The Rocketeer: Infiltrator Announced For This Summer By IDW

If all you know about The Rocketeer is that he was the subject of a mid-performing Disney movie in the early 90s, you have a lot to learn. He started in the comics and continues to thrive there to this day. The concept is more or less the same as was in the movie: a 1930s daredevil hotshot discovers a rocket pack and uses it to fight crime and foil Nazi schemes. Publisher IDW has been putting out new Rocketeer comics for a while; their latest, Infiltrator, was announced this week.

Allied planes mysteriously explode midair and rumors spread of a Nazi superweapon. Cliff Secord, aka The Rocketeer, and actress Betty will go undercover in an exciting espionage tale that will leave fans of Dave Stevens’ beloved franchise captivated.

People still buy Rocketeer books for two big reasons. One is that 1930s/40s action pulp still sells. The other reason is Cliff’s girlfriend, a blatant copy of pin-up legend Bettie Page. There is not even a slight attempt at disguising this. Creator Dave Stevens actually named the character “Betty Paige.” They sound the same when spoken aloud! It’s that close!

David Avallone, who has written comics specifically about Bettie Page, attributes his success entirely to the Rocketeer “Betty” freezing her appeal in amber and keeping it alive, and has said without it his own comic probably wouldn’t exist. So there you go. The Rocketeer: Infiltrator has all fans covered with a plot that gives both Cliff and Betty equal time.

This take is brought to us by writer Gabriel Hardman (Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia) and artist Dean Kotz (The Savage Sword of Conan). “I’m thrilled to have this chance to contribute to the legacy of Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer,” says Hardman. “I was first exposed to both the character and Stevens’ almost impossibly lush artwork when I picked up THE ROCKETEER ADVENTURE MAGAZINE from Comico at a comic shop as a teenager. It played directly into my love of pulpy storytelling of the 1930s and 1940s so having the chance to tell a tale in that world feels like a perfect fit for me.

“We’re adding a dose of wartime espionage into the mix as Cliff and Betty bring their unique skills to a mission to uncover a Nazi superweapon while using Betty’s acting career as a cover. Though they may lack experience in the spy game, they’ll have help from a dashing MI6 agent who unluckily for Cliff takes an amorous interest in Betty. I couldn’t be more excited about collaborating with artist Dean Kotz on this series. I’ve admired his work for years and this project is both a perfect fit for his style and an ideal story for us to collaborate.”

At the moment, IDW is in the midst of publishing a different Rocketeer comic: The Island, where Secord to a mysterious island that he believes holds the secret to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. The first issue is out now and the second is coming in late April. But after that, Infiltrator starts this summer.