I'd held off reading any of the Scott Pilgrim series for as long as any Canadian fan of graphic novels possibly could. Still feeling like a novice to the world of comics and graphic novels, I've been, for the most part, selecting critically acclaimed titles or ones that looked more literary. Playing it safe in other words. I'd seen plenty of Scott Pilgrim books at the bookstore but really hadn't paid them much attention. The artwork on the cover looked a little simple and it certainly didn't look literary at all. Snob, that I am.But I'm not just a snob, I'm also a sheep. So, when the movie came out last year, I figured it's time I joined the masses. It's not everyday a Canadian novel, a graphic novel nonetheless, gets the Hollywood treatment. I just had to show my support (and figure out what the fuss was about). Of course, I had to read the book first, and it's taken me this long to get around to it.
I'm glad I did. First off, the artwork is simple, but it's a style thing, not laziness. It wasn't long before I realized how similar to manga it is, yet still original. And in more than a few frames, when O'Malley chose to go all out with details in the background, you see that he can really draw. Lazy? No. Unpretentious, yes. The story isn't stupid, but it's clear O'Malley was more concerned with entertainment than winning a GG nomination. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life is fun first and foremost. It's downright hilarious, the story is fast paced, and it's cool. There, I said it. I feel too old to say it, and I probably just sucked the cool from it by doing so, but there you have it. I can't wait to read the next one.
2 comments:
It does look very manga-esque, judging from the cover, but heck if you cool kids say it's cool, I'll have to give it a shot.
Barbara: And if you don't like it, you musn't admit to it, lest us cool kids think you're not cool.
Post a Comment