The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom 2 (September 2012)

875614 While Cargo does give Cliff something he really needs–a stronger supporting cast–Waid’s approach is practically fanfic when it comes to the big reveal.

Cargo of Doom is a (sly) sequel to King Kong, where the bad guys are going to loose captured dinosaurs as a terrorist act. The chief villain–dressed like a pirate no less–describes the Kong events from the movie, but acts as though the world forgot them. Giant apes aren’t big news in Rocketeer land.

I’m a little shocked at Waid’s plot. It’s moronic. The Rocketeer versus a T. Rex? And IDW without a Kong license?

The other stuff, particularly Sally (Peevy’s niece) and Cliff bonding while Betty fumes, is good. The black federal agent is questionable given the time period, but official help for the Rocketeer isn’t bad.

It’s just the comic reads like a convention commission gone to series. Waid’s gone nuts.

CREDITS

Writer, Mark Waid; artist, Chris Samnee; colorist, Jordie Bellaire; letterer, Shawn Lee; editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom 1 (August 2012)

874371 In Cargo of Doom, Mark Waid does the most unexpected thing ever in a Rocketeer comic. He takes the focus–at least as far as females go–off Betty. He does it so much, I don’t even remember if Chris Samnee’s version of Betty is in the Stevens vein or his own thing.

Because for once, Betty doesn’t get to be the most important thing.

The lead female character is Peevy’s niece, who’s a pilot herself and has a major Cliff crush. There’s a great little scene with her and Betty talking and the niece very confused why Betty can’t shut up about the Rocketeer when she has Cliff.

Waid paces the issue well. There’s some action, a few dialogue scenes (more than it seems) and the entire bad guy subplot too. Unsavory folks are smuggling a mysterious creature into L.A.

As for Chris Samnee? He does great work.

CREDITS

Writer, Mark Waid; artist, Chris Samnee; colorist, Jordie Bellaire; letterer, Shawn Lee; editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 2 4 (June 2012)

870643 John Byrne easily does the best story in this issue. Really. And he can even draw Peevy. He lays out his story well, though the details on the characters aren’t any great shakes. The Rocketeer’s funny looking, while Cliff looks like Snidely Whiplash. Still, Byrne’s clearly enthusiastic about the characters and the setting. The other creators this issue clearly aren’t.

Well, maybe the Simonsons are enthusiastic but are incapable of conveying it. Louise Simonson’s plot isn’t terrible, but her dialogue is unbearable. From the first word balloon, it’s clear the story’s going to be a chore. And Walt Simonson’s art doesn’t help. He’s lazy with everything but Betty, including the action. It stinks.

David Mandel recasts the Rocketeer as Adam Strange for a sci-fi comedy, only Mandel’s not funny. And J. Bone’s style flops on alien worlds.

It’s another lame Adventures, thankfully the last one. IDW fumbled this series.

CREDITS

War Hero; writer, Louise Simonson; penciller, Walt Simonson; inker, Bob Wiacek; colorist, Jordie Bellaire; letterer, John Workman. Warlord of Blargon; writer, David Mandel; artist and colorist, J. Bone; letterer, Shawn Lee. Fair Game; writer and artist, John Byrne; colorist, Bone; letterer, Neil Uyetake. Editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 2 3 (May 2012)

868090 Did IDW run out of people to hire for Rocketeer Adventures? The Kyle Baker story, done a little like a serial episode, is great, but it’s Kyle Baker. He doesn’t just get how to do comic action, he can actually write Betty. And his Shadow cameo is rather fun too.

But besides Baker, this issue’s awful. Chris Sprouse’s art is good on the first story, if a little underwhelming. David Lapham scripts it; it’s a terrible script about Cliff and Betty realizing they don’t want to be a farm family. In short, Sprouse is drawing a lot of farm equipment. Not a good use of him.

Still, anything is better than the last story. Eric Canete’s style seems to be rushed, line heavy and animation influenced. Matt Wagner only writes narration–since it’s a “Jetsons” story–and Canete’s art complements it perfectly. Neither are good.

Baker aside, the issue’s crap.

CREDITS

“Coulda been…”; writer, David Lapham; penciller, Chris Sprouse; inker, Karl Story; colorist, Jordie Bellaire; letterer, Shawn Lee. Butchy Saves Betty; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Kyle Baker. History Lesson; writer, Matt Wagner; artist, Eric Canete; colorists, Canete and Cassandra Poulson; letterer, Lee. Editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 2 2 (April 2012)

863522 I’m having a hard time buying the Rocketeer as Captain America. The first story, from Tom Taylor and Colin Wilson, sets Cliff up as an official U.S. military superhero. It makes no sense. Especially not fighting giant robots. But the story’s good anyway. Taylor structures it well and Wilson’s art is great. Very effective work.

Paul Dini and Bill Morrison’s story is not so effective. It’s actually rather annoying. It’s an unfunny episode of a Rocketeer cartoon–cartoon as a pejorative. Dini writes cheap jokes and weak characterizations. Morrison’s art isn’t terrible, but it’s nothing special.

The last story, by Walt Simonson and John Paul Leon, is dumb. The Dini story’s unrealistic and moronic, but this one is dumb. There’s a difference. Simonson attempts realism and fails. Leon’s art is way too design oriented; it’s static. The Rocketeer can’t be static.

