The Rocketeer (comics)



The Rocketeer is a comic book series with writing and art by Dave Stevens. In a homage to the Pulp Magazines of the 1930s, a stunt pilot finds an experimental jetpack and sets up as a hero.

The series suffered from an erratic publishing schedule, with gaps between installments sometimes stretching for years. A complete collection of the entire series was published by IDW Publishing in 2009.

The 1991 film adaptation is probably more widely known.

In 2011, IDW Publishing produced a four-issue limited series, Rocketeer Adventures, with stories and art contributed by many famous comics creators including Kurt Busiek, Bruce Timm, and Mark Waid.

The comic book provides examples of:

 * Comic Book Fantasy Casting:
 * The hero's love interest bears a striking (and entirely deliberate) resemblance to Bettie Page.
 * The villain in "Cliff's New York Adventure" is modelled on Rondo Hatton.
 * Author Existence Failure: Dave Stevens' cancer made it difficult for him to do any more comics.
 * It's Not Porn, It's Art: Betty's scumbag photographer friend uses this as an excuse.
 * Jet Pack
 * Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Several heroes from the real 1930s pulps make guest appearances, most notably the unnamed inventor of the jetpack.
 * Ms. Fanservice: Cliff's girlfriend sure doesn't wear a lot of clothes. Even when she isn't posing in lingerie!
 * Two-Fisted Tales