A fun book with great art deco 1930s style time frame. The idea of the character of the Rocketeer was invented by the author when someone told him they had 6 pages available and needed a comic story to fill it. They told him he could do whatever he wanted. So he invented the Rocketeer. He drew the character first and then invented a story to go around him.

Interestingly, though this is the whole of the author's work with the Rocketeer there is no end to the story and there are serious plot threads left. The Nazis of the movie are at work but that is not resolved. The actual story probably takes up less than 100 of the pages in this book.

And yet, for an obscure character in the last 6 pages of a non-mainstream comic book the Rocketeer won acclaim because of the artwork and the era the author/artist in Mr. Stevens that he was able to evoke with his short stories.

Bettie Page, a 50's pin up icon was the ideal behind the Rocketeer's girlfriend. This comic originally came out in the 1980s. It helped revitalize interest in her. The author's efforts on her behalf led to her receiving compensation for her likeness being used on many popular things. Note: the comic does have some fairly racy images of her.

Apparently there is talk of Disney doing another Rocketeer movie. I approve of the idea. Can we have Christopher Nolan direct? =) ( )

Cliff Secord is a stunt pilot who finds a rocket pack hidden in the cockpit of his plane. He figures the pack is a ticket to the big time and will help him keep his high maintenance girlfriend Betty. With the help of his good friend Peevy, he becomes the Rocketeer, saves Betty from Nazi's, meets Howard Hughes, and has a big adventure in New York.

"The Rocketeer" was first published by Pacific Comics in 1982 as a backup feature at the rear of the second issue. If the story sounds familiar, you may have seen the 1991 Disney movie based on this comic with Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly. The comics creater, Dave Stevens, was inspired by Commando Cody, a movie serial hero, and by pulp stories of the 1930's. Cliff's girlfriend Betty is modeled on the queen of pin-up models, Bettie Page. The illustrations are lush and dramatic with action on every page. This is the deluxe issue with two stories, the only stories completed and published before Pacific went under, and many extra notes and sketches. Stevens died in 2008 of leukemia before this compilation was published. ( )