Advance Review– In Search Of ‘The Rocketeer: In The Den Of Thieves’

The good news is that this issue of The Rocketeer: In the Den of Thieves starts off with something that’s been sorely lacking from this series and its predecessor – the hero himself. The bad news is that his appearance is just a daydream.

Yeah, the Rocketeer himself appears on only two pages of this issue, though his alter ego, Cliff Secord, is well represented. Still, most readers are picking up the books to see some high-flying adventures, not a grounded would-be hero.

Stephen Mooney has written himself into a tough spot. In the last series, The Great Race, Mooney had the hero’s rocket damaged by the Nazis. And in the last issue of this run, Peevy – the brains behind the rocket – was kidnapped. That makes this hero’s journey much more about the man inside the helmet.

Not that Cliff’s uninteresting. He’s having quite a run, as a matter of fact. His girlfriend Betty is becoming a Hollywood star, but that leaves a grounded Cliff in an existential crisis. Unfortunately for readers, Mooney has Cliff spending practically half this issue wandering around town looking for Peevy. It’s just not that exciting.

And it doesn’t leave artist David Messina with much to illustrate, though he makes the most of the limited opportunity. There’s some airplane flying, a flashback to the Rocketeer in action and, of course, some Nazis to liven things up. Messina’s vibrant colors help to take your mind off the fact that there’s just not all that much going on here.

Fortunately for Cliff, there may be some relief in sight for his rocket, thanks to some government operatives. If they can get it fixed and get the hero back in action, it will be more of a relief to readers.

The Rocketeer: In the Den of Thieves #2 will be available for purchase tomorrow.