Dave Stevens, bettie page, comics, obit, rocketeer

The Rocketeer Has Left the Building

News broke yesterday that Dave Stevens, creator of The Rocketeer and Bettie Page fan, has died following a long fight with leukemia. Stevens, whose geek credentials include a stint working on Hanna Barbera's Super Friends and Godzilla cartoons in the late '70s, made his name creating The Rocketeer in 1982.

Due to Stevens' perfectionist tendencies, the character appeared rarely in comic books over the following years, despite being adapted into a movie by Disney in the early 1990s. According to Stevens' friend, Mark Evanier, his reputation for outstanding quality despite his low output stood him in good stead once the disease took its toll on his work:

We tried to get together for dinner every month or so but it wound up being more like every six months. The last time, he joked that it was lucky he had such a reputation for slow production. Now that he was unable to work for weeks at a time, no one noticed that his output had declined.

Stevens passed away on Monday. He was 52. Dave Stevens [News from ME]

1:00 PM on Wed Mar 12 2008
By Graeme McMillan
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19 comments

Comments

Ed Grabianowski at 01:17 PM on 03/12/08
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Way too early. But his creation will live forever. I love Jennifer Connelly. Er, I mean, I love the Rocketeer!

(seriously, love that movie, and also, JC is absolutely gorgeous - she should play Bettie Page in some kind of amazing homage to Stevens)
Zantor at 01:25 PM on 03/12/08
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He left behand a portfolio that will be treasured by fans and illustrators alike for years. A fine legacy for any artist.
gods-n-clods at 01:29 PM on 03/12/08
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@Zantor: Well put, Zantor. I second that emotion.
My condolences to his family.
Final at 01:29 PM on 03/12/08
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Is there another Rocketeer movie in the works or am I just making things up?
EBone at 01:33 PM on 03/12/08
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Still love The Rocketeer movie. And Jennifer Connelly is the hottest you will ever see her in it.
nuromansr at 01:45 PM on 03/12/08
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Weird that io9 posted a clip recently of "Slave Girls Beyond Infinity"...one of the slave girls, noted scream queen Brinke Stevens, was married to Dave Stevens for a short time in the early 80s. I seem to recall reading somewhere that she posed for the illustration you have on this post - Betty being carried over the shoulder by the Rocketeer.
Plague at 01:46 PM on 03/12/08
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Brilliant artist.
Missed, he will be.
Plague at 01:47 PM on 03/12/08
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@nuromansr:
Brinke Stevens sat on my lap once at a Fangoria convention.
Ah, memories...
nuromansr at 01:53 PM on 03/12/08
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@Plague:
Yes I too had the pleasure of meeting Brinke at a scifi comiccon of one kind or another a few years ago..she has a voice so husky it should be pulling a dog sled (insert rimshot here)..quite the muse for the late great Dave Stevens..
NefariousNewt at 02:00 PM on 03/12/08
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Two of my most prized possessions from college -- my Rocketeer T-shirt which has the picture above on it, and my signed, numbered copy of the graphic novel.

Farewell and good tailwinds Dave.
JosephFinn at 02:01 PM on 03/12/08
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Hey, I have that edition as well, Nefarious. With that wonderful Harlan Ellison introduction. Such a lovely volume.
Citizen Kang at 02:05 PM on 03/12/08
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This is really tragic. I've loved his stuff from since I was a kid and he, along with Adam Hughes, Mark Schultz, and Frank Cho were the seminal artists of my youth. I met Dave Stevens every year religiously for the last 4 years at the San Diego Comic-Con and bought a signed art book every year to support him. I remember the last time I was one of the few at his table at the time (kids today don't appreciate the classics...) and he asked to see Frank Cho's sketchbook which I was carrying. He was admiring Cho's work and commented to his companion about the tremendous quality of Cho's sketches and was giving professional praise from one artist to another. I found him to be a very gracious, accessible man who had time for an obviously star-struck fan. I'll miss him every year from now on. Dave, you'll be missed. I'll have to console myself by taking an extra photo with the Elvis stormtrooper to fill the spot in my photo album...
phoenix at 02:46 PM on 03/12/08
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@Zantor: Signed. He'll be truly missed. :(
dead_red_eyes at 04:10 PM on 03/12/08
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That sad to hear. He was too young to go if you ask me. Also, that picture is awesome ... I'm sure he would've loved it.
Robert Isbell at 08:17 PM on 03/12/08
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I loved his work and he will be missed.
ashadowcastinred at 05:22 AM on 03/13/08
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The Rocketeer is a fantastic creation and he's obviously leaving behind something that a lot of people are wild about. Now, if I could just get a decent Rocketeer figure...
knyne at 10:22 AM on 03/13/08
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He was one of the great master of comics in the last thirty years. My single Rocketeer trade edition is worn through. Stevens will be missed.
tuckerch at 12:05 PM on 03/13/08
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I seem to recall there was an interview with Dave, and he was talking about the making of the movie. Apparently, someone higher up in Disney sent a memo to the producer.

"Lose the fin on the helmet." Some people are just SO clueless.

Without the fin, it's just a remake of 'Commando Cody, King of the Rocketmen!'

If there is ever a directors cut DVD of the film, I hope they include the scene where the evil Nazi actor spy is in his secret Nazi radio room, using an actual ENIGMA machine to encrypt a message.

Major geek points for that scene.
insert_namehere at 06:19 AM on 03/14/08
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Geez - what a way to start a Friday.

The original story arc of the Rocketeer was so superior to the screenplay, it robbed the magic of the movie for me.

Dave Stevens had a masterful grasp of brush drawing, wonderful layout skills and a sweet naivete and affection for the '30s. The combination of all those elements made "The Rocketeer" one of the few comics/graphic novels I've ever bothered with.

Enjoy the blue horizon, Dave.