THE ROCKETEER Is Back in a New Comic Book Series
I was introduced to The Rocketeer in director Joe Johnston’s 1991 adventure film. Then I learned that the film was based on a comic book that I became a fan of. I love The Rocketeer and I’m excited to announce that he will be getting a new comic series this April thanks to IDW Publishing, as part of a broader celebration of the character's 40th anniversary.
The comic is titled The Rocketeer: The Great Race, a four-issue series by writer and drawn by Stephen Mooney. The story will see our “intrepid stunt pilot Cliff Secord take part in an air race that runs from California to France - that's right, from the US west coast to European west coast. This all happens as the drum beats for war are heightening in Europe, as the Rocketeer is a period piece set in just before the second World War.” Betty will also be appearing in this series.
Series editor Scott Dunbier in the announcement, "Stephen Mooney has a love and affinity for the Rocketeer, and the time period the iconic character inhabits… all of which is abundantly evident in the story he has crafted. It's a fun-filled romp, one I think Dave Stevens would enjoy!"
Mooney added, "Writing and drawing a Rocketeer book has long been somewhat of a bucket-list item for me. I grew up on Dave Stevens' unique blend of swashbuckling derring-do and pulpy adventure with Cliff, Betty, and Peevy, and those seminal issues still stand today as one of my favorite series of all time. It's incredibly daunting and yet also fantastically thrilling and a real challenge. Let's take to the skies!"
You can check out some cover art below created by Mooney and Gabriel Rodriguez. Each issue of the series will also feature an oral history of the character, “with contributions from Stevens' friends, family, and fellow artists - as organized by Kelvin Mao, who is working on a documentary of the writer/artist.”
The Rocketeer: The Great Race #1 goes on sale in April.
