Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim series made quite a splash in the comic book community over the past couple of years. Personally, I can see why - while Scott Pilgrim's not my FAVORITE comic of all time, it hits a lot of the right notes with me.
1 - Believe it or not, the story of Scott Pilgrim's battle with Ramona's seven evil exes is a deeply metaphorical account of dealing with the baggage people bring to romantic relationships - albeit a metaphor told from Scott's emotionally-stunted point of view. Just as Scott has to face off with the violent psychopaths Ramona used to date, Ramona meets and comes to terms (or blows) with Scott's own lineup of exes - Kim Pine, Envy Adams, and, of course, Knives Chau.
2 - The Scott Pilgrim series draws on three main influences: indie music, video games, and, of course, comics. Turns out these are three great tastes that go great together. O'Malley blends subjects he's obviously quite passionate about with great ease to give the story a real frantic energy.
3 - The allusions to video games and music aren't required to understand or appreciate the story itself - they're just a bit of extra flavoring.
4 - Wallace Wells, Scott's gay roommate:
Dude's a HOOT.
5 - While 2010's movie adaptation of the series doesn't quite live up to the standard set by the book series, it's pretty faithful to the spirit of the books. Visually impressive, well-cast, and full of some pretty good music, the movie's definitely worth a look.
6 - The thing I love most about Scott Pilgrim, more than the pop culture references, the insane fight sequences, and the fantastic characters, is the heart. Ultimately, Scott Pilgrim's story is one of growing up, learning to accept responsibility, and becoming a man... even if that means putting away childish notions. It's a story for the Nintendo generation, now reaching adulthood. Frankly, I see it as the story of my own life. Not entirely a FLATTERING comparison, but apt.
For mixing in just the right amount of heartfelt sincerity with my big, stupid, fun, Scott Pilgrim has really caught my attention, and I'll love it forever.
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