The Rocketeer is a fictional
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
character, created by
writer/artist Dave Stevens
Dave Lee Stevens (July 29, 1955 – March 11, 2008) was an American illustrator and comics artist. He was most famous for creating ''Rocketeer, The Rocketeer'' comic book and film character, and for his pin-up style "glamour art" illustrations, ...
. The
character
Character or Characters may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk
* ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...
first appeared in 1982 and is an homage to the Saturday matinee serial heroes from the 1930s through the 1950s.
The Rocketeer's secret identity is Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who discovers a mysterious
jetpack
A jet pack, rocket belt, or rocket pack is a device worn on the back which uses jets of gas or liquid to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and became widespread in the 1960s. ...
that allows him to fly. His adventures are set in pre-
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
America, and Stevens gave them a retro, nostalgic feel. Analogues of pinup diva
Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. and fictional pulp characters appear prominently in the series. The character first appeared in publications from
Pacific Comics
Pacific Comics (PC) was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1981 to 1984. It was also a chain of comics shops and a distributor. It began at a San Diego, California, comic book shop owned by brothers Bill and Steve Schanes. Alo ...
, and would be printed by several other independent companies until 1995. Stevens' meticulous drawing style, perfectionism and careful research gave the various Rocketeer adventures a notoriously slow publishing schedule.
[The Comics Reporter]
/ref> Following the artist's death in 2008, his estate licensed the Rocketeer to IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...
, who have since produced numerous titles starring the character.
The character was adapted into the 1991 Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios uni ...
film ''The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books originally published by Pacific Comics. Created by writer/artist Dave Stevens, the character first appeared in 1982 and is an homage to the Saturday matinee serial heroes f ...
'' by director Joe Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston II (born May 13, 1950) is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. He is best known for directing effects-driven films, including ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' (1989), ''Jumanji'' (1995 ...
.
Creation
In 1981 Stevens was largely a jobbing artist, doing fill-in work on various comics as well as working in animation and design. In 1981 he was approached by Steve and Bill Schanes, brothers who had co-founded the independent Pacific Comics
Pacific Comics (PC) was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1981 to 1984. It was also a chain of comics shops and a distributor. It began at a San Diego, California, comic book shop owned by brothers Bill and Steve Schanes. Alo ...
(and with whom he was acquainted from being a customer in their comic stores in San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
) to produce short creator-owned
In the United States, creator ownership in comics is an arrangement in which the comic book creator retains full ownership of the material, regardless of whether the work is self-published or published by a corporate publisher.
In some fields of ...
back up features for Mike Grell
Mike Grell (born September 13, 1947) is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', '' The Warlord'', and '' Jon Sable Freelance''.
Early life
Grell studied at the University of W ...
's ''Starslayer
''Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger'' was an American comic book series created by Mike Grell.
Publication history
Grell originally created ''Starslayer'' for DC Comics, but plans to publish it were halted after the mass cancellation of title ...
''. An avowed fan of Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
and pre-war Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
, Stevens swiftly designed the basic idea of The Rocketeer. A major influence was Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...
film serial
A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...
character Commando Cody
Commando Cody is the hero in two 12-chapter science fiction serials made by Republic Pictures, played by George Wallace in ''Radar Men from the Moon'' (1952) and Judd Holdren in '' Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe'' (1953).
''Zom ...
.[Comic Book Artist Magazine #15 - Dave Stevens Interview - TwoMorrows Publishing]
/ref>
Publication history
Pacific Comics
The Rocketeer's first adventures appeared in 1982 as a backup feature in issues #2 (April) and #3 (June) of ''Starslayer''. The two short stories drew huge positive responses from readers, and the Schanes brothers wanted to commission Stevens to produce a monthly ''Rocketeer'' title. However, Stevens was reluctant to give up his other freelancing work for what he felt would be a short-lived title; he also had reservations about his abilities as a writer (a perceived short-falling Stevens would decry throughout his career). Instead, a compromise was reached whereby the character was transferred to Pacific's new anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
showcase comic ''Pacific Presents'', appearing in issues #1 (October 1982) and #2 (April 1983). Stevens enjoyed the work more than he had expected, and resolved to continue ''The Rocketeer''. The Rocketeer's success led to similar titles, including Bruce Jones' ''Cliff Hanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode or a film of serialized fiction. A cliffhange ...
'' and ''Crash Ryan
''Crash Ryan'' is a four-issue comic book mini-series created by Ron Harris and published by Marvel Comics' Epic Comics line in 1984.
Publication history
Harris brought back the characters in a four-part story that ran in ''Dark Horse Presents
...
''. He would recall being told that titles featuring the Rocketeer sold around 80,000 copies, a solid amount for an independent publisher of the period.
However, due to the delays between the episodes holding up publication, no further installments appeared in the following two issues of ''Pacific Presents'', and the cliffhanger the story had ended on was not resolved before Pacific Comics folded in 1984.[ Sanford, Jay Allen]
"Two Men and their Comic Books
" ''San Diego Reader
The ''San Diego Reader'' is an alternative press newspaper in the county of San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a ...
'' (Aug. 19, 2004). The concluding chapter had actually been completed and was slated for inclusion in ''Pacific Presents'' #5 when the company went out of business.
Stevens also had to deal with a lawsuit brought about by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
, who had featured a gang of super-criminals called 'The Rocketeers' in a 1975 issue of ''Daredevil
Daredevil may refer to:
* A stunt performer
Arts and media Comics
* Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro
* Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superher ...
