The Rocketeer
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The Rocketeer (Cliff Secord) is a fictional superhero. Created by writer/illustrator Dave Stevens, he first appeared in a back-up feature of Pacific Comics' Starslayer #2 (1982). The character is a homage to the pulp heroes of the 1930s and 1940s.
The Rocketeer was a stunt pilot who discovered a mysterious jet pack that allowed him to fly. The character's adventures were set in 1938 Los Angeles and Stevens gave them a retro, nostalgic feel, influenced by, among other things, Commando Cody movie serials and pinup diva Bettie Page.
Rocketeer stories appeared in short installments from 1982 to 1995, published in Pacific and Dark Horse Comics. They gained a cult following and critical acclaim despite long stretches between story installments. Walt Disney Pictures released a film version starring Billy Campbell in the title role in 1991.
Publication History
The Rocketeer’s first adventure appeared as a backup feature to Mike Grell's Starslayer #2 from Pacific Comics in 1982. Four more installments appeared in various Pacific publications, and were later collected together by Eclipse Comics (ISBN 1560600888). The fifth chapter ended in a cliffhanger.The story picked up again in the Rocketeer Adventure Magazine. Two issues were published by Comico Comics in 1988 and 1989, but the third did not appear until years later, published by Dark Horse Comics in 1995. All three issues were collected by Dark Horse as The Rocketeer: Cliff's New York Adventure (ISBN 1569710929).
Computer game
The Rocketeer was also adapted for a computer game for PC machines. Using digitized sound and 256-color VGA graphics, it consists of a sequence of several levels, each of them in different action style, and the story is carried between levels with comic book–style strips and spoken dialogue. Certainly more true to the original than the movie, and arguably the more successful adaptation of the two, perhaps the biggest problem the game presented was the high level of difficulty.A different animal altogether is the other Rocketeer game, one for the NES. A side-scrolling platform jumping game closely based on the movie adaptation, it was derided by critics and players alike. A version also appeared on the Super Nintendo.
In 1988 Cinemaware company also published a computer game called Rocket Ranger based on a similar idea and probably inspired by the Rocketeer comics.
External links
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