IDW to Launch New ‘The Rocketeer’ Miniseries in 2011

The hero who made jetpacks cool for babies from the '80s (and onward) is back. IDW Publishing is launching a brand new, four-issue miniseries starring Dave Stevens' "The Rocketeer" starting in 2011.

While not explicitly called an anthology, the miniseries will reportedly house the talents of Mike Allred, Kurt Busiek, John Cassaday, Darwyn Cooke, Michael Golden, Gene Ha, Michael Kaluta, Garry Leach, Bruce Timm and Bill Willingham with covers by Alex Ross.

IDW Special Projects Editor Scott Dunbier had this to say in an official press release:

"Dave Stevens was an incredibly talented artist and a wonderful person. I would like to think that he would be happy with a book like this, one that pays such loving tribute to his greatest creation."

Stevens' 1982 comic book series was famously adapted as a major motion picture by Disney in 1991. The creator passed away in 2008 after a long fight with Leukemia, but IDW plans to honor his legacy by donating a portion of the book's profits to Hairy Cell Leukemia research on behalf of Stevens' estate, the creators working on the new miniseries and IDW.[Via IDW]