''. In a 1987 interview with Gary Groth
Gary Groth (born September 18, 1954) is an American comic book editor, publisher and critic. He is editor-in-chief of ''The Comics Journal'', a co-founder of Fantagraphics Books, and founder of the Harvey Awards.
Early life
Groth is the son of ...
of ''The Comics Journal
''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'', Stevens revealed Marvel's argument revolved entirely around trademarks, the suit claiming that the use of the name was causing confusion between the characters, something he felt was spurious. As a result Stevens refused to change the character's name and fought against the lawsuit for three years. Some years later, a fan sent Stevens a copy of ''Blast-Off'' #1, a 1965 Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics (also known as Harvey World Famous Comics, Harvey Publications, Harvey Comics Entertainment, Harvey Hits, Harvey Illustrated Humor, and Harvey Picture Magazines) was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfr ...
title featuring a Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He gr ...
story called ''The 3 Rocketeers'', which he felt only underlined the absurdity of Marvel's legal action. Stevens also felt Marvel's actions were influenced by his decision to turn down an offer to take the series to Epic Comics
Epic Comics (also known as the Epic Comics Group)Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins: The Truth About the Epic Comics Group!" Marvel comics cover-dated November 1982. was an imprint of Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1996. A spin-off of the publisher's ...
following Pacific's demise. He would credit Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
coming onboard for the film adaptation of ''The Rocketeer'' with ending Marvel's pursuit. In 2016, Brian Cronin used his 'Comic Book Legends' column for Comic Book Resources
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
to openly ridicule Marvel's actions.
Eclipse Comics
Like many of the creator-owned
In the United States, creator ownership in comics is an arrangement in which the comic book creator retains full ownership of the material, regardless of whether the work is self-published or published by a corporate publisher.
In some fields of ...
titles left without a publisher by Pacific's collapse, Stevens made a deal with California-based publisher Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market. It was ...
to complete the storyline. The result was the one-shot
One shot may refer to:
Film and television
* One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so
* ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake
* ''One Shot'' (2 ...
''Rocketeer Special Edition'' in November 1984, which concluded the story arc. The comic also included 8 pages of pin-ups by different artists, a sign of Stevens' growing status within the comics industry. The contributors included Gray Morrow
Dwight Graydon "Gray" Morrow (March 7, 1934 – November 6, 2001).e., the Gilberton Company, publisher of the ''Classics Illustrated'' comic-book series of literary adaptations], and I was given a script. One thing led to another and I was soo ...
, Doug Wildey
Douglas S. Wildey He recalled his professional start as freelancing for the magazine and comic book company Street & Smith in 1947. Because comic-book writer and artist credits were not routinely given during this era, the earliest confirmed Wilde ...
, Murphy Anderson
Murphy C. Anderson Jr. (July 9, 1926 – October 22, 2015) was an American comics artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the Golden Age of Comic Books in ...
, and Al Williamson
Alfonso Williamson (March 21, 1931 – June 12, 2010) was an American cartoonist, comic book artist and illustrator specializing in adventure, Western, science fiction and fantasy.
Born in New York City, he spent much of his early childhood in ...
and an introduction by Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series ''Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and bl ...
. The issue was a sales success for Eclipse, and was the 51st bestselling title from a range of stores polled by ''Amazing Heroes
''Amazing Heroes'' was a magazine about the comic book medium published by American company Fantagraphics Books from 1981 to 1992. Unlike its companion title, ''The Comics Journal'', ''Amazing Heroes'' was a hobbyist magazine rather than an analyt ...
'', the second-highest position on the chart for a non-Marvel/DC comic.
Following the publication of this ''Special Edition'', Stevens worked with Eclipse to produce a trade paperback Trade paperback may refer to:
* Trade paperback, a higher-quality softcover version of a book
* Trade paperback (comics)
In comics in the United States, a trade paperback (shortened: TPB or trade) is a collection of stories originally published ...
collecting the material produced so far. Stevens revised several pages for the compilation and recolored the story by hand, which was also relettered by Carrie Spiegle. Stevens created additional pages to address what he felt was poor storytelling in the serialized episodes, and was assisted in this endeavor by Jaime Hernandez
Jaime (sometimes spelled Xaime) Hernandez (born 1959) is the co-creator of the alternative comic book '' Love and Rockets'' with his brothers Gilbert and Mario.
Early life
Jaime Hernandez grew up in Oxnard, California.Aldama, p. 119. He is the y ...
(who would be credited as 'Hurricane Hernandez'). The album featured an introduction from fantasist Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...
, a fan of the series who had also attempted to intercede in Stevens' dispute with Marvel Comics. The collected edition would win "Best Graphic Album" at the 1986 Kirby Awards
The Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards were a set of awards for achievement in comic books, presented from 1985-1987. Voted on by comic-book professionals, the Kirby awards were the first such awards since the Shazam Awards ceased in 1975. Sponsored ...
, beating volumes of '' Love and Rockets'' and ''Nexus
NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and Border control#Expedited border controls, expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members ...
''.
The collection would go on to become Eclipse's best-selling graphic novel, going through three printings. Eclipse's treatment of the series, which used high-quality over-sized pages printed using Baxter paper stock (8.45" x 11", compared to the standard comic book size of 6⅝" x 10¼"), led to Stevens signing a deal that would see the company print future collected editions, though none were completed before Eclipse folded in 1994. Eclipse also licensed the material for overseas publication, without Stevens' permission - and without paying him.
