American Virgin #6

Joshua Middleton's unsettling cover for this October 2006 Vertigo issue presents a figure rendered upside-down — dark hair splayed outward, a cross necklace dangling, and a form-fitting mask framing an open, grinning mouth — all beneath a billowing red banner with mirrored text reading "SAVE YOURSELF." It's a striking visual that captures the tonal tension Steven T. Seagle's series is known for, balancing religious imagery against something far more disquieting. The second chapter of the "Going Down" arc, with interiors by Becky Cloonan and Ryan Kelly, promises more of the book's sharp, provocative edge.