Dan Stevens’ The Rocketeer soared into fan favorite status when it first hit theaters in 1982, and it has only become more beloved in the decades since. IDW has now brought the character into the fold for a brand new adventure titled The Rocketeer: The Island #1, and not only is it based on an unpublished outline from Stevens, but it also features a few other legendary characters in the mix. The Rocketeer: The Island #1 isn’t perfect, but it successfully recreates the original film’s classic tone and aesthetic and captures your attention with a compelling central mystery, and I’m elated to be back in this amazing world.
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The Rocketeer: The Island #1 has a fantastic central premise, as The Rocketeer and a team of lovable icons set out to find the missing Amelia Earhart, who has been missing for a year. That creates a perfect opportunity for big action set pieces as well as love triangle hijinks, and while the first issue is mostly setup for the action mission, it’s thoroughly delightful, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Rating: 4 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| The vibe and tone of the original Rocketeer are intact | The ’30s dialogue goes a bit overboard at times |
| Edgar and Diaz are a perfect fit for the series | It takes a bit for the issue to truly get going |
| The supporting cast is a truly welcome surprise |
The Rocketeer Has Rarely Looked Better
While it was previously mentioned briefly, the work of this incredibly talented team deserves far more praise. Edgar’s artwork is a brilliant fit for the series, with facial expressions saying everything loud and clear before a single word has to be said. This only gets better as the cast begins to grow through the issue, and while Popeye and Tintin were’t on my bingo card for this series, Edgar knocks these iconic characters out of the park.
Diaz’s colors are a perfect fit as well, giving the book a vintage quality that conveys the ’30s era while not losing the bigger color pops that keep your eye glued to the page. Warm greens, yellows, and reds stand out early, and those give way to more vibrant oranges, greens, and blues towards the book’s final few pages, and yet they all feel like they exist in the same world.
The whole book is excellent, but when Cliff is actually soaring as The Rocketeer, it hits its peak. There are only three moments where The Rocketeer is flying high, but when he does, the artwork is simply outstanding, delivering big comic book action with the cinematic flair of the original film. It’s quite the combination, and there should be even more examples of this in future issues.
An All-Star Supporting Cast
Having The Rocketeer leading the charge is expected with a book that shares his name, but what wasn’t expected is the involvement of beloved characters like Popeye and Tintin. They make the series feel grand in scope and like an event, but they also bring some welcome contrast to Cliff. That’s especially handy given Cliff is a bit round around the edges here due to his situation with Betty, and that’s where a brand new character enters the fold.
The newest addition to the mythology is Alexandra Payne, who is the crew’s archeologist. We don’t get to know much about her in the first issue, but it’s already apparent that she’s going to play a big part in the story moving forward, and her inclusion has already created some unexpected scenarios with Cliff, Betty, and her new love, Marco.
While there’s a lot to love in The Rocketeer: The Island #1, there are some issues holding it back. At times, the ’30s dialogue can go overboard and immediately take you out of the story. The first issue also takes a bit to really get going, and it’s not really until halfway through that the book starts to coalesce and take off. Now that things are set, hopefully the second issue can just hit the ground running and never look back. If it does, we could be in for something incredibly fun that franchise fans will love.
- Published By: IDW Entertainment
- Story By: Dave Stevens
- Written By: John Layman
- Art By: Jacob Edgar
- Colors By: K.J. Diaz
- Edited By: Nicolas Nino
The Rocketeer: The Island #1 is in comic stores now.
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