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They’re ready to believe you… in cartoon form that is. The Real Ghostbusters are getting their own Visual History from Dark Horse in 2025.
Bustin’ makes me feel good
It’s kind of tough to describe just how rampantly popular The Real Ghostbusters was when it arrived in the fall of 1986. The cartoon debuted on television just two years after the first big screen Ghostbusters film, and brought a very specific adaptation of the property to animation.
These boys in gray didn’t look much like their movie counterparts (or wear gray), and their adventures would be a fair shake wilder too. Yeah the movie ‘Busters had their share of crazy spirits and ancient gods to dispatch, but the cartoon versions battled Stay-Puft too, plus the boogeyman, the spirit of Halloween, and a ton of creeps in between.
When you add in the ubiquitous toy line from Kenner, you get a property that was absolutely everywhere back in the 80s. The keywords there though, are “back in the 80s”. Once the show left TV, it was largely forgotten, and even in the wake of the Ghostbusters‘ renaissance over the last few years, there’s been little in the way of The Real Ghostbusters… stuff. Through that does seem to be changing a little.
With a series of retro figures in the books and a new high end toy line coming up in 2025, The Real Ghostbusters are once again in the spotlight. Building on that resurgence is Dark Horse, as the publisher has just revealed what could be a terrific new tome under the heading of The Real Ghostbusters: A Visual History.
From Troy Benjamin and the Yes Have Some podcast’s Craig Goldberg, the book will explore all things TRG, including never before seen art, abandoned concepts, and even new interviews. The 240 page hardcover arrives on bookstore shelves on July 8th, 2025, with comics shops getting copies a day later.
Aside from the base edition too, Dark Horse will be producing a Deluxe Edition. The Real Ghostbusters: A Visual History Deluxe Edition will include the same content as the standard release, plus a “firehouse-inspired slipcase, a folio enclosing two acetate “animation cel” replicas, and a unique firehouse flagpole ribbon bookmark”, according to the publisher.
Get real
A global phenomenon, Ghostbusters made the trans-dimensional sidestep to animation with 1986’s The Real Ghostbusters. The Saturday morning cartoon was an incredible success and was acclaimed for its storytelling, fantastical animation, and a voice cast that became as synonymous with the characters as the live-action actors who originated them. A simultaneous toy launch from Kenner ectoplasmatically energized the property with some of the most memorable, most beloved, weirdest, and best-selling toys in popular culture.
Fans can now get a behind-the-scenes look at their favorite animated series in The Real Ghostbusters: A Visual History. This franchise overview combines rare and never-before-seen visuals, including conceptual artwork, storyboards, script excerpts, internal memos, packaging art, unseen prototypes, abandoned concepts, and brand-new stunning photography with new and exclusive interviews in the hardcover edition.
“The Real Ghostbusters is so widely-known and still beloved by people of all ages,” said Goldberg. Benjamin added, “As knowledgeable fans ourselves, Craig and I discovered through the interviews how little has been revealed about the whole story behind the series and toys. There’s so much in this book for new and old fans alike, told through the eyes of those who were there.”
Dark Horse press release
