Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1 Preview – Bryan Lee O’Malley Returns to Scott Pilgrim
Bryan Lee O’Malley returns to the world of Scott Pilgrim with a brand-new one-shot prequel tied directly to the upcoming Scott Pilgrim EX video game.
Scott Pilgrim is back.
On November 11, 2026, multiple Eisner Award winner Bryan Lee O’Malley returns to the universe he created with Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1, a new 24-page, full-color one-shot from Oni Press featuring a complete 16-page prequel story and previously unseen bonus material.
Written, illustrated, and covered by O’Malley, Dawn of Metal Scott marks his first new Scott Pilgrim comic story since the conclusion of the bestselling original series.
That alone makes this one-shot a major event for longtime fans.
But this is more than a return to familiar characters.
The comic serves as a direct prequel to the Scott Pilgrim EX video game, setting up a new adventure for Scott, Ramona, and the extended cast after the chaos surrounding Ramona’s Seven Evil Exes has finally settled down.
At least, that peace was supposed to last.
According to Oni Press’ official announcement, a new threat is beginning to emerge — and Scott and Ramona may once again find themselves dragged into something much bigger than either of them expected.
Bryan Lee O’Malley Returns to Scott Pilgrim
For Scott Pilgrim fans, the biggest story here is simple:
Bryan Lee O’Malley is making new Scott Pilgrim comics again.
The original series became one of the defining independent comics of the 2000s, combining romance, video-game logic, music culture, comedy, action, and emotionally messy twenty-something relationships into something that felt completely its own.
Scott’s story eventually expanded far beyond comics.
The series inspired Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the cult-favorite 2010 film directed by Edgar Wright, multiple video-game adaptations, and the animated Scott Pilgrim Takes Off series.
Now O’Malley is returning to the page for a new story connected to the next major interactive chapter of the franchise.
That gives Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1 an unusual position.
It is simultaneously a new comic, a video-game prequel, and a continuation of a franchise that has never been particularly interested in following conventional rules about continuity.
Scott and Ramona Have Finally Found Some Peace
The setup begins from an unexpectedly stable place.
Scott met Ramona.
They fell for each other.
Scott fought his way through Ramona’s Seven Evil Exes.
Gideon Gordon Graves was defeated.
And after years of complications spread across different media, Scott and Ramona have apparently managed something that once seemed nearly impossible:
A relatively normal relationship.
Even the Exes have seemingly moved forward from their unhealthy obsessions.
Oni Press has a little fun with the franchise’s increasingly complicated continuity, acknowledging that plenty of other things have happened across various media formats that may or may not technically count as canon.
That self-aware attitude feels completely appropriate for Scott Pilgrim.
Instead of spending pages trying to reconcile every version of the story, Dawn of Metal Scott appears ready to move forward.
Scott and Ramona are together.
The Exes have moved on.
Life has been peaceful.
Naturally, that means everything is about to go wrong.
A New Threat Is Coming
The most intriguing part of the premise is what comes next.
After an extended period without a world-threatening romantic crisis, a new threat begins to emerge.
Oni Press is keeping many of the specifics under wraps, which is probably the right decision.
Scott Pilgrim stories have always benefited from revealing increasingly absurd threats as the story develops, and the title itself — Dawn of Metal Scott — strongly suggests that O’Malley has another strange twist waiting for readers.
The cover gives fans their first major clue.
Scott stands face-to-face with a mechanical-looking counterpart sporting a similar hairstyle, large metallic components, and a design that immediately evokes the exaggerated boss encounters and alternate-character concepts that have always fit naturally within Scott Pilgrim’s video-game-inspired universe.
Whether this new Metal Scott is a duplicate, rival, weapon, corrupted version, or something considerably stranger remains part of the fun.
But one thing seems certain:
Scott is going to have to fight again.
The Perfect Bridge Into Scott Pilgrim EX
The new comic is specifically described as a prequel to the upcoming Scott Pilgrim EX video game.
That makes Dawn of Metal Scott more than a promotional curiosity.
The one-shot appears designed to establish story material that will feed directly into the game.
For players planning to jump into Scott Pilgrim EX, this could become the ideal starting point.
Rather than opening the game without context, readers will have the opportunity to see what disrupts Scott and Ramona’s peaceful life and potentially learn where the game’s newest threat originates.
It is also an effective way to reunite fans with the characters before the game arrives.
Scott Pilgrim has always been uniquely suited to crossing between comics and games because video-game mechanics were embedded in the DNA of the series from the beginning.
Characters gain experience.
Enemies explode into coins.
Fights operate like boss battles.
Weapons, extra lives, statistics, and other gaming concepts can exist alongside conversations about rent, relationships, jobs, and emotional baggage without anyone finding it particularly unusual.
Turning a comic directly into the narrative runway for a new video game therefore feels less like corporate synergy and more like Scott Pilgrim returning to familiar territory.
A Full Bryan Lee O’Malley Production
Another major reason this release stands out is the creative setup.
