American Century #17

A man in a heavy coat steps cautiously through a quiet, snow-dusted suburban street, cigarette in hand and eyes sharp with wariness — it's a cover that immediately signals someone returning somewhere they're not entirely sure they're welcome. "Coming Home, Part 1 of 5" kicks off a new arc from writers Howard Chaykin and David Tischman, with interior art by Marc Laming and a brooding cover rendered by Jim Silke. Vertigo's American Century has always thrived on that uneasy tension between American idealism and darker realities, and this September 2002 issue looks poised to deliver more of exactly that.