MANGA ROM-COM

Scott Pilgrim is a 23-year-old slacker with no money, no job and no hope of getting either. Luckily, in the tradition of classic gen X wastrels he is totally irresistible, which is why the mysterious Ramona Flowers fell in love with him after rollerskating through his mind. But before they can live happily ever after she has seven evil exes who must be defeated, beat-’em-up computer game stylee, over the course of six books to be released over several years.

In this fourth visitation to Canadian cartoonist O’Malley’s idiosyncratic universe, retro gaming in-jokes, pop culture references and knowing asides pepper the mix of comedy, emotion, wackiness and genuine character depth without ever becoming twee. He may not have a lantern jaw and a cape but it would require a heart of pure stone to remain immune to the charms of this too-cute-for-school hipster anti-hero.