The Virgin Project, Volume 2

by Kevin Boze, Stasia Kato, Pepper Schwartz (Introduction)

Few human experiences are as universally shared, and yet as diverse, as the loss of virginity. The Virgin Project, Volume 2 is the authors' second collection of first-time sexual encounters that illustrate a small sample of the breadth of human experience. Some people consider virginity as a prize to be given away. Some consider it a burden to be disposed of. For some, it was stolen and can never be restored. A few place little value on it at all. As one remarked, "I didn't lose my virginity any more than I 'lost' my pacifier. I outgrew it."

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Sexuality

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2010

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the first volume! Boze and Kato have grown as artists and storytellers. This volume has fewer one-page stories than the first and makes better use of three-page stories, which gives many good episodes a little more room to breathe. A book like this needs to walk a fine line between respect for the subjects and a sort of irreverence about the topic, and the authors negotiate that line deftly. But I'm still wishing for more emotional punch. Maybe the short-form format of The Virgin Project isn't for me, and I should go reread Blankets. :)

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly endearing, with some occasional heartbreak, a few dollops of outright hilarity, and clever, well done artwork.

[sylas · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not for me.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick couple of hours read consisting of a series of 1-3 page comic vignettes on how various people of all walks of life and ages lost their virginity. The stories and artwork are simple and straightforward, nothing here to win a prize in literature or graphics, but the overall effect works in most of the stories, with more than a few packing a considerable punch. Most of all, the book seems very honest, with the individual narrators telling their own story quickly and to the point.

The stories range from very positive to heartbreaking, with a skew towards more unique stories in an effort to show a wide range of experiences. Some stories would probably make most readers somewhat uncomfortable with the who/when/how facts, raising moral implications of that are valid, but this set of personal stories doesn't judge, and instead relays the story as naturally as possible in the voice the authors heard from the individuals they interviewed.

Giving it an extra star because the stories do stay with you and the book provokes the reader into additional contemplation without being heavy handed in doing so.