Comico
While Stevens was pleased with the collected edition, he did not enjoy working for Eclipse and instead searched for a new publisher to produce a sequel story, which he initially envisioned as a six-issue limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
. In August 1986 a deal was announced with Comico, which would see Elaine Lee
Elaine Lee is an American actress, playwright, producer, and writer, who specializes in graphic novels. She has also received recognition and awards for her work as a creator and producer of audio books and dramas.
Her comics have been illust ...
and Michael Kaluta
Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer Den ...
's '' Galactic Girl Guides'' (continued from the Epic Comics
Epic Comics (also known as the Epic Comics Group)Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins: The Truth About the Epic Comics Group!" Marvel comics cover-dated November 1982. was an imprint of Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1996. A spin-off of the publisher's ...
title '' Starstruck'') as a back-up, as well as non-fiction articles on aviation pioneers. The new material was planned as two, three-issue mini-series, allowing Stevens the time required to create the material, and would run under the title ''The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine''. Stevens chose Comico after being impressed by their production values and willingness to allow flexible deadlines. Comico administrative director Bob Schreck
Robert Schreck (; born February 2, 1955) is an American comic book writer and editor. Schreck is best known for his influential role as editor and marketing director at Dark Horse Comics in the 1990s, co-founding Oni Press, and for his subsequent ...
was however forced to clarify that, despite the title, ''The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine'' was a comic and not a magazine, noting the name had been chosen by Stevens as a homage to pulp magazine
Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 to the late 1950s. The term "pulp" derives from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. In contrast, magazine ...
s.
Despite being planned for the summer of 1987, the first issue of the title didn't appear until July 1988 due to Stevens' detailed approach and the concluding stages of the Marvel lawsuit. Due to the relative lack of money in independent comics at the time, he was also forced to frequently pause the series to produce covers for other series and other freelance assignments. In discussion with Heidi MacDonald
Heidi MacDonald (born November 15) is a writer and editor in the field of comic books based in New York City. She runs the comics industry news blog '' The Beat''.
Career
MacDonald is a former editor for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint and ''Disney ...
of ''Amazing Heroes
''Amazing Heroes'' was a magazine about the comic book medium published by American company Fantagraphics Books from 1981 to 1992. Unlike its companion title, ''The Comics Journal'', ''Amazing Heroes'' was a hobbyist magazine rather than an analyt ...
'', Stevens defended the series' schedule, noting that while he was more than capable of producing a page a day the result "would look like anyone did it." It met with positive reviews and was nominated for 'Best Story or Single Issue' at the second annual Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be the successor to the Kirby Awards that were ...
, but lost out to '' Batman: The Killing Joke''. Paul De Meo
Paul James De Meo (June 4, 1953 – February 26, 2018) was an American screenwriter and producer for film, television and video games. He frequently worked with Danny Bilson. Together, they wrote '' Eliminators'' (1986), ''The Rocketeer'' (1991), ...
and Danny Bilson
Daniel Bilson (born July 26, 1956) is an American writer, director, and producer of movies, television, video games, and comic books. Together with his frequent collaborator, Paul De Meo, he is best known as the writer for the film ''The Rocket ...
, who were working on the screenplay for the film version, would contribute to the writing of the storyline.
Only one more issue - in July 1989, and further delayed when Stevens suffered a car accident - appeared before Comico declared bankruptcy in 1990.
Film adaptation
Stevens had been quick to realize the potential of ''The Rocketeer'', and had first sold film rights to the character in 1983. The project would finally make it to screen in 1991 under Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company and subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The studio is the flagship producer of live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Studios uni ...
. Production was beset by shifting creative teams and Disney's desire to turn the property into a marketable family franchise, and Stevens would later consider the film to be ''The Rocketeer'' "in name only". One of the most significant changes was the replacement of Betty with an actress character called Jenny, played by Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After having worked as a model for several year ...
; Paul De Meo
Paul James De Meo (June 4, 1953 – February 26, 2018) was an American screenwriter and producer for film, television and video games. He frequently worked with Danny Bilson. Together, they wrote '' Eliminators'' (1986), ''The Rocketeer'' (1991), ...
recalled this was partly informed by Disney wanting to make the film more family friendly, and partly due to not wanting to pay money to Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. for the use of her name.
As part of the promotional onslaught, an official adaptation of the film was made and published as a one-shot by Disney's comic label Hollywood Comics
Jean-Marc Lofficier (; born June 22, 1954) is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comics and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier ( ...
. This was adapted from the script by Peter David
Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
, and featured interior artwork by Russ Heath
Russell Heath Jr. (September 29, 1926 – August 23, 2018), was an American artist best known for his comic book work, particularly his DC Comics war stories and his 1960s art for ''Playboy'' magazine's "Little Annie Fanny" feature. He also prod ...
, who was hand-picked by Stevens. Stevens himself provided the cover for the title, while a 3-D comic with a storyline by Ron Kidd was also produced. T.K. Dean awarded ''The Rocketeer: The Official Movie Adaptation'' four stars out of five in a review for ''Amazing Heroes'', praising the pace and David's dialogue.
Despite broadly positive critical response, the film under-performed financially and plans to make sequels were scrapped.
