Where the first volume had only the small downside of lack of chronology, volume 2 of the Rocketeer Adventures sadly does not live up to expectations.
There are a few beautifully drawn and strong stories in there, but overall it lacks the beauty and storytelling of the first release.
The lack of chronology has become downright annoying, as now you have short stories that are jumbled over two volumes time-wise, which is just bothersome. And in some cases the art is so subpar that the story can’t make up for it.
All in all, it really feels like they didn’t try to make it as good as the first volume. Frankly, it’s only good for Rocketeer-collecting value, because a great comic-book collection this is not. It’s just more of the same: Cliff Betty’s lives and adventures with the familiar cast of friends and the people they encounter and a variety of, mostly predictable, villains.
You could argue that The Rocketeer is always about these things, tut when it’s done well, it’s awesome. When it’s done like this, you get mediocre comics at best. If it weren’t for the few great stories in this edition, the second part of the Rocketeer Adventures would have been rubbish.
I really hope that part three will be better!
