Trevor Hogg reviews the second instalment of a crossover series which features a masked hero with a fedora facing off against a test pilot with a rocket pack courtesy of IDW Publishing and DC Comics…
After a Friend of Commissioner Dolan’s is found dead in California, Ellen and The Spirit fly out to investigate. Upon arriving they discover that the victim’s body was found by a beautiful brunette named Betty…who has a certain boyfriend by the name of Cliff Secord – AKA The Rocketeer!
Betty causes sparks of jealousy flying with her flirting with The Spirit that Cliff Secord is ready to strangle the bewildered new arrival to Hollywood. Even Commissioner Dolan has become smitten with model know for skimpy magazine pictures to the disdain of his Ellen.
While all the romantic feuding is taking place Benedict Trask communicates via television to the infamous villain known as the Octopus by declaring, “Station Crime is on the air.” The two men are planning to control the new medium of the small screen taking the public airwaves private but first potential adversaries The Spirit and The Rocketeer must be taken care of by going after the latter’s girlfriend.
The romantic situation becomes even more complicated as Ellen’s dislike for Cliff is developing into a crush as they sit outside the office of the coroner. The autopsy of the dead Central City alderman reveals that the every organ, bone, and giblet has been scrambled into a horrific soufflé.
In the meantime the inventive Peevy shows off his latest device to Betty which is a television set which ends of displaying a shocking image of the dead alderman which causes his female companion to faint. Betty quickly regains her senses when remembering about her meeting with a producer and as she rushes off two biplanes attack the airfield with gunfire which results in The Rocketeer and The Spirit embarking on a literally high flying adventure. The capture of one of the pilots leads to the duo onto the path Benedict Trask who happens to be the mysterious producer that signs Betty to a television contract.
Contrasting the wintry Central City with Hollywood is a great way of distinguishing for the reader what is going on narratively. The unorthodox aerial dogfight certainly honours the pulp tradition of both The Rocketeer and The Spirit. The romantic chaos caused by Betty adds some light-hearted fun to the proceedings, however, I find myself wishing that the pin-up model could be something more than a ditzy plot device. I will be interested to see what develops between Peevy and Commission Dolan who are renewing their old friendship.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
Originally published October 22, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
