IDW Publishing 2016
Written by Arvind Ethan David
Illustrated by Ilias Kyriazis
Coloured by Charlie Kirchoff
Lettered by Robbie Robbins
Plagued by nightmares about a childhood he never had, Dirk returns to Cambridge University to seek the advice of his former tutor, the time-traveling Professor Reg Chronotis. There he discovers that a holistic detective can have more than one past, and his adventures have only just begun…
There is something about Dirk that is both maddening and delightful at the same time. He’s a very unique individual and his perception of the world and how it works makes him the man he is and that’s where the paradox is. Like a high functioning autistic or with some other social awkward disorder where he’s unable to establish normal relationships with people. It’s his curse and his charm and that’ why personally I love reading his adventures. It took me halfway through the last story to warm up to Arvind’s take on him but now that I have i’m fully invested in where he’s taking him.
It seems that last arcs childhood memories which opened each issue were memories of a life he’s never lived. So why is he having these extra memories? How can he be having memories that all? That’s what he’s setting out to discover here and along with Sally and Bernice he’s determined to find out. His relationship with Sally is a prime example of how complicated he is and differently he sees people and their role in his life. The dialogue and characterisation here depicts that beautifully.
We also get to meet an old professor of Dirk’s this issue one who has a working time machine that’s tied into his loo. This is what ties the story into that fantastic world that Adams created so long ago. It also ties into Bernice and why we see her thoughts and how she sees both Dirk and Sally’s relationship not to mention her own adventure that’s going on simultaneously here. That she has such a strong personality of her own is utterly charming and I can’t wait to see where this one goes.
Ilias interiors are perfect for this series. He’s been doing this for a while now and his depiction of Dirk ties into that handsome bloke who has those weird idiosyncrasies extremely well. Plus his depiction of Bernice is adorable and that i’m gonna guess Troll she encounters gets to give him a chance to express that imagination and creativity so very well. The flow of the book through his page layouts with angles, perspective and use of backgrounds really flesh this all out in the best possible ways.
For me this is the type of story I envision when I think of Dirk Gently. It’s within the realm of reason and yet completely out there and off-kilter. It’s an opportunity for his interconnectedness in all things way of life to shine like a beacon in the night. All the while giving us this completely and utterly charming look his life and of those around him. There’s a reason some characters endure so strongly after their creation and this is a prime example of why Dirk continues to fascinate readers today.