Bryan Lee O’Malley handles the writing, artwork, and cover.
That gives the one-shot the unmistakable visual and narrative identity associated with the original graphic novels.
For a franchise that has been interpreted by different creative teams across animation, movies, and games, there is something particularly appealing about seeing O’Malley return directly to Scott and Ramona.
His artwork has always been essential to the tone of the series.
The expressive character designs can move instantly from understated conversations to enormous action sequences.
A simple reaction can become a punchline.
A relationship argument can exist alongside a supernatural battle.
That visual language helped make Scott Pilgrim recognizable almost immediately, and the new cover suggests O’Malley is comfortably stepping back into that world.
The Cover Feels Like Classic Scott Pilgrim
The main cover for Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1 immediately communicates what kind of experience readers should expect.
Scott faces what appears to be his metallic counterpart against a stark black background, while the surrounding design uses colorful geometric accents and deliberately retro typography.
The layout has the feeling of a vintage game package crossed with an alternative-comics release.
That combination fits Scott Pilgrim almost perfectly.
The enormous SCOTT PILGRIM EX logo immediately establishes the video-game connection, while the confrontation between Scott and Metal Scott provides a clear visual hook without giving away the story.
For collectors, the fact that the cover is also drawn by O’Malley adds another reason to consider the issue.
More Than Just the 16-Page Story
The one-shot runs 24 pages, with the central Dawn of Metal Scott prequel accounting for 16 pages.
Oni Press is also promising never-before-seen extras.
Exactly what those extras will include has not been fully detailed, but the additional material gives longtime fans another incentive to pick up the physical issue rather than treating the release only as a short game tie-in.
That added material could be especially interesting given the length of time since O’Malley last produced a new Scott Pilgrim comic story.
Scott Pilgrim Continues to Reinvent Itself
Few comic properties have moved between formats as comfortably as Scott Pilgrim.
The original graphic novels established the characters.
The movie reinterpreted the story.
The game transformed the battles into literal side-scrolling action.
The animated series deliberately challenged expectations about how the original story should unfold.
Now Scott Pilgrim EX and Dawn of Metal Scott are creating another version of what comes next.
That flexibility has helped keep the franchise relevant.
Scott Pilgrim does not need to be locked into one perfect timeline.
The characters and concepts are strong enough to support alternate interpretations, unexpected continuations, and stories that openly acknowledge how weird their own continuity has become.
That is precisely why O’Malley returning now feels exciting instead of unnecessary.
There is still room to do something strange with these characters.
Comic Book Addicts Has Been Following Scott Pilgrim EX
Comic Book Addicts previously covered the announcement of Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott, including the return of Bryan Lee O’Malley and the one-shot’s connection to the upcoming game.
Readers who want to revisit that announcement can check out our earlier coverage of Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott from Oni Press.
With the November release approaching, this new one-shot is shaping up to be one of the more interesting late-2026 releases for Scott Pilgrim fans.
Why You Should Pick Up Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1
There are several reasons this one-shot deserves attention:
- Bryan Lee O’Malley returns to Scott Pilgrim comics
- O’Malley writes and draws the complete story
- It serves as a direct prequel to the Scott Pilgrim EX video game
- Scott and Ramona return as a couple
- A mysterious new threat enters their lives
- The issue features a complete 16-page prequel story
- Never-before-seen bonus material is included
- The main cover is also illustrated by O’Malley
- It offers longtime fans a completely new Scott Pilgrim story
For readers who grew up with the original graphic novels, that first point may be enough.
Bryan Lee O’Malley is returning to Scott Pilgrim.
Everything else is a bonus.
Book Details
Title: Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1
Publisher: Oni Press
Writer: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Artist: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Cover Artist: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Format: One-Shot
Story Length: 16-page Dawn of Metal Scott prequel plus extras
Pages: 24
Format: Full Color
Cover Price: $3.99
Final Order Cutoff: October 19, 2026
Release Date: November 11, 2026
For additional details about the release and its connection to the new game, visit Oni Press’ official Scott Pilgrim EX announcement.
Final Thoughts
Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1 is shaping up to be far more than a standard video-game tie-in.
The biggest draw is the return of Bryan Lee O’Malley, writing and illustrating a completely new Scott Pilgrim comic for the first time since the original series concluded.
That alone gives the release historical weight for fans.
But the connection to Scott Pilgrim EX makes it even more interesting.
Scott and Ramona have survived evil exes, relationship chaos, alternate interpretations, and multiple forms of media.
Now they have finally found some peace.
Which, in Scott Pilgrim logic, means it is probably the perfect time for a dangerous metallic version of Scott to show up and ruin everything.
Whatever Metal Scott turns out to be, November suddenly looks a lot more interesting.
Join the Discussion
Are you picking up Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott #1?
Are you excited to see Bryan Lee O’Malley creating a new Scott Pilgrim comic?
What do you think Metal Scott actually is?
And will you be playing Scott Pilgrim EX when the new game arrives?
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