The Rocketeer

Dave Stevens was born in Lynwood, California on July 29, 1955. His career in comics began in 1975, assisting veteran artist Russ Manning on the syndicated&#160 Tarzan&#160 newspaper strip. Stevens went on to work as a storyboard artist for Hanna-Barbara, DePatie-Freleng and Filmation animation studios, working on such programmes as&#160 Super Friends&#160 and&#160 The Godzilla Power Hour. Later, Stevens was asked by Steven Spielberg to create presentation boards for&#160 Raiders of the Lost Ark. During the same period, Stevens storyboarded the groundbreaking music video&#160 Thriller&#160 for Michael Jackson and did production design for Jackson&rsquo s&#160 Victory Tour.&#160 In 1982, Stevens debuted the feature for which he is best known,&#160 The Rocketeer. Initially appearing as a back-up feature in the second issue of an independent comic, the pulp-inspired story of Cliff Secord, a daring stunt pilot who finds an experimental rocket pack, became an instant sensation. The Rocketeer went on to star in his own comic book series, and in 1991 would become a well-received major motion picture from Walt Disney Studios.&#160 Stevens&rsquo lush figure work, particularly when rendering the female form, coupled with his elegant brush line, brought him much acclaim far&#160 beyond the confines of comic books. In particular, his breathy&#160 portrayals of Cliff&rsquo s girlfriend Betty, inspired by famed pin-up queen Bettie Page, helped revitalise interest in the &lsquo 50s icon, a fact openly acknowledged by Page, who became close friends with Stevens in her final years.&#160 On March 11, 2008, Dave Stevens lost a long battle against leukemia.