Rocketeer for beginner

[JusticeIsBlind]

Couldnt see a thread on this so i thought id make a new one.

I recently watched the Rocketeer movie, havent watched it since i was a kid. It hasnt lost any of its appeal to me and im looking to read some of the comics however i have no idea which ones to start with.

Price wise i really dont mind, there seem to be alot of different Rocketeer comics out there so i just wanted to know what would be the best choice to start with.

[jadekite22]

I love the movie, too. As far as comics go, IMO, Dave Stevens is the Rocketeer. I didn't mind dropping $100 on the Artist's Edition because that's the purest representation of his work and I'm not even a fan of the second arc where he goes to New York. I think IDW's computer recoloring won awards, but I find it garish.

Other than that, Waid and Samnee's Cargo of Doom miniseries is worth checking out mainly due to Samnee's always brilliant art. I haven't read Hollywood Horror, but Roger Langridge is the best all-ages writer for licensed books, so it's probably good.

I've also only skimmed the two Rocketeer Adventures anthologies. The talent pool is unbeatable, but it also feels, much like post-Eisner Spirit comics, constrained conceptually to be a tribute to Stevens rather than an expansion of the character into new directions.

[ReplicantSavior]

I haven't read the new series yet. One day perhaps. I too have the Artist Edition. I got the original one but it was so popular that they reprinted it like 3 times I think. So you should be able to find a low priced version. I would get that.

Or they have the original comic in many different forms. The collected edition and treasury version.

[ftrez]

Can't go wrong with this to start: https://www.amazon.com/Rocketeer-Act...ords=rocketeer

Here's the re-colored version previously mentioned. I think this includes the sequel w/ Cliff's New York Adventures so you'd be getting all of the Dave Stevens' work: https://www.amazon.com/Rocketeer-Com...5883056&sr=1-1

I haven't read any of the non-Stevens stuff so can't recommend anything there. Have fun!

[whd]

Originally Posted by jadekite22

I love the movie, too. As far as comics go, IMO, Dave Stevens is the Rocketeer. I didn't mind dropping $100 on the Artist's Edition because that's the purest representation of his work and I'm not even a fan of the second arc where he goes to New York. I think IDW's computer recoloring won awards, but I find it garish.

Other than that, Waid and Samnee's Cargo of Doom miniseries is worth checking out mainly due to Samnee's always brilliant art. I haven't read Hollywood Horror, but Roger Langridge is the best all-ages writer for licensed books, so it's probably good.

I've also only skimmed the two Rocketeer Adventures anthologies. The talent pool is unbeatable, but it also feels, much like post-Eisner Spirit comics, constrained conceptually to be a tribute to Stevens rather than an expansion of the character into new directions.

The Rocketeer/Spirit crossover was also a lot of fun, although I remember the art being inconsistent.

[JP Sarri]

Originally Posted by jadekite22

I love the movie, too. As far as comics go, IMO, Dave Stevens is the Rocketeer. I didn't mind dropping $100 on the Artist's Edition because that's the purest representation of his work and I'm not even a fan of the second arc where he goes to New York. I think IDW's computer recoloring won awards, but I find it garish.

Other than that, Waid and Samnee's Cargo of Doom miniseries is worth checking out mainly due to Samnee's always brilliant art. I haven't read Hollywood Horror, but Roger Langridge is the best all-ages writer for licensed books, so it's probably good.

I've also only skimmed the two Rocketeer Adventures anthologies. The talent pool is unbeatable, but it also feels, much like post-Eisner Spirit comics, constrained conceptually to be a tribute to Stevens rather than an expansion of the character into new directions.

[JP Sarri]

Originally Posted by whd

The Rocketeer/Spirit crossover was also a lot of fun, although I remember the art being inconsistent.

It was.

[jadekite22]

Originally Posted by whd

The Rocketeer/Spirit crossover was also a lot of fun, although I remember the art being inconsistent.

I'm going to check this one out for the Paul Smith art in the first issue (love his Uncanny X-Men run). I feel guilty for not liking J. Bone as much. His style is extremely accomplished in an economical sense, but it's just not as appealing as Darwyn Cooke's. It was especially noticeable when he and Cooke switched penciling/inking duties on two issues of Spider-Man's Tangled Web and the Cooke-penciled issue was superior, IMO.

Originally Posted by ReplicantSavior

I haven't read the new series yet. One day perhaps. I too have the Artist Edition. I got the original one but it was so popular that they reprinted it like 3 times I think. So you should be able to find a low priced version. I would get that.

Or they have the original comic in many different forms. The collected edition and treasury version.

It was unfortunately only printed twice (it had three covers total, I think) and sold-out both times. If you're patient, copies pop up close to retail infrequently, but most listings range around $200 now.

[protector2814]

I went down and pulled my original Pacific Comics, Comico, & Eclipse Comics Rocketeer comics which, I believe, were the characters 1st early runs.

I looked for story titles, but the Pacific stuff appears to run only in chapters. I guess you should look for any reprints or trades that were originally Pacific.

The Eclipse Comics "Special Edition Rocketeer" issue I have is a #1, but picks up from where the Pacific run stopped. Originally & in the comics, it was Doc. Savage who invented the Jet Pack w/ 2 of his fabulous 5, instead of the movie's Howard Hughes, helping Cliff Secord w/ the rocket pack. In this issue, we see Ham & Monk from Doc Savage. Apparently, Disney couldn't get the rights to use Doc Savage, so they substituted Hughes for him. The original Rocketeer arc ends w/ this Eclipse issue. The cover calls the story "Rocket 's Red Glare."

Comico picked up the ball from Eclipse w/ Dave Stevens still writing & drawing in their Rocketeer Adventure Magazine in 1988 w/ Cliff's New York Adventure. The 2nd issue of this run guest starred The Shadow & also introduced the comic version of Rondo (who Dave kills on the blimp). The 3rd & final issue of The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine was published by Dark Horse & concludes the story. Still all Steven's art. It's actually this 3-issue arc, that a lot of the movie's story was taken.

After that, I kind of lost the Steven's stuff, if there was any more. I picked up the 4-issue IDW comics' Rocketeer Adventures (I don't know if it went any further, but the story I read concluded w/ #4. W/o Dave Stevens drawing The Rocketeer, I just lost interest. He was amazing.

[joy_division]

Depending on how much you want to spnd, your first purchase should be The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures or if you want to upgrade, The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures HC Deluxe Editon & if you REALLY want to go full out, The Rocketeer: Artist's Edition

Also worth picking up both HC's of the Rocketeer Adventures