Rocketeer Adventures, Volume 2

This second volume of adventures featuring the late Dave Stevens’s skyward bound hero is a wonderful testament to the enduring legacy of the Rocketeer. Cliff Secord is just your “typical” ace stunt pilot from a pulp-fiction-inspired version of the late 1930s, until the appearance of a strange and mysterious jetpack leads him to discover what a force he can be in the air without a plane. At the same time, he has to manage a relationship with a knockout girlfriend named Betty, whom Stevens originally modeled on the bombshell pin-up girl Bettie Page. Secord can be a tad jealous and quick to jump to conclusions, but he more than makes up for it by having a knack for beating up the bad guys and saving the day. This collection features the writing and artwork of some of the biggest names in the industry—like Paul Dini, Walter Simonson, and Kyle Baker—and each does an exemplary job of being true to the innocent pulp spirit of Stevens. The highlight of the collection turns out to be any story featuring Dave Stewart as colorist: his work here is a jetpack all its own. (Jan.)