Graphic Novel Review: Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 1, by Gene Luen Yang & Gurihiru

Yang, Gene Luen & Gurihiru. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise, Part 1. 80 p. Dark Horse. 2012. Paperback $10.99. ISBN 9781595828118.

After my enthusiastic review of Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures, you can guess I'm a fan of this franchise, right? In case you're new to it, believe the hype. With solid storytelling, incredible worldbuilding, an epic good versus evil plot, and characters you'll grow to love, it's an animated series you don't want to miss.

This graphic novel, written by Printz-award winning author Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by Japanese illustration team Gurihiru, picks up right where the original series leaves off, and retains the feel of the show exquisitely. To be honest, I was quite giddy to read this! It was like catching up with a long-lost friend.

The writing has pretty much everything a fan could hope for: fast-paced action, laugh-out-loud one-liners, and demonstration of true bonds between the characters. The dialogue leaps off the page as if spoken by the original voice actors. There's a little bit of aww-inducing romance that I found absolutely adorable-- but since the relationships in this series are a hotly debated issue, I'll point out that those who don't care for the romance will be mollified as one character freaks out every time the others display affection for each other, to hilarious effect.

Almost all of the characters we know and love all get a chance to shine here-- although I wouldn't mind seeing more of Uncle Iroh in subsequent volumes! And with two more parts to this story, I'm confident we'll get our Iroh fix.

The art is outstanding, with rich colors and lively facial expressions. And the backdrops! Some of the panels simply made me pause to admire their gorgeousness-- a Fire Nation colony in the Earth Kingdom struck me as particularly spectacular.

I can't recommend this volume highly enough to Avatar fans. If you liked the show, you'll definitely want to read this.

Avatar: The Last Airbender -  The Promise, Part 1 comes out on January 25th. ARC for review provided by Dark Horse Books via NetGalley.

And!! We're interviewing Gene Luen Yang on the Authors are ROCKSTARS! podcast this Friday, January 20. If you have any questions for Gene, please comment here and we'll do our best to ask them on your behalf!

Graphic Novel Review: Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures

Konieztko, Bryan & DiMartino, Michael Dante. Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures. 240 p. Dark Horse. 2011. Paperback $14.99. ISBN 9781595827487.

Whenever a kid asks me if the library has any Avatar books, my response is, "The Last Airbender one, or the blue cat people one?" And I know librarians are supposed to be impartial about information requests and all, but... okay, confession time: I'm always a little disappointed if it turns out to be the blue cat people one. Don't they KNOW how awesome Avatar: The Last Airbender is? I mean, guys. It is REALLY awesome.

My Avatar preference being obvious, you can guess I was totally excited to get an early look at the Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures graphic novel. It contains twenty-eight stories, some original and some that were previously published in Nickelodeon Magazine. Since I was late to the Avatar party and never read the Nick Magazine stories in the first place, it was all new to me. Score!

The bulk of the stories are brief vignettes, no more than two to four pages long, meant to induce a chuckle. Several stories are longer, with more involved plotlines, heavier on the action or character development. All stories are set during the original animated series, filling in missing moments.

In keeping with the multilayered feel of the original animated series, many of the stories in this graphic novel are lighthearted and endearing, while others touch upon darker themes. There's a little romance, a good amount of humor, and plenty of action, making for a charming collection on the whole. Some of the art is a little uneven as the stories are drawn by different artists, but it's generally of high quality, with wonderfully rich colors.

A few of the standout stories include:

• "Relics," a heartbreaking story where Aang finds out how the Fire Nation wiped out a few remaining Airbenders.
• "Going Home Again," in which we find out more about the relationship between Zuko and Mai.
• "The Bridge," a story from Katara's point of view that shows the events that took place between the TV show's second and third seasons.
• "Swordbending," which is rife with hilarious Sokka and Zuko interaction and great visual gags.
• "Dragon Days," for the flashback appearance of Aang's Fire Nation friend, Kuzon, who was referenced often but never seen in the show.

So many good stories... I could go on and on, really. I think I was smiling the whole time I was reading-- well, except for the parts that were meant to be sad, I mean! This graphic novel is a true treat for any fan of the animated series. Only drawback? I feel it needs more Uncle Iroh. But then, can we ever really get enough of Uncle Iroh? Tea and sage advice, please!

Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Lost Adventures will be available in stores everywhere on July 27th. ARC for review provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Graphic Novel Review: Page by Paige, by Laura Lee Gulledge

Gulledge, Laura Lee. Page by Paige. 192 p. Amulet Books. 2011. Hardcover $18.95. ISBN 9780810997219.

Being the new girl in town is hard. In this charming graphic novel, sixteen-year-old Paige has moved from Virginia to New York in the middle of a school year, and isn't sure she's going to like it at all. A budding artist, she buys a sketchbook to help cope with the changes. While Paige navigates her new surroundings, the reader is treated to inventive visuals as she illustrates what's going on inside her mind- for example, taking mental snapshots of scenes around the city and filing them away in a cabinet that extends from the back of her head for artistic inspiration. As Paige faces her own weaknesses and challenges herself to open up to others, she discovers that self-doubt is universal, even among her cool new friends in the city, and learns that everyone needs a little help and encouragement.

Anyone who's ever felt like a fish out of water, anyone who's ever felt like they don't measure up, anyone who's ever felt alone will relate to Paige. She is so fully realized, with all of her teenage highs and lows, it makes you want to cheer when she ultimately works up the courage to share her art with the world. With appealing black-and-white art, sympathetic characters, and a plot that will feel familiar to any teen (or those who have already endured the teen years!), Laura Lee Gulledge has crafted an utterly heartwarming story about a girl finding her place in the world.

Look for Page by Paige in bookstores starting May 1, 2011. ARC for review provided by the publisher.