This review originally appeared on Goodreads on August 24, 2012.

The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures

By Dave Stevens – IDW Publishing – October 2009

Review by Robin Marx

Like many people, I first encountered The Rocketeer through the 1991 movie. The character seemed so pitch-perfect that I took it for granted that he dated back to the golden age of pulp, so it was surprising to find out that his first appearance was as late as 1982.

This volume collects the entirety of the all-too-brief comic series, cut short by creator Dave Stevens's death from leukemia at 52. And it's great, my only complaint it that there isn't more of it. The pace is fast, the action exciting, and the whole tone of the series is exhilarating and fun. I especially appreciated the sly references to pulp heroes like The Shadow, distinctive horror actor Rondo Hatton, and pinup queen Bettie Page. The artwork, complete with remastered color, is stunning as well.

Highly recommended to pulp adventure fans.

★★★★☆

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This review originally appeared on Goodreads on August 24, 2012.

Rocketeer Adventures Volume 1

By Various – IDW – December 14, 2011

Review by Robin Marx

This anthology series resurrects the Rocketeer, a great character that had been largely out of action since creator Dave Stevens's fatal bout with cancer.

The talent tapped for this miniseries make a valiant effort to deliver adventure yarns in the spirit of the original. While the final product is well worth a read, living up to the creator's original work proves an impossible task. There's some great storytelling on display—particularly with one story hinting about the Rocketeer's Pacific War exploits—but the artwork is a bit weak for some stories. And while anthology stories are nice, I missed the longer plots from the first series.

★★★☆☆

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