Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe (Scott Pilgrim's) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In the previous four volumes, our slacker hero got the band together, got a job and got the girl. Now he has to learn how to live with happily ever after and finds that there is no such thing. The previous four volumes of O'Malley's cult hit established the world of Pilgrim, a 24-year-old without any actual skills other than presumed awesomeness. To win the hand of the lovely Ramona Flowers, he must defeat her seven Evil Ex-Boyfriends in video-game style battles that incarnate millennial anxieties over finding love, holding a job and somehow managing to stay cool all at once. This time out, he's got to fight the handsome twins Kyle and Ken Katayanagi who are even more awesome than Scott himself. More importantly, now that he and Ramona are cohabiting, they face danger from the jealousies and insecurities of couplehood. O'Malley's cartooning has gotten better and better, and there are moments of comedy, high action and even poetry, as when Scott and a ball gown–clad Ramona flee an insufferable party in a daring escape. This penultimate chapter of the Scott Pilgrim saga is one of the strongest ones yet and should win new readers in droves, especially with a Pilgrim movie slated for the end of the year. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

Slacker hero and desperate romantic Scott Pilgrim returns in this digest-sized adventure, as usual mixing equal parts sly soap opera and clever postmodernism. This penultimate outing in the hugely popular graphic novel series finds Scott in the thick of a happy relationship with the hard-won Ramona V. Flowers, but troubles arise when past indiscretions come to light, leading to some uncomfortable doubts. At the same time, Scott must face down the latest of Ramona’s evil ex-boyfriends, the robot-controlling twins Kyle K. (“handsome jerk”) and Ken K. (“perfect asshat”). The idea of baby-faced manga characters spouting occasionally obnoxious hipper-than-thou commentary should not be hard for most teens to swallow, and set amidst the entertaining boyfriend battles, the painful break-up conversations—with a high level of insight and a good dose of realism—pack an emotional wallop. Ending on a mysterious note, we are left with things well set up for the final installment and the ultimate showdown between Scott and the last of the evil ex-boyfriends. Grades 11-12. --Jesse Karp

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Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Oni Press (February 18, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934964107
• ISBN-13: 978-1934964101
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,994 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best comic series of the decade, February 15, 2009

By	Jerry Harmon (Portland,OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Scott Pilgrim books are in a class by themselves. There is so much to laugh at in each one but the surprising thing is how much there is that will move you. Even the most minor characters become like old friends when you read this incredible series.

Book 5 is the most serious one yet, dealing with Scott and Ramona settling into life together. My favorite character, Kim Pine, finally gets her chance to shine in this volume. Her actions in the final battle....wow Kim, just wow.

I don't want to give any details for fear of ruining the delight you will get reading it yourself, but there is a cliffhanger that will make you curse the year long wait until the final book that brings the series to a close.

I cannot recommend these books enough. If you are between the ages of 13-45 this is guaranteed to become one of your favorite books. Not to diss the older folks I'm almost 40 myself), all the pop culture references may be lost on those people who weren't raised with a video game console in their house. But there is enough heart in these books for anyone to get a lot of them.

But this book!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The series matures, but is as much fun as ever., February 16, 2009

By	Tom Ian Poe - See all my reviews

Admittedly, for fans of Scott Pilgrim, the previous volumes are hard to top. I, personally, think that the revelation of vegan powers for Todd Ingram will never be equalled. There will be many that find this latest volume a disappointment as the pace seems to slow and the fight scenes take a back seat to real emotional resonance. I disagree and think this downbeat interlude will be essential to the arc of the entire story.

This is Ramona Flowers's volume and from finding out she's changed her hair--we know something has changed, but the mystery of her funk, the return of her glow, and the truth behind her relationship with the series' big bad, Gabriel, is more than enough to keep a reader flipping the pages. This book features the best gag I've seen employing the ubiquitous cell phone camera and does a great job of ratcheting up the dread associated with Scott's upcoming confrontation with Gabriel and the conclusion of the series.

You've gotta read this and the cover is all shiny like its a 90s comic book, too!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cliffhanger!, March 15, 2009

By	Pooneil the Paranoid Android (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

"Scott Pilgrim" is an odd little comic, brilliantly summing up the experience of a generation (that would be Gen Y) in the most appropriate way possible: with rock and roll, superheroes, and video games. I'm about the same age as Scott (he ages slower than I do, sadly) and his situation feels familiar: out of college, going nowhere, and generally trying to find his way. English majors could read in many layers of subtext and symbolism as Scott fights his way through his girlfriend's evil exes and turns his otherwise humdrum little life into an ongoing game, which he has to win to survive.

In the first volume, Scott meets Ramona Flowers, a delivery girl who uses the subspace corridor in Scott's head. He's instantly in love, but it takes a while (until Volume Four) for Ramona to realize she loves him too. He defeats the first four of her evil exes, gaining experience points along the way. One of the most genius moves on the part of Bryan Lee O'Malley, artist and writer, is to make the martial arts duels an ordinary part of everyone's daily lives -- background characters will even express boredom as another fight breaks out in front of them.

Volume Five sets up the final book -- and the long awaited climax with the final boss, Gideon -- with a gut-wrenching cliffhanger. Scott has to fight a pair of twins, but that's secondary to the rocky path his relationship with Ramona has taken. Ramona transcends her initial status as the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl and turns into a complex character who might not be who Scott thinks she is. Mr. O'Malley's artwork is more polished than earlier volumes but just as detailed, and he's getting better and better at capturing gestures and facial expressions in his distinct style. The series always balanced the silly video game influences with the more grounded and serious story of its protagonist, and this book really benefits from a darker mood. Expectations for Volume Six are very, very high.