Scott Pilgrim...WTF??

[stueyross]

I guess more than anything I'm just surprised that I didnt instantly like it, from what I'd heard about it. My geek factor is pretty high and I'm into all the usual geek-dom type stuff. I really enjoy reading Ctrl+Alt+Del, enjoy watching BBTheory and have been geeky for a while.

So when I started reading volume 1 and wasnt interested in it, I found myself wondering why. As a lifelong comic book fan I have to admit I found the artwork to be quite poor. I know its representative of a specific style but there are much better examples of that style available on the market. I didnt expect to resonate with Scott, as I'm a little further down the line in life from where he is now, but for me the hook wasnt there.

I'm not disrespecting the book, I just wanted to try and gain feedback from others of why they like it so much.

To those who say theyd punch out a friend, or defriend someone who didnt like it.....you need to either drink less coffee, open your mind or just bloody relax a bit

 

[Shazam!]

The only Oni Press title I ever read was Blue Monday which I really liked. I have pals who are huge Scott Pilgrim fans but I'll be seeing the movie because of Edgar Wright as opposed to any interest in the source material.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I didn't expect to resonate with Scott, as I'm a little further down the line in life from where he is now, but for me the hook wasnt there.

I'm twelve years older than Scott Pilgrim and I have no trouble empathizing with him. That's what fiction does, isn't it? If I can "resonate" with Danish princes, superheroes, Victorian women and robots, I don't see why it would be difficult to resonate with a young male adult.

I mean, again, if it's not your cup of tea, that's perfectly fine, but if reading about someone younger than yourself is already straining your empathy muscles too much, maybe you should exercise them a little more.

 

[RoJoHen]

So when I started reading volume 1 and wasnt interested in it, I found myself wondering why. As a lifelong comic book fan I have to admit I found the artwork to be quite poor. I know its representative of a specific style but there are much better examples of that style available on the market. I didnt expect to resonate with Scott, as I'm a little further down the line in life from where he is now, but for me the hook wasnt there.

So is it just the comics you didn't like, or did you not like the movie as well?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

The Scott Pilgrim comics are excellent with sharp characterization and a lot of laughs. The art obviously isn't to everyone's taste, but I like it a lot and it suits the tone of the books perfectly.

As an aside, here's Bryan Lee O'Malley's version of Emma Frost:

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

After reading the sixth book, I went back and looked at the first one again and noticed how O'Malley's art has evolved over the years. It's hard to pinpoint just where it happens, but it gets significantly cleaner over the course of the series.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

After reading the sixth book, I went back and looked at the first one again and noticed how O'Malley's art has evolved over the years. It's hard to pinpoint just where it happens, but it gets significantly cleaner over the course of the series.

Interestingly enough, he has seen the improvement himself and commented on it. Right here.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

After reading the sixth book, I went back and looked at the first one again and noticed how O'Malley's art has evolved over the years. It's hard to pinpoint just where it happens, but it gets significantly cleaner over the course of the series.

Interestingly enough, he has seen the improvement himself and commented on it. Right here.

That's an interesting read. He's absolutely right about how much more smoothly the second example flows.

I really like his inking. I think that's what first drew me to his work.

 

[bigdaddy]

It seems the people who don't like it or get a "WTF" moment from it are in much greater numbers than those who do like it.

 

[David cgc]

^Please don't speak of such things. I can't handle the thought we'll have another Firefly-style hype backlash.

 

[Admiral_Young]

That Emma piece is fantastic.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It seems the people who don't like it or get a "WTF" moment from it are in much greater numbers than those who do like it.

So?

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ That's probably because as I've stated before the film and the books are targeted to a specific audience and readership group. I don't get what that comment is supposed to mean. That could be the same for any piece of literature or film.

 

[firehawk12]

There's this relatively old review of the movie - http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66M58U20100723

Scott Pilgrim -- O'Malley flatters himself by borrowing the last name of Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five" hero -- is played by Michael Cera

.

To him Pilgrim was a Vonnegut reference (either that or he was trying to show off), whereas everyone familiar with the book knows that the name is borrowed from the name of a Plumtree song.

 

[Admiral_Young]

So...from reviews I've read online and in the forum the film fails to explain why Scott is fighting the Evil Exes? In the book it's made clear at the end that Scott is doing this because he's in love with Romana and comes to realize this over the period of time she's gone at the end of book five and most of book six. I really need and want to see this film. Damn my friends for bailing on me last weekend, it now appears that I won't be able to see this for anther two weeks!!!

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

It seems the people who don't like it or get a "WTF" moment from it are in much greater numbers than those who do like it.

All things in life are appreciated by a minority, while the majority is indifferent or hostile.

 

[RoJoHen]

So...from reviews I've read online and in the forum the film fails to explain why Scott is fighting the Evil Exes? In the book it's made clear at the end that Scott is doing this because he's in love with Romana and comes to realize this over the period of time she's gone at the end of book five and most of book six. I really need and want to see this film. Damn my friends for bailing on me last weekend, it now appears that I won't be able to see this for anther two weeks!!!

Well, yeah, they explain that he's fighting because he's in love with her, but they don't really explain where the League of Evil Exes comes from or why Scott Pilgrim specifically has to fight them. Scott gets an email from the first Evil Ex, but he only skims it and doesn't really get what's going on. I thought it made it funnier.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ Scott not reading the email is straight from the comics. I should think that the League of Evil Ex's is self explanatory...surprised that there wasn't a line from Gideon explaining that he formed the league to extract revenge on Romana. This is all explained in the books. Weird.

 

[RoJoHen]

Well, Gideon does mention that he was the one that formed the League, but I don't believe he mentions why.

 

[Dream]

Im not even sure this should be posted here but this Scott Pilgrim thing...I just dont get it. Am I too old? not hip enough? The art is poor japanese like rubbish, the story is flimsy, its not funny....its just not anything.....why the love?

If it makes you feel any better, the film was a flop. The majority doesn't get the material either.