Dark Horse Comics
After Comico's financial troubles, Stevens signed with Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
to publish the third issue of the series. The deal was announced in June 1991 but it would not be until 1995 that the third and final issue of ''The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine'', featuring the conclusion of "Cliff's New York Adventure", finally appeared. This was partly due to Comico having (incorrectly) listed the Rocketeer as one of their assets in bankruptcy proceedings. Another setback came in January 1994 when an earthquake struck California, bursting water pipes in Stevens' studio and destroying several completed pages.
Following the conclusion, Stevens lost interest in publishing new ''Rocketeer'' material. He grew tired of switching publishers, while finding new avenues for his approach dwindling after the collapse of the direct market after the early 1990s speculator boom period. Dark Horse also had reservations about the comic's high production values allowing the book to be profitable, though the company did produce a collected Rocketeer edition compiling all three issues of the "Cliff's New York Adventure" storyline. Stevens would later pitch a crossover Rocketeer miniseries to DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
featuring the Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during ...
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
meeting Cliff in 1938. However, he disliked DC's proposed revisions to the storyline, so he abandoned the idea.
IDW Publishing
In 2008, Stevens struck a deal with IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...
to produce a collected edition of his ''Rocketeer'' work. On February 28, 2009, IDW announced a hardcover collecting the entire series, intended to be published in October 2009. ''Dave Stevens' The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures'' contained new coloring by Laura Martin
Laura DePuy (credited later in her career as Laura Martin, having married Randy Martin in 2001) is a colorist who has produced work for several of the major comics companies, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics and CrossGen.
Career
A sometimes comi ...
, who had been chosen by Dave Stevens prior to his death.
Synopsis
In April 1938, Cliff Secord is a small-time pilot at Bigelow's Air Circus, based at the Chaplin Aerodrome near Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. He discovers a rocket pack
A jet pack, rocket belt, or rocket pack is a device worn on the back which uses jets of gas or liquid to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and became widespread in the 1960s. ...
hidden by two gangsters fleeing the police in his custom racing plane, the Blind Bulldog. He takes the device to his friend, the avuncular engineer Peevy, who is fascinated by the device and designs a helmet to allow Cliff to direct the rocket pack, which they plan to test. However, their efforts cause Secord to miss his slot for a barnstorming
Barnstorming was a form of entertainment in which stunt pilots performed tricks individually or in groups that were called flying circuses. Devised to "impress people with the skill of pilots and the sturdiness of planes," it became popular in t ...
act at the aerodrome. To cover for him one of Cliff's fellow pilots, the alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomin ...
Malcolm, takes the plane up but soon has problems. Cliff retrieves the helmet and rocket pack and, after some difficulty, rescues Malcolm before the plane crashes. The dramatic rescue attracts press attention, and while Cliff is able to land without being identified by the crowd, he is captured by a gun-toting heavy. The press name the mysterious hero "the Rocketeer", while Peevy and Cliff's girl Betty search for him. Cliff and his captor are run off the road; he discovers the dead driver was a G-man
''G-man'' (short for "government man", plural ''G-men'') is an American slang term for special agent, agents of the United States Government. It is especially used as a term for an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
''G-man'' i ...
, and their attackers are Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
agents hoping to capture the rocket pack for the Fatherland. He is able to escape and is patched up by Betty and Peevy. Aghast at the danger, Betty makes Cliff promise to return the rocket pack to its rightful owner. However, the following day, Bigelow fires Cliff, and Betty is kidnapped by Nazi thugs. Cliff gives chase in the Bulldog, and is able to harry them into crashing; Betty is saved, but the hoods escape and identify Secord as having the rocket pack. Without a job and with Betty spending more time trying to launch her modelling career with photographer Marco of Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
, Cliff becomes downcast until Peevy shows talks him through the instructions for the rocket engine, which Secord hadn't bothered reading, leading to a more successful test. After returning home, he finds two colorful characters waiting for him, representatives of the inventor of the device. Cliff gives them the slip and Peevy is able to smuggle him to the aerodrome. However, when they arrive they find the new experimental Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
*Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
Locust plane has been hijacked; Cliff attempts to clear his name by recovering the Locust, evading the rocket's inventor in the process. The latter gives chase in a Boeing P-26
The Boeing P-26 "Peashooter" was the first American production all-metal fighter aircraft and the first pursuit monoplane to enter squadron service with the United States Army Air Corps. Designed and built by Boeing, the prototype first flew in ...
, saving Secord when the pack runs out of fuel. The pair then work together, with the inventor dropping Cliff onto the aircraft. He overpowers the Nazi pilots and is able to successfully crash-land the Locust. Cliff is hospitalized; on returning to consciousness he finds that Betty has gone to New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with Marcus, who plans to launch her as a model in Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
. Determined to follow her, he recovers the rocket pack and fakes his own death before setting out in the Blind Bulldog to win Betty back.
Marco shows off Betty to his rich New York friends, but she is shaken when she hears of Cliff's apparent death. Cliff, meanwhile, lands in Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, meeting his old friend Goose Gander, and begins to search the city's nightclubs for Betty. He is successful but ends up in argument with her after she refuses to return to California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, leading to a scuffle with Marcus. The latter has Cliff restrained and beaten until he is interrupted by a mysterious figure who identifies himself as Jonas. A bitter Cliff refuses Betty's attempts at reconciliation and sulks, unaware that she has decided against sailing to Europe with Marcus and is instead heading back to Los Angeles. Instead, through Goose he is engaged by Jonas to help break up the activities of a criminal gang in Bowery
The Bowery () is a street and neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The street runs from Chatham Square at Park Row, Worth Street, and Mott Street in the south to Cooper Square at 4th Street in the north.Jackson, Kenneth L. "B ...
