GN Review -- Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Promise, part I / Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru

If you thought the adventure was over at the end of Avatar: the Last Airbender for Aang and his friends, you'll be happy to know that's no longer the case.  Nickelodeon has gotten the story to continue in graphic novel format, directly continuing the exploits of the characters from the animated series.

In the immediate aftermath of the animated series finale, Aang has defeated Firelord Ozai, and Prince Zuko has ascended to the throne of the Fire Nation.  He and Aang pledge to bring peace to the world, and agree to do so by evacuating the Fire Nation-controlled colonies of the Earth Kingdom--an initiative dubbed "The Harmony Restoration Movement" by Sokka.  In a moment of somber introspection, Zuko asks Aang to keep him in check by "ending" him if Aang sees Zuko turning into the kind of man his father was.  Ironically, it is Zuko's father who has the knowledge of ruling a kingdom and the pressures that come with it, who might be able to guide him through this period, though Zuko refuses to acknowledge it at the time.

The Harmony Restoration Movement is met with much enthusiasm at first, but as we fast-forward a year into the future, we see that things have changed.  The pressures of the throne are getting to Zuko, who hasn't slept soundly for some time, and who barely thwarts an assassination attempt on his life.  When he discovers the assassin is the daughter of one of the governors of an Fire Nation colony in the Earth Kingdom.  He travels to this colony, called Yu Dao, to personally enforce the colony's removal and relocation to the Fire Nation, but then mysteriously reverses his position, summoning Aang and his friends to figure out his true motives.

After a brief spat of violence, the friends calm down and Zuko explains that Yu Dao has deep ties to the Earth Kingdom.  Relocating them to the Fire Nation would break up families, community and business ties that go back much further than either of them had at first realized.  Zuko can't bring himself to allow this.  Aang understands, but also knows that there is enormous pressure for the Harmony Restoration Movement to be successful, so something has to happen.  Agreeing to be present at a summit involving Aang and the Earth King, Zuko returns to the Fire Nation.  In a cliffhanger, he asks his imprisoned father for advice, at which point Ozai smirks confidently.

How I only learned of this book's existence in the last few days is a mystery to me.  I'm a huge fan of the animated series, and was one of the fans howling about the unanswered questions and loose ends left hanging at the series finale.  Where was Zuko's mother?  What would become of the airbenders over the years?  What would become of Ozai?  Also, Gene Yang is a comic book creator whose writing I very much admire.  So, it's a bit of a shock that this volume made it to the public eye without my knowing.

This story feels exactly like the genuine continuation of narrative of Avatar: the Last Airbender that it is.  There are plenty of amusing developments and character moments that remind you how charming, silly, and downright involving this series was, even as it confronts complex issues such as colonial relocation and the pressures of royal power.  Katara and Aang call each other sweetie as they watch each other's backs, much to Sokka's delightfully squeamish disgust.  Toph, who has started a metalbending school, calls her student lily livers and treats them with much of the same hardheadedness she showed towards Aang when he was learning earthbending from her.  It all carries a wonderful recollection of how the animated series felt, and progresses it forward convincingly.

One question that bears asking: where's Azula?  I know she's effectively out of commission, but there were so many guest reappearances that I'm surprised she didn't even rate a mention.  Hopefully we'll see her in part II of this story.

Artistically, I very much enjoyed this story as well.  It was done in much the same style as the series, and almost felt like one could have been taking stills from an animated episode and using them as panels for the comic. I know it's not the case, and perhaps the art isn't quite up to the animation's standards, but it's still good enough to really feel like you're almost watching an episode.  Almost.

Overall, I think fans of the series will be very happy to see continuations of that era's stories.  I'm personally overjoyed to see Gene Yang writing the script, and feel he's brought a great story to life in The Promise.  I'm eager to see more, and I know Avatar: the Last Airbender fans are as well.  Highly recommended.

What's the Best Superpower? part I: It's Not Just About the Powers

Thanks to this article on Comicvine, I've spent the last couple of days thinking of my own consistent answer to the question all comic book geeks ask, debate, and fight over.  Put succinctly, which comic book power is the best?

Of course, with the question phrased in such an open-ended manner, it's very easy to argue endlessly about which power is better than that power, and why it would trump or be trumped by that power over there.  It's one of the things that make superhero comics such a joy to read and discuss with others, since the possibilities are virtually endless.  Some powers work better under particular conditions than others, and various settings and environments can make a huge difference.

"I'm kind of useless on a hot, dry day!"

Let's use Bobby Drake, the Iceman, as an example.  He has the mutant ability to pull moisture from the surrounding air, convert it to frozen solid water (you know, ice), and utilize ice in various ways: armor, projectiles, ice slides, and so on.  It's a pretty cool power--pun intended--but what happens in less than ideal conditions?

I'm sure Bobby will be fine for battle on a cold day or a during the regular span of temperatures, but what happens when things get abnormally hot?  What if he has to do battle in Hell, or the Stygian abyss of Mephisto's realm (arguably the same as Hell) or Houston, Texas in August (also arguably the same as Hell).  I don't know if it's purely psychological, or if there is a temperature threshold at which Bobby's ice powers simply start to impair, but it's an issue that's caused him more than one moment of doubt as an X-Man over the years.

