Rocketeer Adventures Volume 1

The Rocketeer #3

by Mike Allred, Jonathan Ross, Mark Waid

Dave Stevens' The Rocketeer was an instant hit the moment it hit the spinner rack in the earl 1980s. Stevens' lush and distinctive artwork and fun, action-driven story was inspired by the adventure pulp novels of the era The Rocketeer was set in. Stevens produced only two Rocketeer graphic novels - collected to much acclaim by IDW - and his life was tragically cut short when he succumbed to Hairy Cell Leukemia. Now, with the full cooperation of the Stevens estate, IDW is pleased to present new interpretations of The Rocketeer by some of today's finest talents. So, pull up a chair, sit down a while, and discover The Rocketeer all over again!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adventure, Comic Book, Pulp

128 pages, Hardcover

First published November 29, 2011

About the author

Michael 'Doc' Allred (Also Credited as M. Dalton Allred) grew up in the 60's and 70's and was surrounded with the best in pop culture and a steady diet of music, movies and comic books including the three B's: Beatles, Bond and Batman to the point of obsession.

So it should come as no surprise that he keeps a hand in film and music (He's the lead singer and guitarist for The Gear), but comic books have always been a seminal source of joy for Mike and that joy remains the main ingredient in most of his work.

Allred first tasted success in the comics field with his wildly popular MADMAN series, which is currently being developed for a live action film with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. His earlier work from GRAFIK MUZIK was turned into the cult hit movie G-Men from Hell directed by Christopher Coppola (featuring Robert Goulet as the Devil). Other work includes Red Rocket 7, his history of Rock and Roll told in the context of a sci-fi adventure storyl the Madman spin-off THE ATOMICS and his magnum opus, THE GOLDEN PLATES, where he's illustrating the entire Book of Mormon.

Mike counts the secret to his success to be his wife, and creative partner, Laura Allred, who is is considered to be one of the best colorists in the business.

Reviews

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 reread. Still good, on a smaller scale than the original.

Nice vignettes in the Rocketeer tradition! Really like this book and looking forward to the sequel!

But let me express something I DON'T like:
I don't like the fact that MY LIBRARY SYSTEM DOES NOT CARRY THE ORIGINAL!!! THIS: The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures
WAKE UP, LIBRARY! THIS STUFF IS SO GOOD THAT YOU WILL FEEL AN DEEP PAINFUL ACHING VOID IN YOUR LIBRARY-SOUL WHEN YOU FIND YOU COULD HAVE HAD IT BUT DON'T.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the pulp feel of the Rockeeter character. These new stories are a great continuation of the originals. Very recommended

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certa vez foi lançada aqui no Brasil uma antologia da criação máxima de Will Eisner chamada "Spirit: As Novas Aventuras" e lá, como em toda antologia, tinha histórias muito boas e histórias muito ruins. Spirit era um herói que por muito tempo não tinha suas histórias publicadas e grande nomes da indústria estadunidense de comics foram chamados para a missão. A missão deu certo no primeiro volume, mas no segundo, a coisa foi pro ralo da Kitchen Sink (para fazer uma brincadeira com a editora original). Este Rocketeer: As Novas Aventuras me pareceu uma tentativa parecida com a do Spirit. Contudo, quando li as histórias percebi nelas um frescor que ia além de apenas uma homenagem, de um reverência, os autores pareciam ter maior unidade na qualidade das suas histórias, sem a pretensão pesada que tinha a coletânea do Spirit. Eles estavam se divertindo, apresentando o seu Rocketeer e, claro, dando bastante destaque para a Betty, na minha opinião (e acho que na deles também), a melhor personagem da sére de Dave Stevens. Dessa forma, Rocketeer: As Novas Aventuras traz uma antologia em que as histórias em quadrinhos têm uma qualidade uniforme, muito boas no geral, tanto em roteiros como em arte. Além disso podem ser um bom ponto de partida para novos leitores do personagem como pode agradar velhor conhecidos. Vale também elogiar o capricho editorial da Editora Heroica.

