Ghostbusters 2016 Mini Proton Pack Replica Review

In addition to all of the books we've already mentioned, June 14th sees the release of the Ghostbusters Proton Pack and Wand Deluxe Mega Kit from Running Press, who has a whole line of "kits" (no assembly required) containing a miniaturized "figurine" and a related book. This kit, specifically, contain the following items:

• Mini Proton Pack Replica (with light and sound)
• Sticker Book
• Proton Pack Sticker Sheet
• Proton Pack History & Blueprints

Let's take a closer look at each item...


Mini Proton Pack Replica
The main item in this kit, it's a 2"x4"x1" replica of the Proton Pack from the new movie. Those dimensions were taken with the wand sitting in the notches on the side of the pack, going to the right side and top end of the wand. The pack is made of plastic with a flat base so it can sit on a desk or shelf.


The tip of the wand lights up and the pack makes "whooshing" firing sounds when you hold down the little red button on the wand. It comes pre-installed with three replaceable LR1133 disc batteries. The pack has elastic orange straps (see image above), which might make it of practical use with one of the Mattel figures.


Proton Pack Sticker Sheet
A 2.5"x3" sheet of small stickers to put on the proton pack. All but two of these stickers can be found slightly larger in the sticker book. Only the red nuclear symbol and the caution striping are exclusive to this sheet.


Sticker Book
A small 2.5"x3" book with 8 pages of stickers (the other sides of the pages are blank). The stickers, as you'll see in the images above, are warning decals and signs. There are no photo stickers of the cast, other than the silhouette of a female Ghostbuster. I look at the sticker book as a bonus. The mini pack is the main item here.


Proton Pack History & Blueprints
Not mentioned on the box or shown in any of the official item photos, this is a 6"x5" dual-sided sheet of paper with the history of the new Proton Pack on one side and the blueprints on the other. The history text refers to Jillian Holtzmann simply by her last name. This is getting to be a pet peeve of mine, though it seems like it's in Sony's style guide for the new movie that she never be referred to solely by her first name, like everyone else. In this case, her first name is never given, so if you don't already know it, you won't know who she is. The blueprints are near-identical to those found on the Kenneth P. Higgins Institute of Science Paranormal Studies Lab website, though they include an item pointing to the "Liquid Helium Fill Value" not found on those.

Overall, not a bad little kit. The Proton Pack is well-made and has nifty light-up and sound features. The elastic straps were unexpected, and make it useful for use with the figures, such as Mattel's Real Ghostbusters Janine figure. The sticker book is a disappointment, as I was expecting stickers featuring images from the movie. The Ghostbusters Proton Pack and Wand Deluxe Mega Kit, which is available to buy now, carries a list price of $12.95, but you can always find it a little cheaper at Amazon.