Nazis! Saboteurs! Airplane dog fights!  Although these things can most likely be found in any number of 1940s serials, they can also be found in IDW’s The Rockteer: The Great Race. Dave Stevens’ famous character returns to wrap up his new 4-issue mini-series with style.

The story begins with a bang. Cliff Secord, The Rocketeer, races to join an air fight above France between his friend Debbie and the villainess flying ace known as “The Baron.” The battle ends with surprises, and the Rocketeer discovers secrets about many of the tale’s players.

The Rocketeer: The Great Race #4 is the final part of a multi-issue story. It contains no background on what happened in the previous three issues, including information about the main characters; however, it doesn’t need a recap. Anyone picking up the issue with no knowledge of who the Rocketeer is will not be confused, even when the hero’s girlfriend shows up out of the blue. Beautifully composed writing, as well as easy-to-follow artwork, both by creator Stephan Mooney, make this issue a fun read no matter who is picking it up.

Also included is writer Kevin Mao’s wrap up to “An Oral History of Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer. Covering the years between 1992 to the creator’s death in 2008, this text piece with photos has contributions by many comic creators and editors of the time. Extras like this are rare in comics today and make the experience of the entire issue that much more special.

Highly recommended – 4 out of 4 stars

Creative Team: Stephan Mooney (writer and artist)
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Click here to purchase.