Broken Frontier

AMERICAN VIRGIN #1, the debut issue of the provocative new monthly series, has sold out at DC Comics, joining the growing list of sellouts from new Vertigo series. 

Written by Steven T. Seagle, with art by Becky Cloonan and a cover by Frank Quitely, this debut issue was called “spiritual and grungy, a wholly original piece of work” by Entertainment Weekly in a review that went on to say “It takes religion, a subject usually approached in pop culture with either bloodless piety or tiresome blasphemy, and gives the matter some hard, honest thought.”

“In a world where super-hero books are selling out every day, I’m floored that a sex, death, and terrorist book like AMERICAN VIRGIN could pull in the attention of comics readers and achieve the same feat,” says Seagle.  “A big thanks to the people who’ve given AV a try.  X-tra large thanks to colorist Brian Miller, letterer Jared Fletcher, outgoing cover artist Frank Quietly (Thanks, V!) and incoming cover genius Josh Middleton, assistant editor Angela Rufino, and my eternal voice of reason, (VP — Executive Editor, Vertigo) Karen Berger.  A huge thanks to my co-conspirator and artist supreme Becky Cloonan, who is delivering some of the clearest, dynamically dirty storytelling I’ve ever seen, month in and month out.  And my biggest thanks of all to the toughest little editor in comics, Shelly Bond, who forced me to do this book in the first place and cares so much about its quality that it hurts.  Of course, sometimes it’s good when it hurts...

“But we’ll leave that for the next story arc, which plunges youth minister Adam Chamberlain ‘Down Under’ for a gender-bending festival of domination that puts the virgin vigilante on the trail of the man who made the unkindest cut against him.”

Other issues of AMERICAN VIRGIN are available as follows:

• AMERICAN VIRGIN #2 (FEB060327) is available for reorder.

• AMERICAN VIRGIN #3 (MAR060379) is available for advance reorder and is scheduled to arrive in stores on May 10.

• AMERICAN VIRGIN #4 (APR060284) is solicited in the April Previews (Volume XVI #4) and is scheduled to arrive in stores on June 14.

Please note that copies of AMERICAN VIRGIN #1 still may be available at retail.  DC Comics does not plan to go back to press on this issue at this time.