I've been interested in reading this comic for years, even before I was really into comics, mainly because I come from a similar fundamentalist background. I remember the "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" and "Wait for Me" movements that were popular when I was a young woman, which are echoed here.

And so far, the series is interesting. It's not groundbreaking and it's not exceptionally deep, but the story kept me turning the pages.

Adam Chamberlain, a young man who is a virgin and believes that everything is black-and-white (as, sadly, many fundamentalist seem to do), thinks that everything is pretty much perfect with his life, until he learns that his fiancee has been butchered in Africa, where she was doing work for the Peace Corps. And as he travels to Africa to avenge her death, along with his sister (who has "looser morals," shall we say, than Adam), he discovers that his closed view of the world is, well, immature. The story isn't just about sex; it's about growing up and realizing that your own culture and your own religion isn't the only way out there, and that maybe you're wrong.

The art is okay, although I'm not a huge fan of it. ( )

Adam Chamberlain is a virgin who preaches abstinence. He has promised himself to Cassie but when she is murdered in Africa he must travel there to find her killers. ( )

'American Virgin' is kind of a neat title. The main character, Adam Chamberlain, is a youth pastor and leader of a virginity pledge movement. He is a young man who truly believes he is doing his God's work and maintains his convictions, even when uncertainty and temptation plague him. Things heat up when the unthinkable happens to him and Cassandra, the love of his life. This triggers a quest for revenge, redemption, and personal understanding for our young protagonist. Seagle and Clooan have found an interesting and timely setting for their characters in the midst of the New American Awakening. Their world is realistically morally ambiguous, but tinted in the view and experiences of Chamberlain as he comes to more and more discover himself. The writing is pretty tight and enticing, while the art is energetic and expressive.

Ultimately, 'American Virgin: Head' is pretty good. It's not stupendous, I can't rave about it too much, but it is certainly interesting and I really have no idea where it could go after these four premiere issues. These young artists have a neat thing going, and though I'm a few years behind its run, I most certainly think that I'll poke around for the next volume and see if that brings me a bit deeper into the chase for virginity. ( )