. The operation pulls him into a murder investigation being carried out by Jonas; the victims are all former circus Secord colleagues. Only two members are unaccounted for, the magician Orsino and the gigantic, monstrous strongman, Lothar. Cliff and Goose are able to save Orsino from Lothar, who is killing the troupe in revenge for the accidental death of midget Teena, with whom he had become obsessed. Lothar tries to kill Cliff and Orsini at a funfair on the Boardwalk
A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
, but, with help from Jonas, Secord is able to once again don his Rocketeer outfit and save his friend. Lothar is killed in the process, after which Cliff returns to LA, where Betty is waiting for him at the Bulldog Cafe.
Characters
*Cliff Secord/The Rocketeer: a headstrong but broadly good-hearted aviator who discovers the rocket pack and embarks on a chaotic career as masked crimefighter the Rocketeer. Cliff was modelled on Stevens himself, partly due to the artist being unable to find a suitable subject. Stevens described the character as flawed, and noted his primary motivation was self-interest rather than altruism.
*Betty: Cliff's girlfriend, and an aspiring celebrity working as a girlie magazine
This is a list of magazines primarily marketed to men. The list has been split into subcategories according to the target audience of the magazines. This list includes mostly mainstream magazines as well as adult ones. Not included here are autom ...
model. Stevens described the character as being in love with Cliff but also ambitious. The character was visually based on 1950s magazine model Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. , of whom Stevens was an avid fan. Several frames of the character are inspired by specific pictorials of Page, including some from Irving Klaw
Irving Klaw (November 9, 1910 – September 3, 1966), self-named the "Pin-up King",Pérez Seves, ''Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground'', p. 28. was an influential Jewish-American merchant of sexploitation, fetish, and Hollywoo ...
's bondage magazines. He would also draw a fictionalised version of Page for the 1996 Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
one-shot '' Bettie Page Comics'', and eventually become friends with Page, helping make her aware of the commercial value of her image. Stevens' friend William Stout
William Stout (born September 18, 1949) is an American fantasy artist and illustrator with a specialization in paleoart, paleontological art. His paintings have been shown in over seventy exhibitions, including twelve one-man shows. He has worke ...
felt Cliff and Betty's tempestuous romance was heavily influenced by the artist's own relationship with model Brinke Stevens
Brinke Stevens (born Charlene Elizabeth Brinkman, September 20, 1954) is an American actress, model, and writer. A native of San Diego, Stevens initially pursued a career as a marine biologist prior to becoming an actress, earning an undergradu ...
.[DAVE STEVENS 1955 – 2008 – William Stout's Journal]
/ref>
*Ambrose "Peevy" Peabody: a curmudgeonly aviation engineer and mechanic who helps Cliff at the aerodrome. Despite his reservations over Cliff's frequent acts of idiocy and his general bad-tempered dislike of anyone apart from Betty, he helps the hero out by creating the Rocketeer helmet and actually reading the directions for operation of the rocket pack, a step neglected by Cliff himself. Both Peevy's appearance and personality were modelled on artist Doug Wildey
Douglas S. Wildey He recalled his professional start as freelancing for the magazine and comic book company Street & Smith in 1947. Because comic-book writer and artist credits were not routinely given during this era, the earliest confirmed Wilde ...
, an acquaintance of Stevens.
*Marcus of Hollywood: a sleazy glamor photographer who plans to make a fortune by exploiting Betty's looks, figure and willingness to do nearly anything for stardom. His career in exploitation has earned him the enmity of Jonas, who also implies that the pornographer's real name is Markovitch. He was reputedly modelled on Ken Marcus
Ken Marcus (born October 2, 1946) is an American Photographer, best known for his glamour photography with ''Penthouse'' and ''Playboy'' magazines. For over 40 years he has produced hundreds of centerfolds, editorials, album covers, and advert ...
.
*The inventor: the unnamed, helmeted creator of the rocket pack, an ace pilot and patriotic American polymath
A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...
. While irritated by the complications Secord's actions cause to his attempts to recover the invention, he is broadly sympathetic and supportive to the young aviator and quickly realises he is no traitor. Peevy incorrectly guesses his real identity to be Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
. The character was based on pulp magazine
Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 to the late 1950s. The term "pulp" derives from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. In contrast, magazine ...
hero Doc Savage
Doc Savage is a fictional character of the competent man hero type, who first appeared in American pulp magazines during the 1930s and 1940s. Real name Clark Savage Jr., he is a doctor, scientist, adventurer, detective, and polymath who "rights w ...
, but to avoid possible legal action the character was unnamed and only seen wearing a flying helmet.
*Colonel May and "Fancy-Pants": the inventor's private investigators and general enforcers. May is a fast-tempered, almost simian but good-hearted thug; his unnamed colleague is a prim, proper and well-dressed gentleman. Peevy misidentifies them as Hughes' bodyguards Colonel Mayberg and Noah Dietrich
Noah Dietrich (February 28, 1889 – February 15, 1982) was an American businessman, who was the chief executive officer of the Howard Hughes business empire from 1925 to 1957. (Even though these dates have been recorded as the official period of e ...
