Dropping in on an "American Virgin"

DC sent me the first issue of “American Virgin,” written by a former Springs resident, Steven T. Seagle. It’s from Vertigo, DC’s mature-reader line, so don’t be shocked to see nudity and the “F” word repeatedly. It centers on Adam Chamberlain, a 21-year-old Christian youth minister who preaches abstinence until marriage. He’s planning a life with his equally virtuous girlfriend, but a shocking development at the end of issue No. 1 derails that plan. It’s always tricky to judge a series from the first issue. I do respect that Chamberlain isn’t a cartoon figure, but someone who truly believes in what he preaches - though some of his more profane language doesn’t ring true. And I am interested in where the series will take Adam. The cover, by Frank Quitely, is oddly disturbing.