Scott Pilgrim, vol. 3

Writer(s): Bryan Lee O’Malley
Artist(s): Bryan Lee O’Malley
Publisher: Oni Press
ISBN: 978-1932664225
Price: $11.95
Page count: 192
Year Released: 2006
Status: in print
Original Source: n/a
Other Collected Edition(s): n/a
Genres: adventure; humor; magic realism; romance/relationships; slice of life; teen/young adult
Recommended for Fans Of: video games
Possibly Objectionable Material: cartoony violence
If You Like This Book, Try: Blue Monday
Also in This Series: preceded by Scott Pilgrim, vol. 2; followed by Scott Pilgrim, vol. 4

Plot Summary
This volume opens with a tense meeting backstage between Scott's mediocre band, Sex Bob-omb, and Envy Adams's super-popular band, The Clash at Demonhead LP. After a few minutes of the folks on Scott's side staring nervously at the folks on Envy's side, Scott attempts to fight Ramona's third evil ex, Todd (the bassist for Clash at the Demonhead LP and Envy's new boyfriend), but Todd uses his psychic vegan powers (yes, you read that right) to throw Scott through a wall. Instead, Envy announces that their fight will take place at Honest Ed's. The first one to make it through the mind-crushingly crazy store from beginning to end wins.

Unfortunately, the craziness of Honest Ed's is too much for Todd, and within moments of entering the store his freak-out implodes the entire building. So the fight is rescheduled for the next day.

This delay allows Ramona to fill Scott in on her relationship with Todd, and for Scott to reminisce about his relationship with Envy (back when she still went by her real name, Natalie).

Scott and Todd's final fight, a bass battle, occurs on the night that Sex Bob-omb is to open for the Clash at the Demonhead LP. But since Scott's a terrible bassist, does he have a chance in hell of winning? Absolutely--but probably not by playing the bass.

My Own 2 Cents
The story of Scott and Envy/Natalie's relationship is very satisfying, considering that O'Malley has been building up to it practically from the first page of the first volume of this series. It's a highlight of this volume, and almost, almost, makes me want to forgive bonehead Scott for all his flaws.

This volume also amps up the strange, "reality's for boring people" aspects of the story, from psychic vegans (who attended the prestigious Vegan Academy, no less) to cyborg drummers. But these over-the-top aspects of the story are right at home in the comic book medium, and as long as you're able to suspend your disbelief for about 200 pages or so, I have no doubt you'll embrace the more ridiculous aspects of the story as a large part of what makes Scott Pilgrim so much fun.