, much to May's amusement. In further reference to Doc Savage, Stevens modelled them on the Man of Bronze's assistants Ham Brooks and Monk Mayfair.
*"Goose" Gander: a New York-based pilot and childhood friend of Cliff's, Gander is an inveterate joker and a talented autogyro
An autogyro (from Greek and , "self-turning"), also known as a ''gyroplane'', is a type of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift. Forward thrust is provided independently, by an engine-driven propeller. Whi ...
flier.
*Jonas: a mysterious high society gentleman who wages a private war on crime and sleaze in New York City. Stevens modelled the character on pulp hero The Shadow
The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
, who at the time had recently been revived by DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
.
*Lothar: a gigantic former circus colleague of Secord's. Lothar harboured a crush on troupe midget Teena, who was in turn in love with Cliff and drowned covering for his dalliance with an acrobat. In the decade since Lothar has murdered most of the other members of the troupe, using his inhuman strength to literally bend them in half. The character's craggy features were modelled on cult B-movie actor Rondo Hatton
Rondo Hatton (April 22, 1894 – February 2, 1946) was an American journalist and actor. After writing for ''The Tampa Tribune'', Hatton found a career in film due to his unique facial features, which were the result of acromegaly. He headlin ...
.
*Millie: the proprietor of the Bulldog Cafe, a dog-shaped café and diner frequented by the Chaplin Aerodrome pilots, and occasional sympathetic ear to Cliff's self-inflicted woes.
Collected editions
Licensed titles
Following Stevens' death, IDW began publishing additional Rocketeer comics by a variety of creators. The first was anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
limited series ''The Rocketeer Adventurers'' in 2011, featuring story contributions from creators Mike Allred
Michael Dalton Allred is an American comic book artist and writer most famous for his independent comics creations, ''Madman'' and ''iZombie''. His style is often compared to pop art, as well as commercial and comic art of the 1950s and 1960s ...
, John Arcudi
John Arcudi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on '' The Mask'' and '' B.P.R.D.'', and his series '' Major Bummer''.
Early life
Arcudi grew up in Buffalo, New York. He attended Columbia University as an English major and ...
, Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek ( ) (born September 16, 1960) is an American comic book writer. His work includes the ''Marvels'' limited series, his own series titled ''Astro City'', a four-year run on ''The Avengers (comic book), The Avengers, Thunderbolts (comics ...
, John Cassaday
John Cassaday (; born 1971) is an American comic book artist, writer, and television director. He is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed '' Planetary'' with writer Warren Ellis, ''Astonishing X-Men'' with Joss Whedon, '' Captain ...
, Darwyn Cooke
Darwyn Cooke (November 16, 1962 – May 14, 2016) was a Canadian comics artist, writer, cartoonist, and animator who worked on the comic books ''Catwoman'', '' DC: The New Frontier'', ''The Spirit'' and '' Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter''. ...
, Tommy Lee Edwards
Tommy Lee Edwards is an American illustrator. Edwards' varied portfolio includes works created in the realm of comics, video games, books, advertising, film, and animation.
Career
As well as comic-related work he has also worked on film projects ...
, Lowell Francis, Dave Gibbons
David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...
, Gene Ha
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
, Scott Hampton
Scott Hampton (born April 10, 1959) is an American comic book artist known for his painted artwork. He is the brother of fellow comics-creator Bo Hampton. Andelman, Bob"Scott Hampton & Bo Hampton Interview,"''A Spirited Life'' (July 17, 2006).
E ...
, Mike Kaluta, Joe R. Lansdale
Joe Richard Lansdale (born October 28, 1951) is an American writer and martial arts instructor.
A prose writer in a variety of genres - Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense - he's also written comic books and screenplays. Se ...
, Brendan McCarthy
Brendan McCarthy is a British artist and designer who has worked for comic books, film and television. He co-wrote the film '' Mad Max: Fury Road''. He is the brother of Jim McCarthy.
Life and career Early life and work
Brendan McCarthy was ...
, Ryan Sook
Ryan Sook is an American comic book artist, known for his work on books such as ''Seven Soldiers: Zatanna'', ''X-Factor'' and '' The Spectre''. His style has been compared to that of Mike Mignola, Adam Hughes, and Kevin Nowlan.
Career
Sook's fir ...
, Bruce Timm
Bruce Walter Timm (born February 5, 1961) is an American artist, animator, writer, and producer. He has contributed to building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995) and the subseque ...
, Mark Waid
Mark Waid (; born March 21, 1962) is an American comic book writer best known for his work on DC Comics titles ''The Flash'', '' Kingdom Come'' and '' Superman: Birthright'' as well as his work on ''Captain America'', ''Fantastic Four'' and '' Dar ...
and Chris Weston
Chris Weston (born 1969) is a British comics artist who has worked both in the US and UK comics industries.
Biography
Weston was born in January 1969 in Rinteln, Germany, and lived in various countries as a child. His career began when he was ...
, as well as Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' during the 2000s, hosted his own radio show on ...
. A second four-issue mini series appeared the following year, featuring work from
Kyle Baker
Kyle John Baker (born 1965) is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series ''Plastic Man''.
Baker has won numerous Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards for his wor ...
, John Byrne, David Lapham
David Lapham is an American comic book writer, artist, and cartoonist, best known for his work on the independent comic book '' Stray Bullets''.
