Dr. Egon Spengler, Ph.D. (also known as Egie, Spengie, and Dirt Farmer) was a former professor of paranormal studies at the Columbia University. Upon his termination, Egon founded Ghostbusters, Inc. along with Doctors Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman. He is considered the brain behind the Ghostbusters and has designed and built nearly all of their equipment, including the Proton Pack and the Storage facility. Typically, Ray is the only other member of the Ghostbusters who has no trouble understanding Egon's technical jargon.
Egon in the Primary Canon is developed from Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. In Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions), a Secondary Canon, Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II pre-date the game, Ghostbusters: Afterlife conflicts with the game. Egon (prime) appears in the IDW Comic Series, a Secondary Canon, which follows Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II, also includes some elements from Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions) and Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Stylized Versions); as well as being canon to Tobin's Spirit Guide (Insight Editions). Egon (from Dimension 50-S) in the IDW Comic Series, is an alternate version based on Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime. Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime video game, deemed a Tertiary Canon, follows Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II.
Egon Spengler grew up with no toys because his parents didn't believe in them. For unknown reasons, he had part of a Slinky but he straightened it. On October 29, 1969, Egon graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Psychology in the faculty of Psychobiology. On May 10, 1972, Egon graduated from New York University with a degree in Parapsychology. On June 26, 1980, Egon graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree of philosophy in Nuclear Engineering.[Note 1] In the early 1980s, Egon Spengler fathered a daughter who was born in 1982 and named Callie but he was not a part of her life.[Note 2] However, he still kept track of Callie.[3] Egon was very interested in paranormal phenomenon, and worked with Ray Stantz and Peter Venkman at Columbia University's Paranormal Studies Laboratory in Weaver Hall. He and Ray studied paranormal literature in their spare time and were interested in theories of reincarnation. Egon once tried to drill a hole in his own head, utilizing a process known as trepanation. Egon believed it "would have worked" if Peter hadn't stopped him. At some point, Egon developed a sweet tooth for snack food like Crunch and Twinkies. Egon developed the P.K.E. Meter to detect paranormal entities and phenomenom with. Egon and Ray were usually the first to interview case subjects, even people Peter called "schizos" no matter how far-fetched their stories were.
One afternoon in 1984, after ten people reported witnessing a free-floating, full-torso, vaporous apparition at 1:40 p.m. at the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, Ray and Egon went to investigate. Egon took P.K.E. valances and it went right off the top of the scale. It buried the needle and Ray felt they were close to finally finding proof of the afterlife. Egon stayed at the library to take readings while Ray returned to Columbia to get equipment and Peter. They found Egon in the Main Reading Room examining a table with his Stethoscope. Peter sneaked over then, in a faux zombie voice, uttered, "Egon..." Egon perked up. Peter rapped the table with his knuckles then slammed a hardcover book down. Egon was startled and jumped. He finally noticed Peter and Ray. Peter asked Egon what he had. Egon stated it was very big and there was definitely something present. Peter smiled remembered the time Egon tried to drill a hole through his head. Egon quickly countered it would have worked if he hadn't stopped him. Roger Delacorte walked up behind them and introduced himself. Peter took the lead and introduced himself as "Dr. Venkman," Ray as "Dr. Stantz," and Egon as "Egon." Roger shook Peter's hand then Ray's, and Egon nodded once. Roger thanked them for coming and expressed his hope that they could clear it up quickly and quietly. Peter warned against rushing into things before they knew what was going on.
