Dirk Pitt is an almost cartoonish example of American masculinity, one that pre-teen me at some level desperately wanted to embody. He is both a decorated military pilot and the greatest known deep-sea adventurer combined, a marriage of Chuck Yeager and Jacques Cousteau. He is tall, strong, a deadly shot and entirely incorruptible. His only weakness is for classic cars, a trait Pitt shared with his creator. Pitt’s “opaline green eyes” could be either transfixing or menacing, depending on the need. While he rarely had time for love and relationships, when he did, it was intense beyond belief.