So, we know ice powers aren't flawless.  Technically, no power is.  It's all in how you use them, and how smart you are about it.

Avatar: the Last Airbender supported this theory by showing that no bending element was superior to another.  It all depended on the bender's particular mastery of their element, how smart they were about fighting with it, and the skill of the opposing bender.

"Power in firebending comes from the breath,
not the muscle!"

Prince Zuko, who turned out to be an excellent firebender by the series' end, is a prime example of this.  He was not a smart fighter when we see him at the beginning of season one: he wastes energy on over-large movements, doesn't focus on his breath control, and expends energy by depending on his temper.  Eventually he becomes a more efficient fighter, learning the value of hitting an opponent's weak points with a relatively little energy.  By the time he takes on Aang as a firebending pupil, he's learned a good deal of control, both internal and external, over his abilities, and truly is one of the better firebenders out there.

I make these points to illustrate that, oftentimes, powers alone aren't going to decide the outcome of a battle.  It's simply not going to be the only factor, nor even necessarily the most important one.  Environment, opponent awareness and your own resourcefulness are going to have huge, and often decisive effects on any super-powered brawl.

Which is why I must respectfully disagree with G-Man's answer in the article linked above.  Super-intellect, which is his choice for best power, does not necessarily cover sound tactical and strategic thinking.  It covers science smarts, amassed knowledge, and ability to apply those things in a practical way to aid in a fight.  Is it useful?  Very definitely, but it certainly does not guarantee that whoever has it will always be a smart fighter.  I would posit that what G-Man actually means to be a power is actually a learnable skill, one that many people with lower IQs than Reed Richards or Hank Pym have learned and used against them in combat.

Captain America has this skill.  Emma Frost has this skill.  Hell, we've recently seen Spider-Man take this skill and use it in conjunction with his own high intellect to whip up armor, tech, and gadgets to combat the Sinister Six, but he also regularly applies it in combat as well.

I think this particular skill--we'll call it tactical cognition--is something that is learnable by all super-powered individuals, usually through direct combat experience.  Furthermore, it is something that is virtually indispensable to a hero's continued survival.  This is a skill that is needed by all superheroes no matter what other powers and abilities they have, though to what degree they would need it would often depend on their role in a given situation.  I definitely don't consider it the same as super-intellect.

Hmm.  I've started out asking one question, and seem to have veered into a multi-part answer.  Next time I address this, I'll set some ground rules for selecting a power.  For now, just keep in mind that the powers themselves aren't the only part of the equation, and not even necessarily the most important factor.  Smarts, environment, resourcefulness, and probably a lot of other factors I've failed to mention can influence or even decide a battle.  

It isn't just about what powers you're packin', True Believers.  That point, to me, is probably the most important part of the answer to this question.

GN Review -- Avatar the Last Airbender: The Lost Adventures / Various writers and artists

If you enjoyed the Nickelodeon cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender a few years ago as much as you loathed that live-action movie it inspired, then you truly must check out this collection of stories that take place "between" the television episodes. The Lost Adventures features the off-screen adventures of Aang and the gang as they continue their quest to beat the Fire Nation and end the century-long war afflicting their world. The strips were originally featured in Nickelodeon magazines, and are written and drawn by a number of writers and artists, some of whom worked on the show.

Like the show, some of the stories are remarkably poignant, and appeal well beyond its target demographic of young boys. One story in particular, "Relics," depicts how Aang nearly falls into a Fire Nation trap that plays on the desires of any remaining Airbender's longing to see artifacts or environments reminding them of their old homes in the mountains. Though Aang escapes unharmed, he muses at the end of the story that, probably, several Airbenders probably were lured into their trap as he almost was. It's a sad and humbling realization for a boy who's lost his people, and brings home the idea that, while this show was ostensibly about the kids and their adventures, there are themes in it that can resonate with anyone.

As with the cartoon, the best stories are the ones that give its characters a chance to shine. Other noteworthy stories included "Going Home Again," depicting Azula at her scheming best as she manipulates her brother Prince Zuko into returning with her to the Fire Nation. It also sets up the rekindling romance between Zuko and Mai, who are simply an item at the start of the show's final season. "Swordbending" is a highly amusing romp showing Sokka in his element as the comic relief and clever out-thinker of the group as he challenges Zuko to a swordfighting duel he's destined to lose... somewhat. Finally, there is "Dirty Is Only Skin Deep," which features Katara and Toph arguing and engaging in a brief earthbending-waterbending duel. It's always fun to watch those two clash, in both senses.

Art-wise, with a couple of exceptions, this collection is almost completely like seeing the cartoon directly transcribed into comic book format. Given the number of contributors that worked on the stories, that's pretty remarkable. Even the ones that strayed the furthest visually were still recognizably consistent with the show, you just noticed that they weren't quite on target. For some people, this might be an issue, but for me it's really not; different artists have different styles, and to expect everyone to do the same would be ridiculous.

The Lost Adventures is a good read, but it's definitely intended as a treat for the fans, who long to see more about their heroes that the show didn't have time to depict. It might not resonate as strongly with anyone unfamiliar with the TV show, though I believe some stories will hold up just fine on their own. Overall, I highly recommend for fans of the show, and give a solid recommendation for non-fans looking for a collection of short graphic stories to read.