Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules

In this third volume in the adventures of Delilah Dirk, the titular early-19th-century explorer teams up with Laurens Van Hessel, a newspaper correspondent who gives her a lead on ancient ruins that could lead to the third Pillar of Hercules. Along with Dirk’s trusty sidekick, Erdemoglu Selim, the three traverse the Mediterranean Sea from Anatolia to Algiers to Gibraltar, piecing together clues and learning more about the third pillar’s purpose. But trying to uncover a millennia-old mystery when working with a less-than-scrupulous journalist leads to competition and confrontation, requiring Dirk’s wits, wisdom, and weapons—not necessarily in that order. Cliff enhances traditional features of a good pulp tale with a strong female lead and a highly dramatic visual depiction. While the characters are clear and distinct, Cliff is less generous with backgrounds, etching in some details but also relying on panel hues to generate a space’s mood and ambience. This dynamic allows him to focus on the action sequences (of which there are plenty) and the character interactions. Cliff has created an engaging and daring character that is equal parts Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)