American Virgin #7

Vertigo's American Virgin was already one of the more daring mature-reader series of 2006, and issue #7 — the third chapter of the five-part "Going Down" arc — makes that clear before you even open the cover. Joshua Middleton's artwork draws two young women into an intimate, almost dreamlike kiss, rendered in soft, luminous washes of pink, gold, and lavender that feel tender rather than sensational. With Steven T. Seagle writing and Becky Cloonan handling interior art alongside inker Ryan Kelly, this is a creative team that consistently brings both emotional honesty and visual flair to the series.