[Lucas Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, what a fun book, from a really cool character.

This is what a great comic book, whose got inspiration from the old pulps should be like. Nothing more than that. It's just super fun to follow this short stories.

And about the art, you'll got the finest artists from the industry paying their respects with Dave Stevens's maximum creation. Gonna get vol. 2, ASAP!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think I like it more than the original Rocketeer stories. A nice selection of short stories.

[Tyler Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short, adventurous, pulpy comic stories set in WWII era featuring Cliff Secord, the Rocketeer with a jetpack who fights gangsters and nazis. Fun and sexy!

[Michael Hawkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My introduction to The Rocketeer came with the 1991 film. I had heard the film was based on a comic book, but I hadn't read any of the comics. The movie was great, but the franchise sadly never took off. Recently, I had the chance to read Rocketeer Adventures, Volume 1 which is a new series based on Dave Stevens' original character, and due to be released in November 2011 by IDW Publishing.

For those familiar with the movie or the original comic book series, this book will will seem very familiar, with the same primary characters and the same timeframe. For those unfamiliar with the Rocketeer, think of him as Iron Man set in World War II, but without Tony Stark's wealth and ego. Cliff Secord is an American test pilot who flies around with jetpack, and does generally heroic things, like rescuing damsels in distress and fighting bad guys. Rocketeer Adventures, Volume 1 is a 44-page comic book with three short stories, plus some extra pinup artwork.

In the first story, titled "The Rocketeer", Cliff uncovers a plot by the Maroni Gang threatening to launch a stolen rocket in an attempt to extort money from the government. As insurance, they've taken Cliff's girlfriend Betty as a hostage. In a showdown at the gang's secret desert lair, Cliff spoils the gang's plans and rescues Betty in some high-flying action.

In "Home Again", Cliff shows up at the house of his friend Peevey with an extra rocket engine and helmet. These extras are battered and dented, and Cliff is asked to explain what happened. He starts talking about a character he met in New York City named Mr. Jonas, but the story is cut short and is ambiguous in its meaning. Undoubtedly there is more to the story, which I hope the authors will elaborate on in future editions.

"Dear Betty" concentrates less on Cliff and more on his girlfriend. Betty (an homage to Bettie Page) is an actress and this story shows her life on the homefront while Cliff is off at war. A series of letters from Cliff are juxtaposed with scenes of Betty on stage, in a café, and fighting off frequent advances from the lecherous Mr. Stanhope.

Coming around 30 years after Dave Stevens' original stories, Rocketeer Adventures, Volume 1 is an attempt to reboot an underappreciated franchise. The first story of this book tells us what the Rocketeer is about - he's a superhero with a jetpack. The last story shows us more about Betty and her life. The second story, however, is the teaser for a good storyline. It raises more questions than answers. It's mysterious and I can't wait for more to come.

The only downside is that I was sort of hoping for a complete story. However, one person's frustration is another's cliffhanger. It's more enjoyable than not.

[Micah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know about this. I like the rocketeer well enough, but I only really enjoyed two stories in this anthology. Anthologies are hard to review in general. Is one truly great story enough to buoy some mediocre stuff? Is there one story so abhorrent that it drags everything else down?
The Darwyn Cooke Story is probably my favorite in there followed by the Dave Gibbons Scott Hampton story. Not everything was bad. But none of the other stories were really memorable to me. Too many of these stories (even the ones I liked) just beat the 'Cliff is jealous' drum a bit too hard. Betty is always falling out of her clothes. And sure, that's a feature of the old stuff, but when every story does it the anthology loses most to all of it's appeal. I'm not a fan of jealous guy can't handle actress girlfriend's lifestyle stories anyway. It's not just that these are brought up in many of these stories, it's that they're the central component to many of these stories.
Some of the stories in here just don't make sense. Feels like they're part of a bigger issue and just never get fleshed out. There's one where all the characters just say a bunch of words and none of it means anything and then the story ends. The prose story was boring too.
I don't know. Ultimately if you love the rocketeer you'd probably get a kick out of it, but if you're not gaga over the premise there's other books to read. If you catch it at the library though it's definitely worth checking out for the couple of good stories in there.

[BigJohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rocketeer Adventures Volume 1 continues the adventures of Cliff Secord as The Rocketeer. These stories are written and illustrated by a different team than the original stories - and each story has its own team, so the style and quality varies between each.

The stories themselves are a little stale; I'm not sure how many different ways you can have Betty get kidnapped and then rescued by Cliff, but that seems to be the prevailing plot device used by all of the writers.

There is a refreshing text-only piece in the middle of the book, which follows the style of the era (all of these stories are told in a time frame somewhere between 1936 and 1945), so it has a pulp-like feel to it, and lets you use your imagination a little more.

Separating the different stories are the original covers to the comics that comprise the hardback volume. They were illustrated by the original Rocketeer creator, Dave Stevens, but a 2nd cover for each is also rendered by Alex Ross, painter extraordinaire. His breathtaking pieces are also provided in their original pencil sketch forms as well. Adding Alex Ross' work into the mix raises the overall quality of the book, but the stories fall a little short on entertainment.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una splendida riunione di alcuni tra i migliori autori ed artisti del fumetto mondiale, rende omaggio al personaggio di Dave Stevens con una divertente antologia. Bello il racconto di Lansdale, e la copertina di Alex Ross e l'art gallery alla fine non sfigurerebbero in una galleria d'arte. Molto bello.

[Marcelo Soares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vampirella, Spawn, Dejah Thoris, Rocketeer.
Que fase, hein?
Na honestidade, gibizinho divertido, uma coleção de pequenas histórias entre o fim dos anos 30 e o fim dos anos 40, nazistas, monstros gigantes, cientistas malucos, muita ação e altas aventuras.
Lembram do filme? Um clássico da Sessão da Tarde, as histórias tem o mesmo clima, Cliff é um jovem e impetuoso piloto que voa por aí num jato portátil experimental fazendo coisas de herói, ele tem uma namorada Betty e um amigo que conserta o jato. Tem algumas histórias com grandes nomes dos quadrinhos - Cassaday, Allred, Busiek, Gibbons, Waid entre outros que eu não lembro agora.
Não há grandes pretensões e as histórias parecem bem únicas e desconexas, porém dá a entender que existe um fio condutor escondido entre as histórias. A história que eu mais gostei é do Kurt Busiek que foca um pouco mais na Betty; enquanto o Cliff está lutando no front japonês da guerra, ela vai levando a vida de atriz e as cenas são sobre ela lendo as cartas que ele envia - talvez os "xóvens" precisem procurar isso no Google -, uma atividade quase inexistente hoje em dia com a conectividade instantânea de celulares, zapzaps, tiktoks e sei lá eu mais o quê.

[Michael Emond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection. I watched the movie Rocketeer for the first time recently and while it is weird I never saw it before I understand why. It is another attempt to capture the 40 pulps/cliff hangers in a more modern movie. The movie wasn't bad but it was pretty predictable.

But it was based on a comic by Dave Stevens and this is a collection of short stories from various creators using the character. Now because they are short stories and because the character doesn't have much depth to begin with (he loves a girl who is trying to make it in the movie industry and his best friend is a mechanic and he gets jealous when other guys eye his girl...um...that's it...after reading this volume I have nothing more to add). So why did I enjoy this? The art is amazing and varied (each artist bringing their own spin) and the short stories are fun and creative (within the narrow constraints). So it was a quick fun read that doesn't tax your brain. Every now and then I like comics like this. Just fun.

I don't think you have to be a fan of the character to enjoy this collection but liking stories that try to capture pulp feel of the 40's helps (and I do like that genre).

