Whether you’re a fan of the original comics or the 1991 film, there’s no denying the impact of the character The Rocketeer on pop culture. Since the passing of creator Dave Stevens 2008, the Rocketeer has lived on in comics written and drawn by other creatives over the years. Today, IDW Publishing announced details for The Rocketeer: The Island, an upcoming limited series launching this February from the creative team of John Layman (Titans, Chew), blockbuster artist Jacob Edgar (Plastic Man No More!, Batman: The Adventures Continue) and visionary colorist K.J. Díaz (Amazing Spider-Man, Blade). Moreover, this series is inspired by a never-published outline by Dave Stevens that sees the titular hero return to save Amelia Earhart but ends up on a mysterious island that is full of surprises.
Cover A by Jacob Edgar & K.J. Díaz
Writer John Layman expressed immense excitement:
“This Rocketeer project has been coming together for the past few months, and I can’t say enough about how much joy I’m getting every time a new page comes in. Playing in Dave Stevens’ world, a retro-world of charm, humor and rocket-fueled adventure, has been an absolute blast. As an artist Stevens was an absolute virtuoso, and I feel like Rocketeer is an all-time classic comic character — he’s always been one of my favorites. IDW, a publisher I’ve already done work for on some of my very favorite comic projects, has given me another fantastic opportunity to get paid while having fun, while allowing me to honor a vision of a comic book hero of mine, and play in a world I’ve loved for decades. Plus, the art and colors by Jacob Edgar and K.J. Díaz are just phenomenal and perfect for the book.”
Artist Jacob Edgar added:
“It’s a huge honor to be working on THE ROCKETEER, an iconic character with a very high bar to try and live up to, artistically,” remarked Edgar. “From Dave Stevens himself, to Chris Samnee, Darwyn Cooke, Staz Johnson… It feels like Cliff Secord always gets the greats. I love the tone that John is bringing to our story and I’m always jazzed to be working with K.J Díaz for color. This is a book I would not have guessed I’d ever get to do, but I’m having a blast making it, and I hope that energy comes through in the pages.”
THE ROCKETEER: THE ISLAND #1 goes on sale February 25. Fans have until January 19 to pre-order at comic shops to guarantee their copy of the debut issue. In addition to the covers above, there will also be a blank variant and an RI 1:50 variant by Nick Bradshaw.
Cover B by Dave Stevens | All Cover B variants will be by Dave StevensCover C by Sean Murphy & Simon GoughVariant RI 1:25 by Elizabeth Beals
