Rocketeer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Rocketeer |
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Cover of Rocketeer Adventures 1 (May 2011 IDW), art by Alex Ross
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Pacific Comics Eclipse Comics Comico Comics Dark Horse Comics IDW Publishing |
| First appearance | Starslayer #2 (April 1982) |
| Created by | Dave Stevens |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Cliff Secord |
| Partnerships | Peevy |
| Notable aliases | The Flying Man, The Rocket Man |
| Abilities | Above-average hand to hand combatant Excellent athlete Highly skilled pilot and marksman Flight via jetpack |
The Rocketeer is a cool superhero from American comic books. He was first published by Pacific Comics. The Rocketeer was created by writer/artist Dave Stevens. He first appeared in 1982. The character is a tribute to old adventure heroes from movies made in the 1930s to 1950s.
The Rocketeer's secret identity is Cliff Secord. He is a stunt pilot who finds a special jetpack. This jetpack lets him fly! His adventures happen in Los Angeles and New York in 1938. Dave Stevens made the stories feel old-fashioned and exciting. They were inspired by classic movie serials like King of the Rocket Men and Commando Cody.
In 1991, Walt Disney Pictures made a movie about the character. It was called The Rocketeer and was directed by Joe Johnston.
What is The Rocketeer About?
The story begins in Los Angeles in 1938. Cliff Secord is a pilot who performs stunts with planes. One day, he finds a rocket pack. Two criminals were trying to hide it from the police. Cliff decides to try out the rocket pack. This changes his life in many unexpected ways!
The Rocketeer's Inspirations
The Rocketeer stories get ideas from many places. These include old adventure stories and movies.
Movie Influences
The Rocketeer's look and adventures were inspired by old movie serials. These were short films shown before the main movie. They often ended on a cliffhanger, making people want to come back next week.
A character called "Rocket Man" appeared in four movies from 1949 to 1953. This character had a rocket backpack and a uniform very similar to the Rocketeer. These movies were:
- King of the Rocket Men (1949)
- Radar Men from the Moon (1952)
- Zombies of the Stratosphere (1952)
- Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953)
The Rocketeer in Other Media
The Rocketeer has appeared in movies, TV shows, and video games.
Rocketeer Movies
- Disney made a live-action movie called The Rocketeer in 1991. Joe Johnston directed it. The main actors were Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul Sorvino, and Tiny Ron Taylor. The movie was released on June 21, 1991. Many critics liked it.
- In 2012, Disney was thinking about making a new live-action movie.
Rocketeer TV Shows
- A TV series started on November 8, 2019. It aired on Disney Junior in the United States and Canada. This show is about a young girl named Kit Secord. She gets the family jetpack for her birthday. Kit uses it to protect her town, Hughesville, from bad guys.
Rocketeer Video Games
- The first official Rocketeer video game came out in May 1991. It was for the Nintendo Entertainment System. This game was a side-scrolling action game. It followed the story of the movie. Bandai published and developed it.
Homages to The Rocketeer
Other comics and art have paid tribute to The Rocketeer.
Comic Tributes
- In the Penny Arcade webcomic, a character named Gabe mixes up "racketeering" (a crime) with "rocketeering." This was a funny tribute to the Rocketeer.
- Eric Canete's cover for Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin#1 looks like the movie poster for The Rocketeer. It has a similar Art Deco style.
