Imagine if Indiana Jones wore a helmet and had a jet pack!
The Rocketeer : Cargo of Doom from IDW written by Mark Waid and art by Chris Samnee. Available in five different covers.
Having never read a Rocketeer book before I was unsure what to expect cracking into this comic. I was pleasantly suprised. The art work is very retro pin up girl (as you can tell from the jet pack exclusive cover shown above.) While not the most detailed, it actually lends to the story’s old time era feel. If you’ve read Hellboy comics, the artwork is very similar.
The Rocketeer if your not familiar is a steam punks ideal hero. A young man with a retro-futuristic helmet and jet pack allowing him to soar thru the skies saving the people of the town he lives in. The story has all the elements of a great hero mystery novel, while also not shying away from any subject matter.
The story starts with Sally a young wanna be pilot fending off the sexual advances of a much older aviation Inspector during a test flight. This grabbed me immeaditley, “wow this is no kids comic!” During the tussle of Sally defending herself, the small plane becomes disabled. Mr. Peabody (Sallys uncle) seeing the plane in trouble calls for Cliff. Mr Peabody is the only person aware of Cliff’s secret identity as The Rocketeer. Cliff quickly changes and rockets into the sky, saving the plane and Sally’s life.
The story changes venu as we see a sailor inspecting cargo, suddenly meeting an untimely demise from th e unseen creature. Then enters the stories future antagonist the Master. The Master boards the cargo ship, and is informed his cargo has already claimed the life of three sailors. The Master makes it clear his only concern is the cargo and not of the sailors well being. A scientest on board, who has been lobotomized, mentions a memory of the Rocketeer, gaining the Master’s full attention.
Back in the life of our hero, we find him juggling a crush from the young Sally, as well as the wrath of his love Betty when she discovers the young girls feelings for her man. Cliff does a great job of showing care for the young girl, but shows Betty where his heart truly lies. Meanwhile someone watches the couples intimate moment from thr bushes.
This story has many great elements, action, romance, jealousy,and intrigue. Reading this makes you wish they would make this into a movie. (A movie from this story not the junk produced years ago). I will be reading this story and suggest you pick it up. Its a high flying adventure that keeps readers waiting for more.
