The third volume of Scott Pilgrim found its way to me yesterday. The previous two volumes have become some of my most prized possessions, and rare among the things I re-read with regularity. I’d be hard pressed to give you just one reason why I like it so much, but if I had to pick I’d say because it’s sweet.

Okay, I cheated. That could read as sweet in an “aww, a bunny” way or sweet in a “totally sweet dude!” way. But Scott Pilgrim is both; it’s a story about relationships and coming to terms with the past and its lurking psychic trauma, and it’s also about over-the top fighting and mystical psychic powers. There’s some magical realism going on, to be sure.

Much of Scott Pilgrim’s vocabulary comes from music and video games. He’s in between jobs – happily unemployed – and the bassist in a probably crappy band called Sex Bob-omb (Tom Jones meets Super Mario Brothers). He’s got a great girlfriend, but has to fight each of her evil ex-boyfriends in turn to keep her. In volume three, Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness, Scott’s already vanquished numbers one and two, but Todd (#3) is harder, as he’s not only a vegan, but also dating Scott’s ex-girlfriend Envy, and Scott gets a little erratic (”even more stupid” is the term used in the book) when she’s near. He’s so not over her.

As Scott battles Todd in this volume, he’s helped by his friends, bandmates, roommate, and helpfully labeled friends of said friends, bandmates and roommate. Scott’s social circle is complex and entirely realistic, except when it’s not – Scott’s sort-of girlfriend Knives Chau, 17 and a self confessed Scottaholic , tends to pop up periodically for impromptu ninja battles.

I envy Scott. I don’t envy the messed up elements of his life, but I do wish that I could apply my Street Fighter II skills to solve problems. I can’t fight my way out of my problems, but I certainly enjoy watching him do it. I also envy (in a good way) Scott’s author, Bryan Lee O’Malley, who is also a very good musician. Sweet.