THE ROCKETEER: THE ISLAND #1 / Story by DAVE STEVENS / Script and Letters by JOHN LAYMAN / Art by JACOB EDGAR / Colors by K.J. DIAZ / Covers by JACOB EDGAR, K.J. DIAZ, DAVE STEVENS, SEAN MURPHY, SIMON GOUGH, ELIZABETH BEALS & MICHAEL DOONEY / Published by IDW PUBLISHING

Most people know The Rocketeer from the 1991 movie. However, the retro hero created by Dave Stevens was far less idealized than the Disney version. The Cliff Secford of the comics was a somewhat seedier character, more interested in fame and fortune than altruism. His love interest was also a nude model named Betty (inspired by Bettie Page) rather than an actress named Jenny.

Unfortunately, despite the success of the film, it never saw a sequel and Stevens struggled to find a permanent home for The Rocketeer after years of bouncing between publishers. He finally found it in 2008 with IDW Publishing, shortly before his death. IDW has handled the franchise since then, publishing new adventures based upon Stevens’ original comics.

The Rocketeer: The Island is notable for being based on a story outline that Stevens wrote but never developed. The first issue opens with a flashback to 1933 and the air-show where stunt pilot Cliff Secford first met Amelia Earhart. Five years later, Secford is approached by a top man with the American government about finding the lost aviatrix.

Cliff isn’t interested at first, being more concerned about Betty running off to galivant around the globe with sleazy photographer Marco of Hollywood. He changes his tune when the G-Man makes it clear they know he’s The Rocketeer and his continued freedom is dependent on his taking the job. Besides that, it turns out the area he’s asked to search just happens to be where Betty is!

It is unclear just how much of this story is born of Stevens’ synopsis. Writer John Layman does a good job of emulating Stevens’ writing style and capturing the personalities of his characters. However, Layman also adds in some supporting characters who are only recently available through the public domain. This adds to the humor of the issue, but does not distract from the main story.

The artwork also leans into the pulp vibe of The Rocketeer. However, artist Jacob Edgar does not try to copy Stevens’ art style. The look here is more stylized, reminding me of Darwyn Cooke at the height of his powers. The colors are also fantastic, with K.J. Diaz adding a subtle sepia shift to some of the splash pages to heighten the retro vibe.

The Rocketeer: The Island #1 does everything a good first issue should. It introduces the characters for newcomers and sets up a hook that leaves all the audience wanting more. With a spirited story and action-packed artwork, this is old-school pulp heroics done right!

The Rocketeer: The Island #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on February 25, 2026.