Waid continues full steam ahead with two characters who probably should have never crossed over. The result is more a Spirit comic guest starring the Rocketeer cast than anything else. Loston Wallace’s heavy on the Eisner influence for the character designs–except Betty to some degree–and, as a result, Cliff feels totally out of place.

Peevy and Dolan getting along like aged pranksters is a whole different problem.

But the comic also makes the Spirit feel way too literal. Waid’s got him fighting bad guys on biplanes, big crash sequences, on and on. It’s the Spirit in an action movie, with occasional Rocketeer moments–Waid tends to follow Cliff when he’s got the helmet off and the Spirit when Cliff’s suited up.

The comic’s also way too predictable. Given the properties in question, there’s nothing at risk here for the characters… and Waid should be going for constant amusement.

CREDITS

Pulp Friction, Part Two; writer, Mark Waid; penciller, Loston Wallace; inker, Bob Wiacek; colorist, Hi-Fi Colour Design; letterer, Tom B. Long; editors, Scott Dunbier and Chris Ryall; publisher, IDW Publishing.