Review: The Hero Returns – Finally – In ‘The Rocketeer: In The Den Of Thieves’ #3
by Tom Smithyman
Overview
The Rocketeer finally graces us with his presence in this issue – and it’s not a moment too soon. His portrayal lifts this issue and the entire limited series. Who would have thought that a comic book about the Rocketeer would need the hero in it to be successful???
Overall
9/10Finally! The Rocketeer has made an appearance in his own comic.
It may not seem like a lot to ask, but it’s taken more than half of the limited series, The Rocketeer: In the Den of Thieves, before we see the 1930s-era hero in something other than a flashback or dream sequence. But there he is – in great splash page illustrated and colored by artist David Messina – where he is jumping out of a plane with his girlfriend Betty in hand.
Messina makes the most of the Rocketeer’s reappearance. We get to see him zipping around Berlin, trying to rescue his mechanic Peevy, who has been kidnapped by the evil Germans to help them perfect their own squad of flying stormtroopers.
The relatively straightforward addition of the hero lifts the entire book – and likely the series as well. The story is no longer about an existential crisis for the Rocketeer’s alter ego Cliff Secord. Instead, it’s just a fun adventure featuring clearly defined good guys versus bad guys. It’s not an intellectual exercise; instead, it’s pure joy. That’s why readers have loved this hero for decades. And that’s why it’s a shame that it’s taken this long for the Rocketeer to reappear.
Credit Messina with delivering most of the infectious excitement in this penultimate chapter. In addition to the main hero, a fistfight involving Betty and a Nazi officer is another high point. And Betty is certainly something to look at, whether she’s fighting, flying with Cliff or just arguing with anyone who will listen.
Writer Stephen Mooney brings her to life with his script. If you’d looking for a damsel in distress, look for another title. This character is every bit the hero as Cliff – more so even given that she fights without a rocket on her back. Her portrayal is nearly as refreshing as seeing the Rocketeer again.
It’s amazing how this series has been able to turn itself around so quickly simply by remembering what readers are looking for. Writing solely for fans can be a dangerous proposition – but forgetting the hero is even more fraught with peril.
The Rocketeer: In the Den of Thieves #3 is available for purchase today.
