A couple of years ago I came across a comic book entitled Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life. It was around that same time that I actually learned how strongly I could love a series. Five volumes of the six book series have been released, and as I reread each adventure until my eyes become withered husks, I sit patiently until the dramatic conclusion to what is my favorite indie book lands on the shelves. I just wait around and twiddle my thumbs… oh God I want it now.
Scott Pilgrim tells the story of titular hero Scott, a broke twenty-something guy from Toronto who plays in a band, dates a high school girl, and mooches off of his gay best friend/roommate. Yes, Scott is the picture of having your life in order. When he meets American-born Ramona Flowers, however, he is forced to take some things more seriously. For example: fighting her Seven Evil Ex-Boyfriends. If Scott wishes to date Ramona, he must compete with these challengers in video game styled melees reminiscent of all the classics from Nintendo and Sega. In a blend of gaming culture, musical talent, cooking skills and dramatic adventure, Scott Pilgrim quickly became one of my favorite series’ purely because, well… it’s fun. It’s just so much fun.
While I have a strong feeling for this series, I can at least understand the complaints made by others. People who define the series as being a ‘hipster’ comic aren’t far off. The book is full of little references to things like the X-Men and numerous indie bands. However, this relates to just how you view groups of people and the trends they like. Scott and his friends fall into one of the many modern styles that people are nowadays divided into (“scene” kids, “emo” kids, “hardcore” kids, etc.). If you come into conflict with one of these groups and their interests, you’re apt to dislike stories told about them. If you hate people that behave like those in the story, you’re likely to hate it. In the more realistic elements of the series, the characters just behave the way you would expect them to if they were an actual group of friends in a club in Toronto (I assume. I’ve never been to Toronto). They’re just normal friends, fighting normal evil bosses and encountering the every-day Vegan Police. But if their interests and behavior resemble the people in your life you hate, the odds of your being a fan are significantly cut.
Fans of action/adventure bouts can definitely get interested in Scott Pilgrim. In each volume one of the seven villains appears to face Scott (aside from volume five wherein he faces two, thus accounting for the six volume limit). While the amazing combo punches and sword battles make up a great percentage of why this comic is awesome, it is far from the only reason. Throughout the story we are given a good look at a number of different characters and how their friendships function. Scott has trouble managing his life and is supported by Wallace. Kim is hostile towards those around her because that’s who she is. When you have a friend who is interested in a girl his best friend dated, and that girl dated another of their friends out of frustration, there’s bound to be conflict. It’s a complex web of love and hate that works because the characters are people we know, and sometimes even ourselves. Scott Pilgrim, like any good story, makes you consider how you would handle a relationship like Scott’s, and what friends you have that are like those who surround him. Every now and then the reader can wonder if they’ve had as difficult a post-dating friendship as Scott and Kim Pine. Maybe they’ve hurt a girl they didn’t belong with in the first place. Perhaps they’ve done something to ruin something for a friend purely out of anger. They could have even accidentally passed up a skateboard proficiency in fifth grade in favor of the use of a long sword. Likely not the last one, but the odds are pretty good that fans of the series can find correlations within their own group of friends.
Currently the movie version entitled Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is being filmed, starring Michael Cera as Scott. As much as I am a fan of Cera, I fear he may not be able to capture what I love most about what a hapless fool Scott really is. More often than not, Cera seems to just play nervous and uncomfortable. Don’t get me wrong; if you want a guy to play nervous and uncomfortable Michael Cera is that guy and he will likely give you more than you hoped for. But that isn’t really who Scott is, which makes me worry about the film. However, the video blog posted on the film’s website does help instill confidence about how the finished product will look, and I remain hopeful. Meanwhile, I’ll just be waiting for the final volume of the series and hoping to God Scott comes out of it a winner.
