The premise of Rocket Girl is a very interesting one: a 15-year-old girl named Dayoung is part of the NYTPD (New York Teen Police Department) in 2013.  However, this 2013 is a much more technologically-advanced time than what we actually live in.  There are flying cars, robot guards, and the police uniforms look more like spacesuits than something a cop would wear (complete with jetpacks, of course!). The first time we see Dayoung in action, she’s going back to her native New York in 1986.  She didn’t get there without a fight, though.  It turns out that the corporation who got New York back on its feet is actually committing large amounts of fraud… in the past.  Someone at Quintium Mechanics is going back in time so that they can improve their market position in present-day.  While Dayoung instantly recognizes this as a crime against time, Commissioner Gomez is reluctant to allow her to venture into the past.  Dayoung just hopes she isn’t too late.

On her journey back in time, Dayoung ends up crashing the momentous Q-Engine launch at Quintium Mechanics in 1986.  One of the workers at Quintium mentions that they’re making the future.  Dayoung says that they didn’t know what they were doing and the Q-Engine launch had to be stopped.  If it will literally change how the future will be we’re not sure yet.

Next, Dayoung hears a call for additional assistance from the police on her futuristic police scanner.  She ends up beating the crap out of the perpetrator so that the two police officers who asked for backup can handcuff him.  One of the officers actually tries to handcuff Dayoung, but she has none of it.  She ends up handcuffing the two officers to themselves with some acrobatics thrown in there for good measure.  Her new friends at Quintium swing by and pick her up in a taxi, where she hopes that she can help them understand what is going on before ‘time runs out.’  What that means exactly, I’m not sure.

The art in this issue was great, I really enjoyed it.  New York City in a futuristic version of 2013 is just as believable as the one in 1986.  The action sequences were especially awesome, more specifically when Dayoung is flying before descending upon the crime in-progress.  The city lights combined with police lights and blurred parts where her jetpack is omitting heat makes you believe that Dayoung is actually suspended in air, and it makes you feel like you’re right there with her.

Although there were some questions that I thought would be important to the first issue unanswered, I’m definitely interested to see what happens next month.  Any fans of sci-fi, adventure, and action should definitely check this one out.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Brandon Montclare Artist: Amy Reeder Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 10/9/13