Come On Pilgrim: Eight Comic Book Musical Acts That Are Ready for the Big Screen

(Oh, and you might've heard that the series is getting the big-screen treatment from Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright. You can check it out Aug. 13.)

While the heart of the Scott Pilgrim series firmly resides with the title character's romantic/heroic quest to defeat the seven ex-boyfriends of the enigmatic Ramona Flowers, the comedic center is definitely Scott's band, Sex Bob-omb. They're not very good. The members, though friends, bicker among each other. They have a handful of fans (mostly friends and family). But for some reason, you'd still be inclined to book them for your next house party. Kind of the same feeling you'd get after seeing the fictional Flight of the Conchords peform.

So if Scott Pilgrim and the members of Sex Bob-omb get a movie, what other comic book musical acts are ready for their cinematic debuts? Here's my list of eight candidates who are ready for their close-ups.

​Who The bass-playing punk rocker of Jaime Hernandez's Love and Rockets stories. She's rude, rough and rowdy, someone who does what she wants and doesn't care what people think. Follow Hopey's wild ride through SoCal's punk scene in the 1980s, and at the same time, watch the ups and downs of her relationship with friend/sometimes lover Maggie.

Elevator pitch Think The Runaways and Decline of Western Civilization Part 1 for Latinas. 

​Who Political hip-hop artist who also happens to be a voodoo houngan and member of the Invisibles, a secret organization of change agents out to destroy the authorities keeping humanity down. Just another weirdly fascinating character in Grant Morrison's sprawling The Invisibles series.  

Elevator pitch Think Notorious meets Enemy of the State with a bit of The Matrix and Harry Potter mixed in. If Harry Potter had a lot of gory violence, voodoo and sex.  

​Who Britain's only pop music star superhero, Zenith (which was serialized in 2000 A.D., and written by Grant Morrison with art by Steve Yeowell) is more concerned with staying at the top of the charts than helping people out. Of course, that doesn't mean he won't try to stop an extra-dimensional invasion or find out the secret behind the UK's old superhuman military project.

Elevator pitch Think Hancock meets Spider-Man, starring Robbie Williams. 

​Who They're a rock band, but they also travel the world, defeating bad guys and averting disasters for the CIA (unbeknown to the band). Plus, the band is accompanied by a magical luchador genie named El Campeon.

Elevator pitch What if the Scooby-Doo gang were a rock band and instead of taking down shifty land owners, the members fought Killer Vampire Robots? Oh, and instead of a dog, the gang had a mystical Mexican wrestler.

​Who The Richmond, Va., band featured in Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly's Local #3. In that issue, the band has broken up after 15 successful years, and its members have returned to their hometown where we see how they're acclimating to this new phase in life. Will they get back together for a reunion? Are the emotional scars too great? Will some of the members have fulfilling solo careers? Who will self-destruct?

Elevator pitch Think of a modern-day sequel to Almost Famous.

​Who Real-life musician and cartoonist behind American Elf and Superf*ckers. His band, James Kochalka Superstar, has recorded nine albums, and its song "Britney's Silver Can" was named one of the best songs of 2006 by Rolling Stone. What's it like to balance a successful career as a cartoonist and that of an up-and-coming rock star? 

Elevator pitch Think of a documentary that's This Is Spinal Tap meets King of Kong.

​Who Before he was an occult con man and mage, John Constantine (of Hellblazer and Swamp Thing fame) was the front man for a 1970s punk band. The band doesn't last long thanks to Constantine recruiting the members--and other friends--to help save a young girl from a demonic possession. Things go wrong, and the girl is horrifically killed, which sends Constantine to an asylum with a nervous breakdown. 

Elevator pitch Think Sid and Nancy and The Filth and the Fury meets The Exorcist (and don't you even mention the Keanu Reeves-dud Constantine).

Who A two-bit criminal with a disco music motif who used his hypnotic goggles and hypnotic back-up singers, the Mercy Killers, to steal from club owners and audiences. Spider-Man stopped him during a gig. But what happens after that? How does a stupid criminal with a dated gimmick survive during the last days of disco?

Elevator pitch Think 54 and Saturday Night Fever meets Bottle Rocket.