Actually this is not as OT as you might think. The Rocketeer inspired a skillfully crafted custom car of the same name. And the name "Betty Page" speaks for its self. On March 10, 2008 Dave Stevens lost his battle with Leukemia. He was born July 29, 1955 in Lynwood, California. That made him only 52 at the time of his death. He was an incredible cartoonist, and comics writer, but an even better illustrator, & and "Good Girl" pin-up artist. He is best known for creating writing & illustrating the Rocketeer comic series. In them he used Betty Page as the inspiration of the woman "Betty" that he drew as the Cliff Secords (the Rocketeer) love interest. This pretty much fired off the resurgence of interest in the photos of Betty Page & creation of new art about her, etc. We lost an incredible artistic talent way too young! R.I.P.
Man, hearing this really ****s. I've had one of his posters hanging over my bed (in different houses) since the mid 1980's.
No way! Dave lived in West L.A. and he was a very good friend of Betty Page who also lives in the SM area. He was a also a car guy so this really isn't off topic. He used to hang out with us @ All American Burger in Westwood and later Teddy's Cafe @ Pico & Bundy. He had a pretty cool 39-40 Ford Coupe and was a a member of the Old Timers (my 1st Hot Rod Club) of WLA as well as the Outriders (My 2nd) in the late 80's. Most people don't know that unless you hung with him. He was very cool, but felt that Disney kinda of messed with his creation. I dug the movie,the setting. It was filmed in Santa Maria for all of those cool L.A.-Van Nuys-SFV scenes. They used some cool cars that I remember seeing @ some car people in the industry (relax-the 34 Cabriolet was really a gl*** car) I hadn't seen Dave in years and heard that he was going after all of those companies that were using Betty Page's likeness w/o her consent, so she can have a better income.He really cared about people. Man- I took a stroll around Teddy's thursdaybefore last, barely reconized all of the new guys. A few of the gennies were there and I spoke to one of the guys, Jim Holiday-Olds Collector. Never said anything about Dave or his illness. maybe they didn't know? Yes folks, we lost another creative member of our Hot Rod family. RIP Dave, Godspeed to ya at the Pearly Gates, Saint Pete, Open them pups up, You gotta great one coming thru. CK.
Hey thanks for adding all this info. I met him once for a second at Wonder Con in Okland CA. I had allot of respect for his art. I knew he felt Disney didn't get it right when they made the movie I liked the sets etc. But was kinda dissapointed in the end with it! & I knew about his helping Betty out. But I did not know he was a car guy makes sence though. Thanks! R.I.P.
**** he was the coolest.we hung out for a while when i lived in L.A. that guyed loved Betty Page.Man i ****in bumed............Thanks Eyebone for the 411 man............... R.I.P. to the real Rocketeer........................
Aww..... ****. way too young. Dave was a true master and rediscovered Betty and got her the rights,royaltys she deserved. A giant in the comic Industry waaay before the pinup thing ever was popular.
Man! Hate to hear that. The Rocketeer was a great movie. I wonder what Dave didnt like about it? I thought it played pretty much like his comics. Big loss to fans of comics, pinups, hotrods, cool stuff! RIP Dave.
Very sad news.....and it was VERY admirable of Dave to not only seek respect for Bettie Page (privacy,rights,etc) but for showing his intense love for tradition in championing his artistic influences and heroes-Wally Wood,for one.... Ace
I met Dave at some car events years ago and was immediately impressed with his use of nostalgia things in his artwork. He sent me some comics and a book of his work. He accurately showed items like Cord autos, the Brown Derby restaurant, GeeBee race planes and Betty Page. It was nice to see an interest in the "good old days" depicted accurately. I have not seen him in quite some time and did not realize that he was not well. Unfortunately we have loss a nice guy with a lot of talent. - Don Montgomery
Your impressions of him seem to be consistent with the majority of how others felt about him. From the on-line research I did before uploading this post. It is clear that many who met him really liked him as a person, and not just because he was a "successful" artist. And it is also clear that he wanted his illness kept quit to the general public for his own personal reasons. I really wish that I had, had more time to converse with him the time I met him. Sounds like I would have liked him for more than his fantastic art. But people were swarming him so I backed off. But he left us his art, and we can treat that and his memory with the respect that they deserve.
My younger brother got me into his stuff way back. That ****s! I truly loved his work. And he definitely got me interested in Betty Page and Pin up Girl/Nose art in general. RIP
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