Broken Frontier

Adam Chamberlain discovers even more horror in Cassie’s autopsy report and vows to punish the person responsible for taking the love of his life.

Adam’s world has been turned upside-down over the past forty-eight hours. He’s gone from teenage virginity evangelist to a globetrotting young man desperately trying to make sense out of the horrible act of violence that resulted in his girlfriend’s death while on a Peace Corps mission in Africa. His faith in God appears to have waned a little since Cassie’s murder because God "told" him that she was the only one he would be with forever. Coping with the shock of his loss, Adam is driven to self-discovery in a number of ways, and with the help of his mercenary guide, intends to make the terrorists that committed the heinous murder pay for their sins.

If this issue does one thing well, it shows that Seagle intends for this opening act of American Virgin to be a tale of discovery and reconciliation (Even the opening pages mention that Adam is lost). Where Adam was recently a unidirectional idealist following the path set forth by others, the shock of tragedy has directed him on a journey of understanding—that the world cannot simply be broken down into black and white all the time. How Adam reacts to the perpetrator next issue is likely to be an anchor for this character’s motivations in life as the series continues.

For the art team, this series probably couldn’t be a better fit. Cloonan’s unbridled line work coupled with Rugg’s moody inks (we hardly get to see the mercenary’s eyes) set the dreary and desperate visual tone set forth by not only the situation but also the setting in one of the world’s poorest areas. Brian Miller tops it off in fine fashion with a coloring scheme that is bright and revealing yet otherworldly.

The arc seems to be building toward a showdown. The showdown between Adam and Cassie’s killer is likely to be a secondary issue, though, really, as Adam will likely be tortured by the personal decisions that final confrontation provokes. Will it be his driven human desire for retribution; or will it be his devout faith in God that conquers and drives him to forgive?

American Virgin isn’t as spellbinding as some other Vertigo offerings, but it brings the reader along for a conflictive ride that I find difficult to turn away from.