Career
David Lapham started his career in 1990 as a penciller at Valiant Comics. He went on to wor ...
, Sandy Plunkett
Charles "Sandy" Plunkett (born October 18, 1955) is an American artist and comics writer. He worked on several different series for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s and 1980s.
Early life
Plunkett grew up in New York City and began to ...
, Stan Sakai
is a Japanese-born American cartoonist and comic book creator. He is best known as the creator of the comic series ''Usagi Yojimbo''.
Career
He began his career by lettering comic books (notably ''Groo the Wanderer'' by Sergio Aragonés and Mar ...
, Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav William Felix Robert Sienkiewicz ( ; born May 3, 1958) is an American artist known for his work in comic books—particularly for Marvel Comics' ''New Mutants'', '' Moon Knight,'' and '' Elektra: Assassin''. Sienkiewicz's work in the 198 ...
, John K. Snyder III and Chris Sprouse
Chris Sprouse (born July 30, 1966) is an Americans, American comics artist. Sprouse has worked for multiple publishers and has won two Eisner Awards for his work on ''Tom Strong'', a series he created with writer Alan Moore.
Early life
Chris Spro ...
.
In 2013, IDW published two further mini-series - ''The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom'' by Waid and Chris Samnee
Chris Samnee is an American comic book artist. He received the 2011 Harvey Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his work on the '' Thor: The Mighty Avenger'', and won a 2013 Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker for his work on '' The Rocketeer: ...
, and ''The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror'' by Roger Langridge
Roger Langridge (born 14 February 1967) is a New Zealand comics writer, artist and letterer, currently living in Britain.
Biography
Langridge originally came to public prominence most notably with the ''Judge Dredd Megazine'' series ''The Stra ...
and J Bone. 2014 saw Waid and Paul Smith create a cross over with The Spirit
The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940, as the main feature of a 16-page, tabloid (paper size), tabloid-sized, newsprint comic book insert distributed in the Sunday editio ...
, ''The Rocketeer & the Spirit: Pulp Friction'', while IDW also published prose anthology ''The Rocketeer: Jet-Pack Adventures'', which included short stories by authors
An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states:
"''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...
such as Yvonne Navarro
Yvonne Navarro (born 1957 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American author who has published over twenty novels. Of those twenty, the titles ''AfterAge'', ''deadrush'', ''Final Impact'', ''Red Shadows'', ''DeadTimes'', ''That's Not My Name'' and ''M ...
, Don Webb, Gregory Frost
Gregory Frost (born May 13, 1951) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy, and directs a fiction writing workshop at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa. A gr ...
, Nancy Holder
Nancy Holder (born August 29, 1953) is an American writer and the author of several novels, including numerous tie-in books based on the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series), Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. She's also written fiction rel ...
, Nancy A. Collins
Nancy A. Collins (born September 10, 1959) is an American horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue.
Collins has also written for comic books, including the ''Swamp Thing'' (vol. 2) se ...
and others.
IDW planned to reboot
In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
the series with a new female lead in the 2018 series ''The Rocketeer Reborn'', but the title was cancelled before any of the material saw print. In January 2023 it was reported that IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...
would be publishing a one-shot anthology based on an unfinished story by Danny Bilson
Daniel Bilson (born July 26, 1956) is an American writer, director, and producer of movies, television, video games, and comic books. Together with his frequent collaborator, Paul De Meo, he is best known as the writer for the film ''The Rocket ...
and Paul De Meo
Paul James De Meo (June 4, 1953 – February 26, 2018) was an American screenwriter and producer for film, television and video games. He frequently worked with Danny Bilson. Together, they wrote '' Eliminators'' (1986), ''The Rocketeer'' (1991), ...
, who had written the screenplay for the 1991 film.
In other media
Film
* Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
produced ''The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books originally published by Pacific Comics. Created by writer/artist Dave Stevens, the character first appeared in 1982 and is an homage to the Saturday matinee serial heroes f ...
'' in 1991, directed by Joe Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston II (born May 13, 1950) is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. He is best known for directing effects-driven films, including ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' (1989), ''Jumanji'' (1995 ...
, and starring Billy Campbell
William Oliver Campbell (born July 7, 1959) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series ''Dynasty''. Then he became known for playing Rick Sammler on '' Once and A ...
, Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film ''Once Upon a Time in America''. After having worked as a model for several year ...
, Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin (born March 26, 1934) is an American actor, director and screenwriter known for his performances on stage and screen. Throughout his career spanning over six decades, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award ...
, Timothy Dalton
Timothy Leonard Dalton Leggett (; born 21 March 1946) is a British actor. Beginning his career on stage, he made his film debut as Philip II of France in the 1968 historical drama ''The Lion in Winter''. He gained international prominence as ...
, Paul Sorvino
Paul Anthony Sorvino (, ; April 13, 1939 – July 25, 2022) was an American actor. He often portrayed authority figures on both the criminal and the law enforcement sides of the law.
Sorvino was particularly known for his roles as Lucchese cri ...
, and Tiny Ron Taylor
Ronald "Tiny Ron" Taylor (November 21, 1947 – November 28, 2019) was an American film actor and former basketball player, known for his work in feature films such as ''The Rocketeer'' (1991) and '' Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'' (1994), and in t ...
. The film was released on June 21, 1991 and received generally favorable reviews from critics.
