Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour Volume 6 Original Graphic Novel Review

Vital Specs:

Title: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour Vol. 6
Writer and Artist: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Publisher: Oni Press
Content: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour Vol. 6 is rated for teen plus readers.
Price: $11.99

Introduction:

For an indy comic, Scott Pilgrim has seen great success over the years. This is the last volume in the series and has been launched in the midst of a media storm with the concurrent release of the Scott Pilgrim motion picture – Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. Volume 6 is the culmination of the series seeing Scott Pilgrim facing off against the last and most evil of Ramona Flower’s ex-boyfriends, Gideon Graves. Only now, Scott appears to be an ex-boyfriend himself and does not want to face off for his last and most ultimate battle.

Story:

The overall story of Scott Pilgrim is basic enough, Scott is a young twenty-something boy who plays in a band and has dreams of making it big. His girlfriend Ramona Flowers is the best thing in his life…that is until her evil ex-boyfriends show up and start challenging Scott to fights to the death.

This last book sees Scott doing a lot of soul searching, due to the fact that in the previous volume Ramona had completely disappeared. Scott feels like he has been ditched and this sends him in a downward spiral of pity, booze, and seeking comfort in his previous girlfriends. When Scott realizes he has no choice but to fight, the stage is set (literally) for a duel that will either end Scott's life, or take Ramona away from him forever.

Review:

Scott Pilgrim has definitely become a hit in and out of the indy world and I can see why. It is a blending of Manga and traditional comic book styles that together make for a very good comic. One of the things that struck me is that while a lot of the artwork in Scott Pilgrim is of a more basic and cartoony style, it isn’t that way because of lack of talent, rather it is by choice, which can be seen in a lot of the background, perspective, and design choices. It is very well done.

Long time readers of the series know not to take Scott Pilgrim to seriously. O’Malley uses a lot of video game references throughout, with Scott receiving 1UP’s and upgrades reminiscent of some of the old school Nintendo games. It’s all done in a tongue in cheek fashion that doesn’t play down to the readers but just takes you in hand and brings you along for the ride.

I can see why Volume 5 won a 2010 Eisner award (it was one of my picks to win) for best comedy and Volume 6 carries on that comedic torch as there were many parts that had me laughing out loud. This volume also did a good job of adding in some dramatic elements of loss, confusion, and heartbreak. I could totally relate to Scott’s broken heart and lack of wanting to do anything but lay about as I, and I'm sure many others, have been there too.

Conclusion:

In the end, this is a series deserving of the fanfare. It is very different and has done a great job of blending traditional comic book and Manga that has its own grace and style. That being said, the quirky content and offbeat video game references will most likely appeal to younger audiences and those that have an appreciation for video games, pop culture, and rock. I don’t think Scott Pilgrim is for everyone, but its appeal cannot be mistaken and you can see just why it has received the praise and success it has had over the years. It may not be my personal favorite, but if you haven't checked out Scott Pilgrim yet, you totally should.