Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. The 2005 Nickelodeon cartoon tells the story of Aang, a boy with the power to bend the elements to his will, as he and his friends try to end a century-long war. Although it is ostensibly a children’s show, Avatar: The Last Airbender has amazing character depth and deals with the realities of trauma, loss, and war. I love the show a lot, and I recommend it to anyone of any age.
Although Avatar ended after three seasons, the story continues in the form of comics from Dark Horse Books. These comics have original story concepts by the series’ creators, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. They are all very good, seeming just like more episodes of the show. If you’re a fan who wants to give the comics a try, but doesn’t know where to begin, this guide will give you all the information you need to jump right in. These comics build off one another, so they’re best read in order. Full spoilers for the show are within, so be warned if you haven’t finished it yet.
ATLA: The Promise by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
The majority of the ATLA comics are written by Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese, New Super-Man) and drawn by the art team of Gurihiru. This is their first work together, taking place immediately following the conclusion of the TV show. The Promise centers around Zuko’s first days as Fire Lord and how the throne affects his friendship with Aang. The Promise explores a lot of social themes like colonization, imperialism, and the blending of the Four Nations’ cultures that would play such a huge role in Legend of Korra. Despite the presence of serious themes, the show’s trademark humor is fully present here as well. Yang does an excellent job of writing dialogue that captures the unique voices of the characters. You can practically hear the words jumping off the page and into your ears. No ATLA fan will be disappointed by this comic.
ATLA: The Search by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
In a story hinted at in the ATLA finale, Zuko begins to look for the truth surrounding his mother’s disappearance. In order to find her, he enlists the help of his insane sister Azula, who joins Team Avatar until they complete the quest. This story is another home run. Zuko’s mother Ursa was one of the most mysterious parts of the show, and this comic sheds light on her background, how she ended up married to Fire Lord Ozai, and what she had to do to protect her children. It also heavily features the mystical and terrifying Spirit Realm. The only knock on The Search is that Toph isn’t in it.
ATLA: The Rift by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
The Rift refers to several things in this comic. It refers to the rift between humanity and the Spirit Realm, which Aang must try to mend with the help of his Air Nomad predecessor, Avatar Yangchen. It also refers to the rift that develops between Aang and Toph, as Aang clings to the traditions of the past and Toph seeks progress at tradition’s expense. There are other rifts in The Rift, both literal and metaphorical, that I won’t spoil here. This comic takes a nuanced look at friendship and family. It’s sad, wonderful, and very moving.
ATLA: Smoke and Shadow by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
Smoke and Shadow deals with the de-Ozai-fication of the Fire Nation. It’s not a smooth transition, as many Firebenders are opposed to Zuko’s peaceful reign and want to bring back to warring imperialism of his father. Team Avatar has to fight to prevent deception and espionage from tearing apart the new Fire Nation. This is an interesting look at day-to-day life in the Fire Nation, and it focuses a lot on Mai and Ty Lee. This is one of my favorites, with a lot of cool plot twists.
ATLA: North and South by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
Katara and Sokka return to the South Pole, and find a burgeoning city in the place of the Southern Water Tribe’s old igloos and villages. It’s cool (get it?) to return to the setting of ATLA’s first episodes, and it allows for some great artwork of the frozen landscape. This one, the last of Yang and Gurihiru’s ATLA comics so far, continues to explore themes like colonialism in a really deep way.
ATLA: Imbalance by Faith Erin Hicks and Peter Wartman
For this comic, the new team of writer Faith Erin Hicks and artist Peter Wartman take over. This story look less exactly like an episode of the show, but it has a really expressive art style with a unique approach to coloring. Imbalance subtly foreshadows a lot of the themes of Legend of Korra, such as the development of Republic City as a home for all Four Nations and conflict between Benders and Non-Benders. Out of all the ATLA comics, this one embraces the comic medium the most, and I hope Hicks and Wartman make more in this style.
Bonus: The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales
The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales are two anthologies, collecting various short stories about the adventures of Team Avatar. The Lost Adventures collects a lot of comics from Nickelodeon magazine and DVD sets from ATLA’s original run. Team Avatar Tales collects newer stories, mostly from Free Comic Book Day releases. Both are really fun collections that do a great job of capturing the Avatar sense of humor.
This concludes my look at the ATLA comics. I left out the Legend of Korra comics, mainly because I haven’t read them yet, but I definitely might publish another article about them in the future. If you’re interested in reading any of these comics, they’re all available online for purchase. I also recommend getting them through your local library, or interlibrary loan. Now if you’ll excuse me, reading all these comics has made me watch to rewatch the show, so I’ve got some Avatar to watch.