The Rocketeer's Modern stuff

[JoeWithoutFear]

I didn't see a general Rocketeer thread so forgive me if this is out of place, just move it there!

I was thinking of getting into the Rocketeer books. It's a character that always interested me but I never dove in. According to wikipedia, it looks like there was a whole bunch of comics created by the original author a while back, and then recently there have been a series of limited runs.

My question is, are the recent limited runs a continuation of the original author's universe? Or, do they represent a reboot? For that matter, do the recent limited runs share the same universe? or are they all sort of reboots/retakes/reimaginings in themselves?

Thanks in advance1

[Ishmael]

They all seem to be building off the foundation that Stevens laid in the original stories. So they're definitely not reboots. The sense I have is that they are different stories scattered throughout different periods of the Rocketeer's life -- but they also don't contradict one another in terms of what happens.

Think of them as different adventures being told about this one character and his supporting cast, offering different glimpses into his life at different points. That said, they all seem clustered around the period of WW2 (and maybe slightly after it). It's enjoyable stuff though, so don't fret it. Like I said, none of it is a reboot of anything Dave Stevens did -- I think everyone's got too much respect for what he did to do that.

[TotalSnorefest]

Yep, and not really any need to read them in any other whatsoever. I was particularly fond of the Cargo of Doom story for its absolutely bonkers diabolical plot.

[codystarbuck]

There's a lot of great work in those books and some wonderful stories. It's very much in the spirit of Dave Stevens and I think he would have been happy. Most have that same lightehearted sense of adventure. There's a fun one, done as a pseudo-Looney Tunes cartoon, which Cliff and Betty are watching in a theater (and boy is Cliff unhappy).

[JoeWithoutFear]

Thanks, people! That really helps me out.

It looks like these recent limited runs come out somewhat inconsistently. Sometimes in clusters and sometimes with a few years between? Hard to tell because some of the dates look like trade releases. I know "At War" is coming out right now. Can we expect that more series' will keep coming out every year or so? Or is it just kind of random and it may be years before more series' are made?

Sorry for all the seemingly irrelevant questions, but stuff like this really helps me decide if I should dive in or not =)

[RolandGunner]

Thanks, people! That really helps me out.

It looks like these recent limited runs come out somewhat inconsistently. Sometimes in clusters and sometimes with a few years between? Hard to tell because some of the dates look like trade releases. I know "At War" is coming out right now. Can we expect that more series' will keep coming out every year or so? Or is it just kind of random and it may be years before more series' are made?

Sorry for all the seemingly irrelevant questions, but stuff like this really helps me decide if I should dive in or not =)

I think part of the reason for the irregular shipping is that IDW really wants to keep a level of prestige and quality associated with the Rocketeer title. Like the current mini is drawn by Dave Bullock, who mostly does animation and storyboard stuff for movies. Its hard to get guys like that consistently. I also think that the Stevens' estate has to sign off on new projects before they get started.

[Ishmael]

Thanks, people! That really helps me out.

It looks like these recent limited runs come out somewhat inconsistently. Sometimes in clusters and sometimes with a few years between? Hard to tell because some of the dates look like trade releases. I know "At War" is coming out right now. Can we expect that more series' will keep coming out every year or so? Or is it just kind of random and it may be years before more series' are made?

Sorry for all the seemingly irrelevant questions, but stuff like this really helps me decide if I should dive in or not =)

You should dive in regardless of how regular the series appear. It's always good stuff, so don't sweat the timing thing.

[Jekyll]

Are there any current runs of the Rocketeer going on right now? I mainly stick to DC but I have always loved The Rocketeer.

[MajorHoy]

As far as I'm aware, the 4-issue series The Rocketeer at War (written by Marc Guggenheim) that wrapped up in 2016 was the last new run that's been published.

In 2017, IDW did publish a hardcover collection of the material from Rocketeer Adventures (both series), but I don't know of anything else that was recent.

By the way, the last Rocketeer series I bought/read was The Rocketeer / The Spirit: Pulp Friction from back in 2013, which was written by Mark Waid with art by Paul Smith (#1), Loston Wallace (#2) and J. Bone (#3-4). The description of the plot for At War didn't appeal to me, and after what Guggenheim did to Alan Scott and Justice Society of America just before the New 52, . . .

[Jekyll]

As far as I'm aware, the 4-issue series The Rocketeer at War (written by Marc Guggenheim) that wrapped up in 2016 was the last new run that's been published.

In 2017, IDW did publish a hardcover collection of the material from Rocketeer Adventures (both series), but I don't know of anything else that was recent.

By the way, the last Rocketeer series I bought/read was The Rocketeer / The Spirit: Pulp Friction from back in 2013, which was written by Mark Waid with art by Paul Smith (#1), Loston Wallace (#2) and J. Bone (#3-4). The description of the plot for At War didn't appeal to me, and after what Guggenheim did to Alan Scott and Justice Society of America just before the New 52, . . .

Ugh....yeah I don’t want to read anything by Marc Guggenheim.