Comics
Review: ‘Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters’
A major delight this week is Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters. It comes with a witty brand of horror comedy. This issue will certainly give fans of the “Ghostbusters” and “Mars Attacks” franchises something sweet this week.
WRITTEN BY: Erik Burnham
ART BY: Jose Holder
PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: January 16, 2013
Though every detail of their invasion was preplanned, The Martians went ahead of schedule and ended up crashing into a farm in Elmo’s Hill, New Jersey. The Martians were supposed to be deadly invaders but now, they are just angry spirits. Though the Ghostbusters do not comprehend alien spaceships and U.F.O.s, they know everything about the paranormal and spectral entities. Not even death can stop the Martians from completing their mission to conquer the world. Only the Ghostbusters can stop these phantom Martians and put them away forever in their electro-trap.
If you remember “The Real Ghostbusters” cartoon from the late ’80s, then you are definitely in for a special treat. Writer Erik Burnham fondly remembers the TV show as he is in tune to the group dynamic and character dialogue. What I really like is Burnham’s interpretation of Slimer, who acts more like a playful child than a house pet. The verbal banter between Egon, Peter, Ray, and Winston is quite energetic while they work together as a team to defeat the ghostly Martians. The lively dialogue feels like something the voice actors, Arsenio Hall and Dave Coulier, would say on the show.
What’s great about Burnham’s script is how he drops extraterrestrials into the Ghostbuster’s paranormal world. The Martians aren’t even aware that they are actually dead. The Martians still think they crash-landed yesterday, but they have been living on earth for years. As the witty humor comes from the banter, the scary sequences are taken seriously. Though Egon is the brains of the group, he is completely caught off-guard when he tries to understand the advanced alien technology.
The artwork by Jose Holder is enjoyably nostalgic. Holder uses the Ghostbuster’s logo for the transitions, as if they were back from a commercial break. Holder captures the look of the cartoon series by using the smallest details; Ray is overweight and Egon is the tallest. It’s always fun to see the Ghostbusters use their proton packs in the midst of danger and firing the charged particle beams.
The highlight of the issue is when the Ghostbusters team jumps into action. Holder pays close attention to the poses, especially when Winston throws the electro-trap. When the four-man team is together in one panel, Holder concentrates equally to each character. While everyone is doing something, they each have a different posture in the same panel.
Definitely worth reading, “Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters” is tremendously entertaining. What’s great about this one-shot special is that Burnham and Holder provide enough interest for readers to pick up the “Ghostbusters” and “Mars Attacks” comics.
4.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
Comics
Erica Slaughter Is Back: Peek Inside the Pages of ‘Something Is Killing the Children’ #50 [Exclusive]
James Tynion IV’s comic book series Something Is Killing the Children is celebrating a massive milestone this year, with the landmark 50th issue headed our way in October.
And Erica Slaughter is back…
Something Is Killing the Children #50 launches October 7, 2026 from BOOM! Studios.
In Issue #50, “Witness the return of Erica Slaughter in this momentous milestone issue for the bestselling horror phenomenon!
“Jump back into present-day storyline of Erica Slaughter after the horrifying events of the Tribulation saga!
“Erica, completely distraught from her encounter with Cutter and the death of Gabi, is on the run from the Order. In her escape, she turns to a formative place for her: the Valmont Mountain Lodge.
“But beyond memories of her past, what and who will Erica find there now awaiting her?”
Something Is Killing the Children #50 features art by Werther Dell’Edera, colors by Miguel Muerto, and letters by AndWorld Design. Take a peek inside the pages below.
Blumhouse recently announced plans to adapt James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera’s horror comic book phenomenon Something is Killing the Children into both a feature film and an adult animated series. Now’s the time to jump into this one…
Something is Killing the Children was first published by BOOM! Studios in 2019 and tells the story of Erica Slaughter, a monster hunter from a mysterious organization more concerned with keeping the secret of monsters from the world than saving their victims.
In this world, only children can see monsters.
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