Comics fans and illustration lovers were anything but disappointed in the first issue of IDW Publishing's Rocketeer Adventures, a four-issue miniseries featuring all-new tales of Dave Stevens' cult classic action hero by some of the most talented creators in comics. On sale this week, issue #2 lives up to the standard of the first, with new stories and artwork by Mark Waid & Chris Weston, Geoff Darrow, Alex Ross, Dave Stewart, Lowell Francis & Gene Ha, and an especially cool contribution from ComicsAlliance favorite Darwyn Cooke.

You can check out a nine-page preview after the jump.Despite completing only a relatively few number of Rocketeer stories throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Dave Stevens' superlative artwork and narrative flair cemented the character and his aesthetic in the minds of comics readers and devotees of illustration. Credited by the late Bettie Page herself as being single-handedly responsible for her resurgence in the popular culture (and thus much of vintage fashion and pin-up art as well) as a consequence of his "casting" her as the Rocketeer's girlfriend, Stevens' complete Rocketeer work was recently collected in a number of handsome volumes from IDW: the "Complete Adventures" hardcover, the "Complete Adventures" deluxe hardcover and an ultra deluxe "Artist's Edition" featuring full-sized and uncolored artwork scanned directly from Stevens' hand-drawn pages.

The Rocketeer is a lightning rod for exciting pulp and pin-up-inspired comic books in the classic style, and IDW Publishing's Rocketeer Adventures honors Dave Stevens with brand new stories of his beloved character and retro motifs. Issue #2 goes on sale this week in finer comic book shops and can be purchased online from Things From Another World.

ROCKETEER ADVENTURES #2 (of 4) Darwyn Cooke, Lowell Francis, Mark Waid (w) • Darwyn Cooke, Gene Ha, Chris



Weston, Pinups by Geof Darrow (a) • Alex Ross, Dave Stevens (c) This issue of ROCKETEER ADVENTURES continues to soar with a trio of stories crafted by masterful comics creators. Mark Waid and Chris Weston provide a pulse-pounding story of revenge set to a colorful backdrop of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, Lowell Francis and Gene Ha put Cliff through his paces in an-all action extravaganza that has him fighting tooth and nail for his very survival-plus a special guest star! Finally, Darwyn Cooke delivers the goods (as always!) with a tale that we won't say one word about-it's too good to even hint at and ruin the surprise! Plus, a pair of pin-ups, BOTH by Geof Darrow-his incredible piece was just too massive to be held to the confines of a single page, so he's supplying a gorgeous TWO-PAGE pin-up!