! NINE THOUSAAAAANDD!

Artist Jeff Pidgeon recently published designs for Ghostbusters Mighty Muggs on Flickr.  Mighty Muggs, for those of you scratching your heads, is a line of vinyl toys from Hasbro.  All character concepts from Jeff are linked below. Thanks to Tom for the heads up!

* Peter Venkman

* Egon Spengler

* Winston Zeddemore

* Ray Stantz

* Louis Tully (w/ headgear)

I should clarify that these are fan-made concepts.  That said, Ghostbusters-loving vinyl toy fans take heed, Ghostbusters kubrick figures will be available sometime next year.

Time Life recently unveiled the Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection DVD set packaging, which was nothing short of phenomenal.

Many ghostheads have asked for a more detailed look, and we’re giving it to you.  Check out the 360 degree view of the steel case DVD packaging, as well as our Flickr gallery filled with high resolution images of the Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection DVD set.

Ghostbusters.net member Crossing the Streams was kind enough to share photos of his brand new Ghostbusters tattoo which features artwork from Ghostbusters: Legion, including the Graham Crackers Comics Exclusive #1 cover.

I think this is one of the best Ghostbusters tattoos I’ve seen over the years. Sound off on the Ghostbusters Message Board with your thoughts.

Time Life was kind enough to send an exclusive clip to Ghostbusters.net, and the websites below, from The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection which will be shipping next month!

Our exclusive clip was from Laura Summer, who was the voice of Janine Melnitz. Laura talks about finding the voice and personality behind Janine and how her character had a strong impact on the Ghostbusters team dynamic. The Ghostbusters, in many ways, were dependent on Janine, and that didn’t always come out in a not so subtle nature.

Be sure to check out the other exclusive clips on Ghostbusters sites around the web.  The list below will be updated as they roll in, check back soon.

* David Jerrold & Kathryn M. Drennan - Real Ghostbusters Writers @ Spook Central

* Len Janson - Real Ghostbusters Writer & Story Editor @ GB Fans

* Michael C. Gross - Executive Producer @ Proton Charging

You can also pre-order the Real Ghostbusters Complete DVD set now and get 10% off by entering the discount code “SLIMMER”.  Yes, that is Slimer misspelled, but it will do the job.

Ghostbusters.net received the first product shot of the 25-DVD set, The Real Ghostbusters–The Complete Collection from Time Life which is shipping next month.  You can also view the full resolution image.  The 25-DVD set includes:

–All 147 episodes of “The Real Ghostbusters” and “Slimer! And The Real Ghostbusters.”

–Over 13 hours of bonus material, including: featurettes, on-camera commentaries, episode introductions, interviews with voice actors and series production people,  scripts, original art, and much more.

–The DVDs come in 5 separate STEELBOOK sub-sets, each with 5 DVDs  (volume 5 has 4 DVDs).  Plus, DVD #25 is a bonus DVD with nearly 3 hours of material, including the never-before-seen promotional pilot (with commentary and storyboards).

–A 52-page booklet with exclusive art, RGB trivia and more.

–And, it all comes in the Firehouse box, with lenticular panels.

For those of you on a budget, there will be a retail release, 5-DVD RGB Volume 1 released in late January.  This set will include the first 30 episodes of the series plus some bonus material.  Also, individual 5-DVD sets will be released over the course of 12-18 months for more casual fans.

Remember, the 25-DVD set is the only way to get the Firehouse packaging, the 52 page booklet and the bonus DVD, which contains the VERY RARE pilot for The Real Ghostbusters.

I’m pleased to announce that long time ghosthead, Dr. Snay, is developing a free — made by fans for fans — Ghostbusters video game inspired by the Sega Genesis video game.  There is, however, one large and important difference.  Winston is a playable character.

Stay tuned for updates, and let your voice be heard on the Ghostbusters Message Board.  Fans will shape the way this game turns out.  Come on in and participate in a historical event:  the first fan-made, collaberative, video game based on Ghostbusters.

New York Magazine published a 9 page preview of the TOKYOPOP manga Ghost Busted.  If you have yet to pick up the Ghostbusters-inspired manga, we encourage you to run (not walk) to your local comic shop and pick up a copy.

Discuss the new TOKYOPOP Ghostbusters manga on the Ghostbusters Message Board.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ghostbusters: The Other Side artist Tom Nguyen during the Graham Crackers Comic Ghostbusters event last week.