[Alex Sarll]

Lots of big names here, but if you're expecting any of them to bring bold new perspectives, you're out of luck. Cliff fights gangsters, Nazis, and Hollywood types with designs on Betty; Betty alternates between damsel in distress and handy with her fists, but either way isn't normally over-burdened by clothes; Peevey gets to play the cantankerous father figure. Hell, there are even two separate stories with Cliff irked by phony flight from comics-inspired faux-superheroes. Still, the attraction was never going to be the reinvention of the wheel so much as seeing that gorgeous Art Deco design rendered by the likes of the Allreds, John Cassaday, Brendan McCarthy and Darwyn Cooke, and on that level it absolutely delivers (though Tony Harris' story was a disappointment when, based on Starman, I'd expected him to be the best fit of the lot).

[Joseph R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dave Stevens created The Rocketeer in the 1980s and the comic book was a hit. He died of leukemia early. This book is a tribute to Stevens' creation, with more than a dozen contemporary comic book artists. The stories all follow the same general format--Cliff Secord is secretly The Rocketeer, active in California, fighting America's World War II enemies who are spying in Hollywood. He's got a very attractive girlfriend named Betty who works as a bit player in movies. Peevy is the guy who built the suit and maintains it, providing comic relief and commentary in the stories.

I was only familiar with the character from the movie version. This book leans into the pulp fiction of the 1940s, with Betty being a scantily-clad damsel-in-distress more often than she should be. The stories are fun, lightweight entertainment.

Mildly recommended.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is it weird that I liked the tribute stories to Dave Steven's series over the original books themselves? Because the lineup of authors and artists in this collection is amazing, and the quality of the stories overall is a step up from what I remember of the original works, with pieces by Kurt Busiek and Darwyn Cooke especially showing exactly how much there is to mine in the concept. I appreciate that Betty gets to be more than a Damsel in Undress in a couple of the stories, although she also ends up in skimpy outfits a little too much for my tastes, even if the artists who draw them capture her and it well. The action sequences are pretty impressive even if the scope is limited by the shorter lengths. Still, fans of the movie or the comics will find a lot to like here.

[Adam Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rocketeer Adventures is a grand anthology of pulp adventures featuring Dave Stephens' Rocketeer, written by a talented group of artists. There's not really a bad story in here, although these are pretty standard 7-10 page pulp stories. However, Kurt Busiek's Dear Betty actual does have an emotional journey and an interesting focus on Betty that makes for compelling reading.

There's so many interesting stories, nods, and pastiches to the Golden Age of Comics and Stevens original work that if you love comics and stories of this era or enjoyed the original Rocketeer book, this is worth checking out. There's no ongoing story but a really fun anthology.

[James Hamill · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a bunch of different creators each contributing a piece, there's something in here for every Rocketeer fan. It's what's great about anthologies. It also further explores the world imagined by Dave Stevens and satisfies that craving left after reading the original work or watching the movie. It's not meant to be consumed in one sitting, but rather it provides 12 days worth of short comics stories. I bought my copy in the discount bin of my local comic shop (LCS), and if you manage to find it in the discount bin of your LCS, I highly recommend you snag it.

[Hisham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice showcase for different comic book creators featuring the classic Dave Stevens character. Unfortunately due to the limited amount of stories that Stevens was able to produce, there is a limited universe that these creators have to work with.

Highlights include: a beautiful action sequence by John Cassady, a clever serial-adventure homage by Dawyn Cooke, and a collaboration with Lowell Francis and Gene Ha that makes reference to Doc Savage. There's also some wonderful covers by Alex Ross.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is sadly like most, which is a mixed bag. It was really great to see some of the industry's best work on this classic book but the stories were so short, no one was able to spread their wings. I think I really just want a modern take on this character with Mike Allred at them helm. Due to the format, it was a lightning quick read. Overall, a decent but not spectacular look into the past.

[Chris Browning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reread because I’m getting rid of them - I remember being lukewarm at best about this and I can definitely see why. The art is frequently beautiful, but the stories are just the same thing again and again with very few variations. I’m also frustrated that there is only one female creator in this because it really feels like a succession of artists who should and do know better having an excuse to draw Betty in cheesecake poses again and again and again

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Alex Ross covers are incredible, but the other artists vary greatly. Some are wonderful, while others are more "cartoonish".
Plots are still the same as the original, namely Cliff being jealous of the attention Betty receives from other men, while he battles Axis spies in the build-up to World War II. The usual mobsters show up as well.
None of the Rocketeer stories are meant to be anything but fun, so just enjoy the rocket-powered ride.