Except the first story, it’s a weak issue.

CREDITS

Work To Do; writer, Tom Taylor; artist, Colin Wilson; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Robbie Robbins. Betty’s Big Break; writer, Paul Dini; artist, Bill Morrison; colorist, Serban Cristescu; letterer, Chris Mowry. Autograph; writer, Walt Simonson; artist, John Paul Leon; colorist, Stewart; letterer, Shawn Lee. Editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 4 (August 2011)

838320 Even with some of the art, this issue’s a complete stinker. None of the writers actually exhibit any love (or respect) for the characters.

Hampton does a nice mix of bright pulp and his static painting; as a result, the first story is very pretty. But Dave Gibbons’s script gives Cliff a dumb adventure, makes him slightly unlikable and Betty a strumpet.

But those characterizations are nothing compared to Joe Pruett and Tony Harris’s second story. Pruett and Harris re-imagine Cliff as half-weasel, half-dweeb and Betty as the shallowest person in America. They’re repugnant characters.

The third story, from John Arcudi and Brendan McCarthy, is better than the second and probably the first. McCarthy’s art is sort of boring, given his usual style. It’s the Rocketeer versus the female Nazi Rocketeer. It could be a lot worse, but it’s nothing special.

This issue’s actually unpleasant to read.

CREDITS

A Day at the Beach; writer, Dave Gibbons; artist and colorist, Scott Hampton. Waterlogged; writer, Joe Pruett; artist, Tony Harris; colorist, JD Mettler. The Flight of the Aeronaut; writer, John Arcudi; artist, Brendan McCarthy; colorist, Jamie Grant. Letterer, Shawn Lee; editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 3 (July 2011)

838629 Rocketeer Adventures really needs some editorial guidance. Or at least the stories need to make sense in relation to one another.

The first story, from Ryan Sook, is pretty good. But Sook makes a big point of how Cliff gets the fame Betty so desperately wants, only he never indicates whether she’s jealous about it. His finish, while beautifully done, could go either way.

Then there’s the Joe R. Lansdale short story. Lansdale writes a pulpy text–nothing particularly special and he doesn’t describe the action very well. Bruce Timm’s occasional illustrations ignore the pulpy quality. Timm does G-rated art for an R-rated story. It’s a complete disconnect.

The final story, from Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards, is easily the best. Ross has a fun setup and, refreshingly, concentrates on the female characters. Edwards’s stylized art suits it well.

Even with the pluses, the issue feels unsubstantial.

CREDITS

A Rocketeer Story; writer, artist, colorist and letterer, Ryan Sook. Heaven’s Devils; writer, Joe R. Lansdale; plotter, artist and colorist, Bruce Timm. Junior Rocketeers; writer, Jonathan Ross; artist and colorist, Tommy Lee Edwards; letterer, John Workman. Editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 2 (July 2011)

229474 20111215034257 large This issue’s loser comes courtesy Lowell Francis and Gene Ha. Well, not Ha. Ha does a fine job. Francis’s “script” consists of a boxing match radio broadcast juxtaposed with the Rocketeer fighting a flying bad guy. The gimmick quickly tires and the fight doesn’t really give Ha any interesting content.

When there finally is dialogue, Francis flubs it something terrible.

The best story is probably the first; Mark Waid writes, Chris Weston does the art. It’s Cliff at the World’s Fair having a misadventure. Waid tries a little hard setting it up, but once the action starts, it’s a fine time.

Darwyn Cooke’s effort is strangely nonplus. He puts Betty in the rocket pack–styling the story after a serial episode (which is probably the problem). Except he doesn’t write her as a hero so much as a joke. Considering the creator, it’s a surprising disappointment.

Still, decent enough issue.

CREDITS

“It Ain’t the Fall That Kills Ya…”; writer, Mark Waid; artist, Chris Weston; letterer, Chris Mowry. Betty Saves the Day!; writer, artist and letterer, Darwyn Cooke. TKO; writer, Lowell Francis; artist, Gene Ha; letterer, Mowry. Colorist, Dave Stewart; editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.

Rocketeer Adventures 1 (May 2011)

816789 I’m going out of order because Kurt Busiek, in eight pages, made me tear up. He does a Rocketeer during WWII story; Cliff’s in the Pacific as a flyer and as the Rocketeer. Cliff writes Betty letters, we get summaries. It’s freaking amazing work. Great art from Michael Kaluta. The Rocketeer details are inconsequential; they just makes it more touching. It’s the third story, easily the best.

The first story, from John Cassaday, comes in second. Cassaday doesn’t draw a good Cliff, but his Betty’s all right and his Rocketeer helmet’s good. The story also works. Cassaday gets how to mix in the relationship humor. There’s a fantastic, filmic action sequence here too.

The issue’s loser is Mike Allred’s middle story. It’s a side sequel to New York Adventure (I think). Allred’s art is good, but his dialogue and character work are both terrible

Two out of three ain’t bad.

CREDITS

The Rocketeer; writer and artist, John Cassaday; colorist, Laura Martin; letterer, Chris Mowry. Home Again; writer, artist and letterer, Mike Allred; colorist, Laura Allred. Dear Betty…; writer, Kurt Busiek; artist, Michael Kaluta; colorist, Dave Stewart; letterer, Mowry. Editor, Scott Dunbier; publisher, IDW Publishing.