
The Beginning Of His Professional Career
Best known for creating the comic book character The Rocketeer, American illustrator Dave Lee Stevens (July 29, 1955 – March 11, 2008) stood out for his glamour art illustrations in the pin-up style, particularly his depictions of model Bettie Page. He received the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award from Comic-Con International in 1982, as well as an Inkpot Award and a Kirby Award for Best Graphic Album in 1986.
Stevens began his professional career in 1975, working alongside Russ Manning as an inker on newspaper comic strips for Tarzan and contributing to two European comic book editions of the character. He later assisted Manning on the Star Wars newspaper strip. During this time, he took on occasional comic book projects, producing illustrations for fanzines, including inked drawings of comic book veteran Jack Kirby. He also developed the Aurora feature for Sanrio Publishing in Japan.
Starting in 1977, Stevens began drawing storyboards for Hanna-Barbera’s television animations, including Super Friends and The Godzilla Power Hour, working alongside Doug Wildey, another seasoned figure in comics and animation. Throughout the remainder of the decade, he expanded into animation and film, joining the art studio of illustrators William Stout and Richard Hescox in Los Angeles. Among his most notable projects from this period were storyboards for Raiders of the Lost Ark, by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller music video.
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The Rocketeer And Bettie Page
Dave Stevens’ most famous creation, The Rocketeer, first appeared in comics in 1982 as a backup story in Starslayer issues #2 and #3. The story continued in Pacific Presents and Rocketeer Adventure Magazine, but due to Stevens’ meticulous working pace, it was only completed in 1995. The Rocketeer series is an adventure story inspired by the pulp fiction universe, set in the 1930s. It follows Cliff Secord, a down-on-his-luck pilot who stumbles upon a mysterious rocket pack. The narrative references classic pulp heroes such as Doc Savage and The Shadow and became a landmark in independent comics despite its irregular publication schedule. To craft his character, Stevens drew inspiration from Golden Age comic artists like Will Eisner, Lou Fine, Reed Crandall, Maurice Whitman, Frank Frazetta, and Wally Wood.
Dave Stevens had a deep admiration for 1950s pin-ups and modeled the Rocketeer’s love interest after Bettie Page. He played a key role in reviving public interest in Bettie Page, ensuring she received financial compensation for the use of her image. Other characters in The Rocketeer were also based on real people, including the cartoonist Doug Wildey, who inspired “Peevy,” and the photographer Ken Marcus, who served as the model for the villain “Marco of Hollywood.”
In 2009, IDW Publishing released a special hardcover edition compiling the entire series, featuring new colors by Laura Martin, whom Stevens had chosen before his untimely death. The book’s success led to the 2011 publication of Rocketeer Adventures, a series featuring new stories illustrated by various artists, keeping the hero’s legacy alive.
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Complete Sketches And Studies
The book Complete Sketches and Studies is a testament to Dave Stevens’ ability to capture the sensuality and charm of idealized women. It gathers an extensive collection of sketches and studies, showcasing his creative process and revealing not only his technique but also his approach to eroticism within the pin-up tradition. The concept of the pin-up, popularized in the 20th century, revolves around depictions of seductive women in suggestive, often idealized poses brimming with eroticism. However, for Stevens, eroticism was never just about exposing the female body. His pin-ups exude a combination of mystery, delicacy, and powerful visual presence. He masterfully balances innocence and provocation, crafting female figures that evoke the glamour and attitude of models from the 1940s and 1950s.
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In the extended Premium edition more on the influence of Bettie Page and Film Noir on Stevens' pin-up work, an extensive review on the book Complete Sketches and Studies, how the artist treats eroticism as an art form, what makes Stevens' sensual illustrations so unique, the importance of the book Complete Sketches And Studies, and 60+ enticing pin-up artworks
Click HERE for an article on the bondage photos of Bettie Page
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