These books will aid you in defeating evil ex’s…or something. Let’s do this. Fight!

5. Phonogram – The Singles Club

Bryan Lee O’Malley does a fantastic job of incorporating an interest in indie music into the volumes of Scott Pilgrim. In fact, the starring character takes his name from the title of a Plumtree song. The short-lived Image series Phonogram one ups Scott Pilgrim in music cred. The second, all-color series The Singles Club is presented as a 45′ club where every issue is an individual story of music and romance. Plus, if you don’t get the references the series comes complete with an expansive musical glossary.

4. Strugglers

The popular coming of age story Strugglers from leading gay cartoonist Tim Fish is set right here in St. Louis, MO. The story’s trio of lead characters eat Imo’s Pizza, read the RFT best of issue, and hang out at the Way Out Club, all while complaining about the struggles of young adulthood. This is perfect for fans of Scott Pilgrim’s cool gay roommate Wallace Wells.

3. Solanin

What’s reassuring about Solanin is that Scott Pilgrim’s twenty-something blues is a universal struggle. Meiko’s post-graduate life isn’t everything she thought it would be, but instead of keeping her boring desk job she quits and starts from scratch. Though she doesn’t battle evil ex’s like a Street Fighter tournament, Meiko could easily be mistaken for Scott Pilgrim’s high school girlfriend Knives Chau.

2. Street Angel

There is no other comic that gets as close to Scott Pilgrim’s mash-up, pop culture freak-out as Jim Rugg’s Street Angel. The title character is a 12 year old homeless girl named Jesse Sanchez, or bettered described in the Stan Lee presents-esque introduction, “Orphaned by the world, raised by the streets… Jesse Sanchez is a dangerous martial artist and the world’s greatest homeless skateboarder. She fights ninjas, drugs, nepotism, and pre-Algebra as Street Angel.” The importance of her Skateboard resembles Evil Ex Lucas Lee’s Mithril Skateboard power-up.

1. Lost At Sea

There really is no better book to read after Scott Pilgrim than Bryan Lee O’Malley’s earlier graphic novel Lost At Sea. A similar coming of age story, Lost at Sea follows Raleigh as she searches for her lost soul she believes was stolen by a cat. Her quest takes her on a cross-country road-trip with complete strangers, something many kids find themselves doing after high school. Though not quite as surreal and outrageous as Scott Pilgrim, Lost At Sea is key to watching O’Malley develop his signature style.

Honorable Mention: Scud The Disposable Assassin.

If you read all of these you will gain 100 Exp. Points!

-Jon

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