Egon searched around while Peter and Ray interviewed Alice, the librarian who encountered the ghost. He found them and reported the ghost was on the move. Egon went down the stairs to the basement stacks first with his P.K.E. Meter out. They found an incredibly tall stack of books in an aisle. Egon swept his P.K.E. Meter around the stack and stated it was hot. Ray recalled the term, Symmetrical book-stacking, and noted that it was just like the Philadelphia Mass Turbulence of 1947. Peter dryly and sarcastically agreed, noting no human being would stack books like this. They came across the card catalog that Alice ran away from. Cards were still all over. Clear hued Ectoplasm was strewn all about. Ray was amazed with the telekinetic activity. Egon zeroed in on the Ectoplasm and clued Ray in. Egon held out a plastic petri dish and asked Peter to get a sample. Ray slowly backed away and followed Egon. Peter grumbled. Egon stated he would like to analyze it. He confirmed stronger readings further on. Peter caught up and handed Egon the petri dish. A green wood bookcase creaked and suddenly fell down face first behind them onto the floor. Peter hopped back a little. They all stared at the bookcase. As the dust kicked up in the air, Peter calmly turned to Ray and asked if that happened to him before. Ray slowly shook his head 'no' and Peter asked if that was his first time. Ray slowly nodded 'yes' and they continued on. They emerged from aisle. The P.K.E. Meter lit up. They went down the next aisle. The arms on the P.K.E. Meter rose up and Egon held out his hand to the others to stop. He stepped out of the aisle, swept around to his left then turned right, and paused in surprise at what he saw. It was the library ghost. Peter asked what to do. Egon and Ray were silent and looked at each other. Peter rolled his eyes and asked them to come over for a talk. He pulled Ray by the ear into an aisle. Ray wasn't sure what to do and turned to Egon. Egon took out a calculator and started typing but Peter yelled at him to stop that and knocked it out of his hands. Ray proposed they make contact. Egon agreed. They both looked at Peter. Peter huffed over the silent vote. He walked out of the aisle. Egon took over the Camcorder. Ray followed and quickly snapped photographs with the Nikon SLR FE2 Camera.
Peter talked to the ghost but she only shushed him. Peter returned to the aisle, corralling Ray and Egon back into the aisle. Ray had a new plan. He instructed them to stay close and do exactly as he said. They inched back out and slowly moved closer. Ray suddenly exclaimed, "Get her!" The ghost transmogrified into a monstrous form and screamed, "Rah!" at them. They cried out and Ray and Egon backed away almost in unison. Ray, Egon, and Peter hurried outside and down the stairs outside. Roger came out the door after them and asked them if they saw it and what it was. Peter yelled they would get back to him. Peter, Ray, and Egon returned to Columbia University and walked through campus alongside the Low Library. Egon was a few steps behind them performing calculations on his PC-4 Calculator as they talked. Egon revealed the experience wasn't completely wasted. According to the new P.K.E. readings he took, Egon believed they had an excellent chance of actually catching a ghost and holding it indefinitely. The gears turned in Peter's head and he hurried up to them. Ray thought it was great and speculated if the ionization rate was constant for all ectoplasmic entities, they could really bust some heads in a spiritual sense. Peter asked Egon if he was really serious about catching a ghost. Egon stated he was always serious. Peter got in front and stopped. He got out a Crunch bar and told Egon he was going take back some of the things he said about him. Peter was about to hand it to Egon but hesitated then gave it and told him he earned it. Ray grinned and chuckled as Egon looked at the bar. They returned to their lab only to discover they had been terminated by Columbia. Egon was mortified by the news. Peter convinced them to start their own business specializing in paranormal investigations and eliminations.
Some time later, Peter, Ray, and Egon emerged from the Manhattan City Bank at 489 Fifth Avenue with initial funding to start the business. Egon ran some calculations on his Casio Micro-Mini Calculator. Peter promised Ray he was never going to regret it. Ray stated his parents left him that house and he was born there. Peter reassured him he was not going to lose the house and everybody had three mortgages nowadays. Ray questioned settling at 19 percent and not bargaining. Egon finished a calculation and flashed it to Ray. Egon stated the interest rate alone for the first five years came to $95,000. Their search for a base of operations led them to the Hook & Ladder No. 8 firehouse. A Real Estate Woman Egon and Peter there was office space, sleeping quarters and showers on the next floor and there was a full kitchen on the top left. Egon and Peter looked around the garage bay. Peter commented that it seemed a little pricey for a unique fixer-upper opportunity. He asked Egon what he thought. Egon grazed Peter's right arm and stated he thought the building should be condemned because there was serious metal fatigue in all the load-bearing members, the wiring was substandard, it was completely inadequate for their power needs, and the neighborhood was "like a demilitarized zone". Egon stepped by a locker covered in cobwebs. Ray slid down the fire pole very excited and thought the place was great. He asked when they could move in and invited them to try this pole. Egon looked up. Ray ran up the stairs to get his stuff and paused. The real estate woman turned to Egon and Peter with a smile. Ray suggested they sleep over that night to try it out. Ray continued upstairs. Peter looked at Egon. Egon slowly shook his head 'no' as the real estate woman took some steps closer to them. Peter turned to her and informed her they were taking it. Peter, Ray, and Egon filmed a commercial outside the Firehouse. Egon had one line, "Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic?" then said "We're ready to believe you" with Ray and Peter. Egon kept looking down at his mark.
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