Should I keep reading Scott Pilgrim.
By Miles Baker
So, I just read the second volume of the Scott Pilgrim series and I’m looking for someone to tell me to keep going. Everyone I know loves this series, most of my writing heros love this series, the buying public loves this series — so, I was bound to like it, right?
To be fair to the comic, I read the second volume before reading the first one. It was there, I was bored, I figured why not just start there. If I liked it I could always go back.
But I didn’t like it.
I’m going to tell you what I didn’t like about it, and what I liked about it, I’d like you to tell me if these problems are going to get fixed if I read on or if I start at the beginning.
What I didn’t like
- Scott Pilgrim is a real dick. In this book he’s a very unlikable protagonist. I’m not rooting for him. I’m not rooting against him. I just want him to shut up. What the fuck is his problem? For some reason, people seem to like him even though he’s constantly rude and self-centered towards them. He should be thankful he’s not beaten everywhere he goes. He’s constantly complaining about everything that comes in his path even though he would have no problems if he showed the tinniest about of human courtesy. Basically, he’s a prick and I don’t like him and I don’t want to read about him. This is the main reason I don’t want to continue reading
- All other characters are also jerks. There isn’t one character in this volume that did anything to make me root for them. Knives is pathetic. His band mates are boring. Scott’s girlfriend Ramona is judgmental and I’m not sure what he really sees in her. There is one great character moment with the gay roommate Wallace when Scott’s other ex Envy calls. But other than that, shallow assholes. The whole lot.
- The videogame parts. It just didn’t land for me. They weren’t really explored or explained enough in this volume for me to understand why they were there or what they are doing for the story. They mostly seemed like throwaway gags that didn’t help the story at all. I also didn’t read a lot of meaning of them, but maybe I should dig harder.
What I liked
- The fight in the Toronto Reference Library. That was very funny because I’ve spent many hours there and have thought that it would make a good place for an action scene.
- The little captions. The little captions that gave me names and vital stats about the characters were fun. The best was the caption that said “I don’t know this person.” That’s funny.
- The videogame parts. It’s such a good idea. I just wanted to like it more.
So there we have it. Based on what I just said, will Scott and I have a future together?
Maybe try reading the characters differently? I find most of the characters pretty likable, but I’ve been reading most of the things that could be taken as rude as kidding between friends, so I’m basically reading it in a completely different mindset. So yeah, just give them friendlier voices in your head as you read them, and I think things should work out. Trust me.
I think you address your two biggest problems here in your article: reading them out of order and only reading one volume. Volume 1 does a lot to introduce the series, it sets up a lot of things including that Scott is kind of a jerk who needs to be redeemed. Volume 2 does better to start to lay groundwork as to why Scott is kind of a jerk which pays off in volume 3. I’ll admit, I wasn’t won over by the first one I read (in my case, volume 1 was indeed my first) but I was won over by 3. I’d say start from the beginning and read through to the end of volume 3. If you don’t like it by then it just might not be the series for you.
Now, Scott Pilgrim is a jerk, but he’s not a malicious jerk. He’s a jerk who says jerky things cause he thinks they’ll get a laugh or make him sound clever. He’s too powerless to be a real asshole. A real asshole, the kind that people actually hate, is a man with power who bullies and lords it over people. Pilgrim is just a broke wise cracker.
Re: Ramona – I concur. I basically agree with Knives’ assessment.
Alright, folks.
I’ll continue to read about this asshole and his asshole friends. I think Owen’s suggestion is the best, I’ll give it three books.
Leo, I have to disagree from what I’ve read so far about Scott’s jerkynes. I’d say that he’s the kind of asshole who uses the people around him to make him feel better about himself. This is especially true about the women he dates in this volume. And, while that is a super realistic character, I just don’t want to read about him.
I love Scott Pilgrim, I got the first three volumes from the library, voraciously read through them, and then read them all again.
When I read them I see most of the characters as good natured but with that classic sarcastic attitude that’s all the rage with kids these days, plus a basic un-awareness of what’s going on with the people around them… which I COULD fault them for, except I’m of the opinion that since 90% of the people in this world are like that, why should the comic be that much different?
All I know is when the bands drummer (it’s been like five months since reading this stuff, so forgive my lack of name recall) gets kidnapped in the flashback in the second volume, and Scott shows up to save her, and she just yells the glaringly obvious “Scott! This sucks!” I find that kind of stuff hilarious.
Dude, if Scott’s an asshole, you must hang out with glowing celestial trumpeters and drink beers with the fucking Buddha.
Hey man, Miles can’t help it if he hangs out with them celestial trumpeters and whatnot- it’s not his fault they have hypnotic powers!