Effortlessly fun to read, Delilah Dirk is a fun, light weight, beautifully illustrated adventure comic, set in the Middle East of the early 19th century. I had high hopes for this book from looking at the cover, showcasing title character Delilah. On the cover, she looks like an active character, and pleased to be so, and attractive without being sexualized. It's an accurate reflection of her character within the book. Delilah is a deeply fun character to read about, a joyous swashbuckler. The Turkish lieutenant of the title, Selim, acts as her initially reluctant sidekick and the viewpoint character. It's basically a buddy book, and together Delilah and Selim remind me of Ferris Bueller and Cameron more than any other duo. And yes, it is a book that pairs an attractive man and an attractive woman together, then proceeds to make their relationship non-romantic. Sure, something may develop in later books, but here Delilah and Selim are good friends, and I like it that way. And I really do have to mention the art, which is fantastic. Cliff's characters have great expressions, but the real stunners are his backdrops. Cliff's landscapes are simply gorgeous, a real pleasure to look at. His colors are vibrant and natural, which can be tough to pull off. There's a balance between "real life is brown" and primary color bonanza, and he hits it.
The prologue and first two chapters are available to read online.