Early Book Review: Scott Pilgram Volume 1: Scott Pilgram's Precious Little Life

Scott Pilgram Volume 1: Scott Pilgram's Precious Little Life, a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Nathan Fairbairn, is schedule for release on August 8, 2012. Scott Pilgrim's has a great life. He's 23 years old, has no job but a place to live, he's in a band, and he's dating a cute high school girl. What could go wrong? A new girl catches his eye, and changes Scott's world forever, including the upcoming battles with her evil ex boyfriends. This volume collects the first issues in a series of new hardcover editions. It gives readers a new look at Scott's first battle with an evil ex in glorious full color. There are significant extras, including previously unpublished pages and materials. fans of the Scott Pilgram series will love it, as new readers can get an unparallelled introduction to Scott's life.

When I requested and received my galley for Scott Pilgram's Precious Little Life I had my concerns. I have not read any of the series, and I will admit to not having seen the movie. so, this collection had me worried that I might not enjoy it the way long time fans might. Thankfully, since this is another look at the beginning of the series, I got to start on a level playing field. The artwork is vibrant, and matches the story perfectly. The strange twists to the story that long time fans would be ready for left me scratching my head a little, and wishing that that weirder parts of the book were the focus rather than Scott's lack of ambition, or concentrate on his relationships. I think my distaste for Scott, a classic listless slacker, would have been lessened had the questions about his parents and how he came to live with Wallace were addressed. Frankly Wallace and Scott's band mates were much more interesting to me than Scott.

Scott Pilgram's Precious Little Life will be a must read for fans of the series. I can see that it will appeal to others, but it did not grab me the way it seems to grab them.