After four great books it's finally come to this... oh, no this isn't the last book though. However, as of writing this, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe is the latest book to be published, as it originally released back in February of this year (making this the first Scott Pilgrim review that's reasonably on time!).
Story
Like Volume Four, Vs. The Universe takes place after an undisclosed amount of time from the previous book. The story begins with Scott's 24th birthday, and then skips ahead to a party at Julie's new place, where we finally meet "The Twins" (who were hinted about in volume four), a.k.a. the fifth and sixth members of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends. However, this book isn't really about fighting this time around, as it focuses on Scott and Ramona's deteriorating relationship, and a more than dysfunctional Sex Bob-Omb.
Vs. The Universe's story is definitely a step in a new direction for the series, at least it feels like a departure from the action/comedy/romance that the first four issue were. I made a mention last time that drama had been brought into the series, but this time around the concept become more flesh out and is the focus of the book.
Writing
As said above, this fifth book doesn't feature as much of the action and comedy that made the Scott Pilgrim series so appealing in the first place. Instead, it focuses on a struggling relationship between Scott and Ramona, as well how their turmoil seems to be rubbing off on everyone else; I got into the series because it was fun, not because I wanted to feel bad.
That's not to say I hated it, as despite the new direction, the characters still feel just as real, and real people have many emotions. And yes, despite all the drama, there's still some comedy and action to be had, though it just won't seem as abundant.
Artwork
Yet again, when the same guy [Bryan Lee O'Malley] is making a series, this department doesn't seem to change much. But that's not to say there is zero change, after the course of five books, there's a definite appearance change to many of the characters, whether it from stress, or just a sense of style, characters continue to develop and yet still stay as their simple selves.
Also, maybe I it's just me, but a lot of the artwork doesn't seem to go to the end of the page like it used to, instead most have a centimeter white border around them, and I can't say I liked that. The end of the book this time around has a "making of" process by O'Malley, which I actually found pretty interesting as I personally have dabbled in the process of creating a professional style comic book...
Overall
All in all, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe is yet another fine addition to the series, even despite its lack of comedy and action in favor of a more dramatic storyline and writing style. It represents that even as these characters grow, so does the writing, and Vs. The Universe, despite all this, continues to do what the books prior have done: leaving you begging for more. While there's no set release for the sixth and final book, I can at least say I'll be happily (and anxiously) awaiting the day it arrives!
Overall Score: 9/10
Forgot what happened? Check out my reviews for Scott Pilgrim volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4!
For more on Scott Pilgrim visit: scottpilgrim.com
For more on Bryan Lee O'Malley visit: radiomaru.com
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