[Francisco Becerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5. A collection of short stories of Rocketeer and his fiancée Betty. As any anthology, this is a mixed bag with the recurring theme of the jealous boyfriend to the rescue from various types of lowlifes with scarves over their mouths. I would have liked something more imaginative from the writers, not some watered sweat magazine-like short stories. The art is mostly well done and evocative though.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Read.

I got hooked on The Rocketeer with the movie. This is quite different. The art is great. A few of the stories left me wondering what just happened, but most were very good.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like, I'm sure, more than a few others, my first exposure to The Rocketeer came from the early 90s movie of the same name: even back then, I remember thinking that it bore more than a few resemblances to the 1988 Amiga game 'Rocker Ranger', with both set during (or near) World War 2, and both concerning a test pilot who learns the use of a jet-fueled rocket pack.

I was completely unaware that the film - and, more than likely, that game - were based on a comic series of the same name: this particular one.

I aoso have to say that the film (from what I remember) draws heavily from this source, although (if you'll forgive the pun) neither ever really seemed to 'take off' for me: to heavily draw me in.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spats

I liked it, but beyond their relationship always about to crash there wasn't a lot of daring doo. I would have liked more doo.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The high highs more than make up for the natural unevenness of this anthology and what a pleasure to read one last Darwyn Cooke story.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of Rocketeer stories full of action, adventure, and romance with Cliff, Betty, Peevy, gangsters, and Nazis by some amazing writers and artists.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept here and the art was generally good but it seemed like the same story over and over. I think I'll try Stevens's originals if I continue reading the character.

[Andrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A collection of short stories featuring the Rocketeer, drawn by an all-star cast of artists including John Cassaday, Michael Kaluta, Mike Allred, Darwyn Cooke, Ryan Sook, Tommy Lee Edwards and many more. While some people don't like this format which allows just 8 pages per story, I think it's a good fit for the type of adventures Cliff & the gang get into. The plots are usually simple, yet fun and light-hearted and when backed by superb art, they make for an enjoyable quick read. There are also a couple of really nice pinups scattered throughout this book.

What I liked: The story "Dear Betty" by Kurt Busiek and Mike Kaluta, because it's a great showcase of Cliff and Betty's relationship and their true feelings for each other/ The story written and drawn by John Cassaday, because it's classic Rocketeer with amazing art. The story by Mark Waid and Chris Weston, because it's funny and the art style really feels like Dave Stevens. The story written and drawn by Ryan Sook, because of its bittersweet aftertaste. All of Alex Ross's covers are stunning.

What I didn't like: The Mike Allred story, because it doesn't have any plot whatsoever. The last couple of stories (from issue #4) were less remarkable than the ones that came before.

[Keegan Fink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Dave Stevens, particularly his work with The Rocketeer. I watched the film so many times on VHS that I wore out the tape. I immediately sprung for the Deluxe slipcase collection of Dave's original Rocketeer work when it came out a few years ago. With that said, I was a little disappointed by IDW's foray into the Rocketeer canon. I don't often write reviews, but I felt compelled to only recommend this title with some clear reservation. Overall, the stories are incredibly short. This isn't a bad thing, per say, but some of the stories felt out of character for the players involved. The Rocketeer is clearly the product of pulp fiction from the 1930's, 40's & 50's — but some of the antics in this book (giant monsters?!) feel over the top, even for a two-fisted pulp title such as this. The graphic novel is good, not great. Some stories are better than others. Some of the artwork really sings, echoing the style of Dave Stevens, while some of the other artwork feels forced — as if IDW felt compelled to employ certain notable illustrators for their fame rather than for what they would bring to the Rocketeer canon. As someone who loves the source material, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is a "must have", but it would make a decent gift to a fan of the series. I'm trying to be optimistic about volume II.