During the interview Tom reveals how he got involved with the project, what we might see in future issues of Ghostbusters: The Other Side, as well as tips for budding illustrators looking to break into the comic book industry.

Justin and Alex from Newsarama’s ComicBookClub posted their video review of Ghostbusters: The Other Side (which begins at 3:40). The Ghostbusters II heckling hosts touted the comic as a “nice surprise” and seem to be enjoying what certainly is a much darker and different story-line for the Ghostbusters franchise.

If you haven’t picked up this comic, run to your local comic shop!  Post your thoughts on Ghostbusters: The Other Side on the Ghostbusters Message Board.

I just found a gem on YouTube.  The 1984 music video for the Bus Boys’ song “Cleaning Up The Town”, which appeared on the Ghostbusters soundtrack and scored the iconic first bust scene in the original film.

The video features a cameo by Calvert DeForest a.k.a Larry “Bud” Melman, as well as live sequences from The Bus Boys accompanied by clips of the film.

When I interviewed the Bus Boys 8 years ago, lead singer Brian O’Neal confirmed the existance of the video, which (to my knowledge) has never been aired before, but they did not have a copy in their possession.  That said, they were kind enough to send me a ton of great footage, including this live swing performance of the Bus Boys’ two most famous songs: “Cleaning Up The Town” (Ghostbusters) and “The Boys Are Back In Town” (48 Hours).

Ghosthead Chris Trolio wrote in to share his Ghostbusters-inspired jack-o’-lantern he made last year for Halloween.

Share your Ghostbusters jack-o’-lantern designs by posting pictures on the Ghostbusters Message Board.

A big thanks to Jimmy Hayes and the wonderful staff at Graham Crackers Comics of Wheaton for a wonderful event.  You can view photos and read a recap of the event posted on the Ghostbusters Message Board by Ectoman57.  It was a pleasure meeting all of the ghostheads that made it out.

For those of you without the new Ghostbusters comics, Graham Crackers has Ghostbusters: The Other Side #1 (as well as the GCC exclusive cover) available for purchase in addition to the newly released TOKYOPOP Ghostbusters manga and Cereal Geek #4.

Top top it all off, Ghostbusters: The Other Side artist Tom Nguyen was kind enough to draw Dr. Peter Venkman on the spot especially for Ghostbusters.net.  I was also fortunate to do an interview with Tom, which will be published soon.

After months of silence since the mass hysteria which left Ghostbusters: The Video Game without a publisher and fans of the Ghostbusters franchise enraged, we now have new information from a trusted source.

Dan Aykroyd, father of the franchise, has confirmed that Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be published by Atari on a Dallas morning radio show.  He also noted that the game is roughly “a year away” from being released.  More as it develops.

Ghostbusters.net and Graham Crackers of Wheaton, Illinois — part of the greater Chicagoland area — are excited to inform you that on October 15th we will host a Ghostbusters event in honor of the Graham Crackers Comics Exclusive cover to Ghostbusters: The Other Side #1 and the long-awaited return of Ghostbusters to the world of comics!

This day long event will begin with a midnight opening for the impatient masses, as the store will be open from midnight until 1 am in the morning Wednesday, Oct. 15.  The day events listed below will take place between 11 am - 8 pm at night on Wednesday, Oct 15 at the Graham Crackers in Wheaton.

• Ghostbusters: The Other Side artist Tom Nguyen will be here doing an in-store signing!
• Exclusive screening of The Real Ghostbusters DVD Collection sponsored by Ghostbusters.net, including special features never before seen and fully restored episodes of The Collect Call of Cathulhu and Take Two.
• Ghostbusters.net / 80’s Tees, Cereal Geek Magazine w/ The Real Ghostbusters on the cover, and The Real Ghostbusters Promo DVD in-store giveaways.
• Day long Ghostbusters movie marathon-including episodes of the Real Ghostbusters.
• A Classic Ghostbusters video game tournament.
• Coloring contest for kids of all ages-including prizes
• Replica of the Ghostbusters Headquarters being built in store

For all of those in Chicagoland looking to sample The Real Ghostbusters DVD special features, pick up the first edition of Ghostbusters: The Other Side and meet the artist behind the comic, this is the event to attend.  Who knows, you might even come home with some great Ghostbusters swag in the process.

RSVP on Myspace or Facebook now!

For more on Ghostbusters: The Other side, check out Newsarama’s exclusive first look at the new comic series.