When Adam Finer, Jeff Velker, and Joe Corona took the helm at Retro 51, they were dedicated to the idea that they were stewards of a mighty institution, one they sought to preserve rather than modify, even as they kept themselves abreast of new trends and innovations. Thus far, they have done an admirable job.
A new collection of pens, The Rocketeer 40" Anniversary collection, celebrates the 40th anniversary of the eponymous comic book by Dave Stevens and reinforces the brand’s excellent reputation. Retro 51 has partnered with both Okkto and The Rocketeer Trust to introduce the new Rocketeer Collection. The Retro 51 Rocketeer collection includes six separate pen designs.
“The Retro team was familiar with The Rocketeer, but Adam has been a lifelong comic book fan and actually went to a Dave Stevens signing many years ago at a local comic book shop because he was a big fan of Dave’s work. Dave’s artwork is superb, and what a great fit his throwback to yesteryear’s comics has been for Retro 51. We have been so happy and proud to be able to be a part of Dave Stevens’s legacy and to help keep his work in the public eye for generations to come,” says the team at Retro 5].
Although published beginning in 1982, The Rocketeer is a comic book series set in 1938 Los Angeles, California and purposefully influenced by the cinematic genre of noir. Written by Dave Stevens, The Rocketeer is also a conscious artistic homage to the Saturday matinee heroes that were captured in serials shown from the 1930s through the 1950s. Stevens was notorious for his meticulous, perfectionistic nature, which is why he was not as prolific as his audience perhaps would have wished. What this meant in effect, though, is that everything he did produce was flawless. Stevens died in 2008 after a battle with leukemia; he was only 52 years old.
This story is from the December 2022 edition of PEN WORLD.
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This story is from the December 2022 edition of PEN WORLD.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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