SCOTT PILGRIM

Last year Oni Press released an OGN (original graphic novel) that had the indie comics kids buzzing - SCOTT PILGRIM'S PRECIOUS LITTLE LIFE by Bryan Lee O'Malley. I read nothing but praise for it but I didn't get around to picking it up myself. Volume 2 of the series was released earlier this year and the third volume is due out any day. In fact, it was the appearance of Volume 2, SCOTT PILGRIM VERSUS THE WORLD, on the comics shelves of my local Barnes & Noble that finally got me to pick up the first one from Amazon (and yes, this is not the kind of thing that the local comics shop keeps in stock). I managed to read it before I got sick over Thanksgiving and I am happy to report that it lived up to the hype.

Scott Pilgrim is a 23 year-old who plays bass in the band Sex Bob-omb and not much else. Oh, and he's kinda dating Knives Chau. She's in high school. All is basically fine until he meets an Amazon delivery girl in his dreams and then in real life. He's into Ramona Flowers. Complications ensue, such as having to tell Knives about Ramona; a band gig with Crash and the Boys (who now have a girl on drums); and a fight with Matthew Patel, one of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends.

I really enjoyed the cross between real life (being poor, being in a band, relationships) and the surreal (the fact Ramona cuts across dreams in order to delivery packages quickly, the bludgeoning power of Crash and the Boys, the fight itself). I'm not giving much away being telling you what I have - it's completely original and can only be read to be enjoyed.

As for the art, O'Malley works in a modified manga style. What does that mean? Mostly big eyes and the use of action lines. He is also an amazing cartoonist, expressive and fluid. As a non-artist, I tend to get geeked out when I see someone who can draw buildings and fences in black and white and make them look real. O'Malley does that here. He also does a great job changing his art style for flashbacks within the story. That's the kind of stuff that makes me love comics.

I would highly recommend SCOTT PILGRIM to anyone and can't wait to grab the next book for myself.