* In 2012, Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
was reportedly considering a remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
of the 1991 film.
* In 2021, It was announced that Jessica and David Oyelowo
David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo ( ; born 1 April 1976) is a British actor, director and producer. His accolades include a Critics' Choice Award and two NAACP Image Awards as well as nominations for two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, ...
planned to produce a revival titled ''The Return of the Rocketeer
''The Rocketeer'' (released internationally as ''The Adventures of the Rocketeer'') is a 1991 American period superhero film from Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures. It was produced by Charles Gordon, Lawrence Gordon, and Lloyd Le ...
''. The film would be written by Ed Ricourt, and focus on a retired Tuskegee airman
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...
who takes up the Rocketeer mantle.
Television
* A television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
was released on November 8, 2019 on Disney Junior
Disney Junior is an American pay television network owned by the Walt Disney Television (part of Disney General Entertainment Content) unit of The Walt Disney Company through Disney Branded Television. Aimed mainly at children two to seven yea ...
in the United States, and on November 10 on Disney Junior
Disney Junior is an American pay television network owned by the Walt Disney Television (part of Disney General Entertainment Content) unit of The Walt Disney Company through Disney Branded Television. Aimed mainly at children two to seven yea ...
in Canada. The series focuses on a young girl named Kit Secord (voiced by Kitana Turnbull) who receives the family jetpack for her birthday and uses it to protect the town of Hughesville from various villains.
* In August 2021, '' What If...?'' director Bryan Andrews revealed that Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios, LLC (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Studios produces the Mar ...
had considered incorporating the Rocketeer into the series, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
, during the events of series premiere
A series premiere is the first aired installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. In the United States, many series premieres are aired in the fall time or, for mid-season replacements, either in the spring or ...
" What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?", in which they would have teamed up with Captain Carter
Margaret "Peggy" Carter is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise portrayed by Hayley Atwell, based on the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter, of the same name. Carter is depicted as a British MI6 agent ...
, before deciding against it due to similarities between Howard Stark
Howard Stark is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a background character in stories featuring Iron Man and stories featuring Captain America. He is the fou ...
and Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American business magnate, record-setting pilot, engineer, film producer, and philanthropist, known during his lifetime as one of the most influential and richest people in th ...
.
Video games
* A licensed ''Rocketeer'' game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
in May 1991, to tie in with the film. It is a side-scrolling action game published and developed by Bandai
is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and Richmond ...
, and followed the plot of the film.
Reception and legacy
As early as 1985, ''Amazing Heroes
''Amazing Heroes'' was a magazine about the comic book medium published by American company Fantagraphics Books from 1981 to 1992. Unlike its companion title, ''The Comics Journal'', ''Amazing Heroes'' was a hobbyist magazine rather than an analyt ...
'' described the series as critically acclaimed. In the same magazine N.A. Collins praised the character's design, calling the costume "evocative of Doc Savage
Doc Savage is a fictional character of the competent man hero type, who first appeared in American pulp magazines during the 1930s and 1940s. Real name Clark Savage Jr., he is a doctor, scientist, adventurer, detective, and polymath who "rights w ...
, Captain Future
Captain Future is a pulp science fiction hero — a space-traveling scientist and adventurer —originally published in his namesake pulp magazine from 1940 to 1944. The character was created by editors Mort Weisinger and Leo Margulies. The maj ...
and Buck Rogers
Buck Rogers is a science fiction adventure hero and feature comic strip created by Philip Francis Nowlan first appearing in daily US newspapers on January 7, 1929, and subsequently appearing in Sunday newspapers, international newspapers, books ...
just with one glance". IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
listed the Rocketeer as the 76th Greatest Comic Book Character, stating that the Rocketeer taps into that popular desire to fly. IGN also stated the Rocketeer saga remains a compelling one.
In 1994 Stevens met Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. and showed her ''The Rocketeer''; he recalled she found it "funny and cute". The series has been widely credited as a factor in the revival of interest in Page. Comic artist Adam Hughes
Adam Hughes (born May 5, 1967) is an American comics artist and illustrator best known to American comic book readers for his renderings of pinup-style female characters, and his cover work on titles such as ''Wonder Woman'' and ''Catwoman''. H ...
credited ''The Rocketeer'' as igniting his interest in comics. The character has also been identified as an example of steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
, dieselpunk
Dieselpunk is a retrofuturistic subgenre of science fiction similar to steampunk or cyberpunk that combines the aesthetics of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period through to the 1950s with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern ...
, and retrofuturism
Retrofuturism (adjective ''retrofuturistic'' or ''retrofuture'') is a movement in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced in an earlier era. If futurism is sometimes called a "science" bent on anticipatin ...
.10 Great Retro-Futuristic Movies and TV Shows
/ref>
References
External links
Dave Stevens Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocketeer, The
1982 comics debuts
American comics adapted into films
Art Deco
Aviation comics
Comico Comics characters
Comico Comics titles
Comics characters introduced in 1982
Comics set in the 1930s
Cultural depictions of the Marx Brothers
Dark Horse Comics superheroes
Dark Horse Comics titles
Dieselpunk
Eclipse Comics superheroes
Eclipse Comics titles
Fiction set in 1938
Fictional aviators
Fictional characters from Los Angeles
IDW Publishing characters
IDW Publishing titles
Pacific Comics titles
Retrofuturism