Story By
Dave Stevens
Art By
Dave Stevens
Color By
Laura Martin
Introduction By
Thomas Jane
Publisher
IDW
The Rocketeer: The Complete Deluxe Edition is the 2009 reprint of the original comics that were published from 1982 to 1995. If you have never read the original comics then your first encounter with The Rocketeer may have been through the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Although the movie bombed at the box office, it was received favorably by most critics. Make no mistake, the original material with pinup girls based on Betty Page and numerous pop culture references, was always written and drawn for an adult audience. The Disneyfied film version of the Rocketeer, aimed at a younger audience, does not do justice to Dave Stevens’ unique vision.
The Rocketeer’s first adventure appeared in 1982 as a backup feature in issues two and three of Mike Grell’s Starslayer series from Pacific Comics. Two more installments appeared in Pacific’s showcase comic Pacific Presents. The fourth chapter ended in a cliffhanger that was later concluded in a special Rocketeer issue released by Eclipse Comics. The complete story was then collected by Eclipse in a volume titled The Rocketeer. It was published in three formats: a trade paperback edition, a trade hardcover, and a signed, limited edition hardcover.
The story picked up again in the Rocketeer Adventure Magazine. Two issues were published by Comico Comics in 1988 and 1989, but the third installment did not appear until years later, finally being published in 1995 by Dark Horse Comics. All three issues were then collected by Dark Horse into a slick, trade paperback titled The Rocketeer: Cliff’s New York Adventure that quickly went out-of-print.
Video Review: Drunk-E presents: The Rocketeer
Witty Review of the Disney Movie with Background Info on the Comic
Story and Artwork
The Rocketeer, is a superhero created by writer and illustrator Dave Stevens. The character first appeared in 1982 and is an homage to the Saturday matinee heroes of the 1930s and 1940s.
The Rocketeer is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly. His adventures are set in 1938 Los Angeles, and Stevens gave them a retro, nostalgic feel influenced by the King of the Rocket Men movie serial, the syndicated Commando Cody TV series (both from Republic Pictures), and pinup diva Bettie Page.
In the Deluxe Edition, as in Dave Stevens’ original comics, there are gun fights, car chases, plane crashes, and feats of derring-do. The saga of Cliff Secord is pulpy adventure at its finest, with what appear to be meticulously researched period piece cars, guns, and fashions. Stevens’ art is meticulous when he lavishes the detail on people, most notably Betty, and his planes are believable and steal the show every time they rise into the sky.
It was a dream of Dave’s to see his creation return to the shelves in a complete collection. Although he was able to choose Laura Martin to do the coloring for his Rocketeer collection, Stevens died in 2008 after years of struggling with Leukemia. In December 2009, IDW published the book in two separate states: A standard trade hardcover edition with full color dust jacket and a second, much more lavish, deluxe edition, limited to just 3000 hardcover copies. The deluxe edition uses completely different Stevens artwork on its dust jacket and was issued in an illustrated, all color slipcase. It also has full color illustrated endpapers.
Highlights of This Collection
- Laura Martin’s new coloring for this volume is perfect. Martin was chosen by Dave Stevens before his untimely death.
- While the deluxe edition contains the same Rocketeer comics reprints as the trade edition, it adds more than 130 pages of previously uncollected Rocketeer material: sketches, preliminaries, character designs, script pages, photographs, and original art pages, with commentaries by Dave Stevens and several peers who occasionally assisted him on The Rocketeer.
Rating: ★★★★★
- The Deluxe Edition is a beautiful Absolute-style reprinting of the original material, accompanied by over one-hundred pages of wonderful sketchbook material, commentary, covers, and more. It’s a treasure trove of art from a man best known for his exacting style, done at larger-than-original size, in hardcover, complete with a slipcase.
- The introduction is written by actor Thomas Jane (star of Hung and The Mist) who was a good friend of the Rocketeer creator Dave Stevens.
What’s Included
Hardcover with Slipcase: 248 pages
Publisher: Idea & Design Works Llc (December 21, 2009)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars (43 customer reviews)
How Much Should You Expect to Pay?
The cheapest I’ve seen it on Amazon for new books is $47.25 and you should be able to find used issues at around $56.59.
What Others Are Saying
The Complete Deluxe Edition of The Rocketeer has received rave reviews from most collectors on the net with an average of 5 out of 5 from most reviewers on Amazon. Here are some of the comments to date:
- “The pages are of the highest quality and the color and ink are superb!”
- “Dave would have loved this…”
- “Truly a wonderful find for any Rocketeer fan!”
- “It’s, quite literally, a Rocketeer bonanza.”
- “A terrific tribute to Stevens and my favorite illustration book of 2009.”
- “This is truly a volume to enjoy and to savor over many readings.”
- “…one of the best coloring jobs ever done…”
- Publisher IDW deserves serious recognition for this volume.”
Where Can You Buy The Rocketeer: The Complete Deluxe Edition?
You can buy this hardcover Rocketeer collection from Amazon. At the moment they include Free with Super Saver Shipping. Click here to view on Amazon.
You can also buy it at Buy.com: The Rocketeer
Where Can You Read More Reviews for The Rocketeer: The Complete Deluxe Edition?
The best place for reviews from people who actually own The Rocketeer: The Complete Deluxe Edition is Amazon.
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