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Delilah Dirk

September 7, 2011

Adventure awaits, dear reader, at the wonderful and whimsical webcomic, Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant! Tony Cliff, a creator that has been nominated for two Will Eisner awards, has decided to share his fantastic story with the internet — and what an amazing treasure it is!

What’s DD&TL about? To use Tony’s words: “In 19th-century Turkey, an officer in the Janissary army must struggle to repay a brash adventuress for saving his life, even though she was the one who endangered it in the first place. ”

What do I like about it? The obvious answer is that it has a kick-butt heroine with a lovely set of quirks to keep her interesting, but the truth is I love her foil, Selim, even more. Perhaps it’s the tea-lover in me, but Selim’s clear enjoyment in the simple pleasures of a fresh cup of tea shared in good company ground this story of adventure and flying sail boats (yes, you read that correctly) in a real place I can relate to. His moral quandaries of working with the strange and vivacious Delilah are layered and complex, born of cultural conditioning, personal convictions, and the strong human need to find a place to belong.

If the pull of a really fantastic story isn’t enough for you, then at the very least visit the site to gaze in wonder at Tony’s gorgeous artwork. The rich colors, the incredible settings, the motion, the clever layouts, the lovely designs, the dizzying detail — the feast for my eyes never ends! I am in awe of his work and study it on a regular basis to attempt to improve my own offerings. Fortunately for me, Tony is generous enough to share a lot of what he’s learned in his blog.

Delilah Dirk & the Turkish Lieutenant is still fairly new, so getting caught up is a quick process. Too quick, really, as it will just leave you wanting more! When you visit the site, you can start the story on the left side of the page, and on the right you’ll find the latest update for the week. Tony updates in batches every Saturday with four to six pages at each release, designed to stop at the precise moment when you simply MUST KNOW what happens next. So if you’re ready to be entranced by a grand adventure, take a look at Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant!