Four decades ago a World War II era character arrived that would become a sci-fi cult favorite, an homage to the 1930s to 1950s Saturday serial adventures, writer/artist Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer. We’ve seen one four-issue limited series a few years ago, The Rocketeer: The Great Race (reviewed here), but the next is landing this summer from IDW Publishing. In The Rocketeer Breaks Free, Cliff Secord is back as the stunt pilot who found a jetpack that allows him to fly.
This new story, by writer/artist Stephen Mooney and artist Staz Johnson, finds Cliff and girlfriend Bettie Page returning to San Francisco, where Cliff encounters a mission that takes him to some familiar landmarks.
Cliff is busy flying around as Bettie readies for her next project, and it’s great to find Dave Stevens’ original vision with Bettie in the story. The first issue brings familiar characters together, a reunion of sorts that looks every bit like the original Stevens’s storytelling. The artwork has all the war era styles and early 20th century brand of steampunk.
Here’s a look inside the first issue of The Rocketeer Breaks Free:
In case you missed it, check out the giant hardcover 40th anniversary edition of Dave Stevens’ Eisner Award-winning, The Rocketeer–Artist’s Edition here at Amazon.
Here are the other covers for this limited series:
Add The Rocketeer Breaks Free to your pull list at Elite Comics or your local comic shop now.
C.J. Bunce / Editor / borg
