A review by aoutramafalda
American Virgin, Volume 1: Head by Steven T. Seagle, Frank Quitely, Becky Cloonan, Jim Rugg

4.0

What drawn me into these comics was the cover of the first issue. I've seen it a few years ago - somewhere - and it stuck in my mind.
Recently I've stumble on it again and I was curious enough to actually start reading it.

In this first volume are reunited the 1-4 issues.
The comic mainly focus on the character Adam Chamberlain, young adult Christian preacher promoting sexual abstinence until marriage. Adam is proud of his virginity and his engagement to his girlfriend Cassie, currently on a peace corps mission in Africa (near the border with Mozambique); he believes she was chosen by God to be his wife.
Adam can't wait for his girlfriend to come back from Africa, but for some reason not explained in the book, Cassie is murdered and beheaded by terrorists.I know the main focus on the book isn't about the situation in Africa, but I wish to understand why Cassie was there, and also the reason of the conflicts.
Adam, against his parents wishes, flee with his stepsister Cyndi to South Africa where he tries to find answers for Cassie's death.
Along that path they met a mercenary named Mel, who claims he can help him to find answers Adam wants and need.

I've really enjoyed reading this comics. Not just the covers are stunning, as the artwork inside. The story keep me going, there's a lot of conflicts between the characters believes and actions. There is a lot of hypocrisy in most of the characters, but to me that only make them feel more real. At the first sight things are presented to you in some way, but as you read along you found out there is more. For example the main character Adam Chamberlain is a virgin who preaches to other young people about sexual abstinence. You might think that people around him would actually think about it in the same way. But that's not so simple. His family, his dysfunction family is completely sex obsessed. From his teen brother, to his bully stepbrothers and his stepsister. His mother and stepfather in the other hand are more worried about Adam's talks in public than his feelings about his girlfriend died. They are more worried about him as a public figure, than about him as a person. Nasty couple.
My biggest issue with the whole series is the fact that the Chamberlain's are rich or at the least very wealthy, to the point that Adam's catches de air-plane in a heart beat to get to Africa. Everything seems so effort less, oh I want to got there, and I go. I know it's fiction, but it's still bothers me.