[DH Comics #1] The Promise, Part 1

[NeeNee]

Dark Horse Comics has released the first volume of their Avatar the Last Airbender Graphic Novel series: http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/18-604/Avatar-The-Last-Airbender-Volume-1-The-Promise-Part-1-TPB.

This series of digests rejoins Aang and friends for exciting new adventures, beginning with a faceoff against the Fire Nation that threatens to throw the world into another war, testing all of Aang's powers and ingenuity!

The continuation of Avatar: The Last Airbender and the link to its upcoming sequel, Legend of Korra.

The Promise was written by writer/artist/creator Gene Luen Yang and illustrated by the creative team GuriHiru (illustrator Sasaki, Colorist Kawano).

This thread is for members' opinions & discussion about the story. For profesional reviews, see The Promise [1, 2, and 3] Official Reviews. For questions on release dates and buying the books, see A:TLA Graphic Novels in the Marketplace. For Part 2 and other comics that might still be coming in the future, see The Promise- Part 2 Speculation and Future Avatar Comics.

Everything clear? Go!

[somethingmysterious]

So when's it coming out? I hate to be the pooper here but I need to put it on my calender.

[Ubern00b]

Whelp my opinion aint changed since the leak.

Didn't like it.

[srebak]

I just saw the other spoiler pages of the book and i have to say, based on what i've seen, i have to know, who's in the right?


Is Aang right for wanting to go through with their original plan to restore balance

or

Is Zuko right for not wanting to remove what his nation has worked so hard to achieve


Also, it sounded like Katara was starting to agree with Zuko.

[ElMariachi]

^ That's the trick : both are in the right and in the wrong at the same time, that's why it's so complicated to find a solution!
As for Katara, I think it's more that as she has an "external point of view" (she's not EK or FN, and don't have the pressure of having to restore balance to the world as Aang has), she can see how complicated the situation is, and how both Zuko and Aang had valid arguments.

[Breakfast at Tophs]

I liked it, didn't love it.  I thought Aang's promise to Zuko could have gone on anther page, but I thought about it more and  wondered if Aang took time to think about the promise and what it meant he never would have agreed to it, they only way he could have if it was a rushed decision, or maybe I'm over thinking it.
I do like both Aang and Zuko are both right and wrong.  Aang is more concerned about the world as a whole, while Zuko is more concerned about the individuals.  Both have valid points.

[nahgem]

I'm largely happy with it so far. It's just the first part of the whole arc, so I won't be able to properly judge until it's all over, but I'm also generally happy with canon as it's presented in most of my fandoms. Colonization is a difficult subject to deal with, and I'm just pleased that media geared toward kids is willing to even touch it (then again, ATLA was partially about the aftereffects of genocide so I shouldn't be that surprised). I thought Gene Yang did a good job capturing the characters' ways of speaking, and Gurihiru's art has really grown on me; there were panels where I could hear the ATLA soundtrack playing in my head as I read.

I think my biggest criticism is the pacing. Some of transitions between flashbacks and time-skips seem really abrupt -- particularly the part where we jump from Zuko and Kori's fight to dropping her off in the city. I'd have liked a couple of panels to show her actually getting captured and Zuko's intent to return her to the Yu Dao. (Also, Kori travelling from Yu Dao all the way to the Fire Nation Capitol, alone, to kill the Fire Lord? That's a pretty big deal and NO ONE comments on it beyond "Where have you been, young lady?") It feels like it needed to be at least five pages longer, but I suspect that they were given a page limit to work with.

Still, overall I liked it, and I'm just eagerly waiting for it to be released so I can get my hands on a physical copy. And now I have to wait until MAY for more?  Oy...I think I have a very small idea of what it felt like for those of you who watched the show as it aired.

[Noirsam]

Dark Horse Editor Dave Marshall talks about the process for the cover of The Promise.

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/792/making-cover-avatar-last-airbender#!prettyPhoto

What I found most interesting is that it was Michael and Bryan who chose the cover to The Promise.

[MoonlitShadow]

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/796/interview-avatar-last-airbender-creator-michael-da

And above is a link to an interview with Mike and Bryan published today on the DH blog. Not much new info, but from the way they were talking it sounds like the fate of Ursa won't be revealed in these comics either :/

[nahgem]

^Color me mildly disappointed, but unsurprised. Just setting up everything to lead to the creation Republic City is going to take most of the story, and they have to keep things concise.  However, their "near future" comment makes me wonder if they really are considering putting that in another graphic novel.

[Ms.WW]

^^yes, but they did say they wanted to tell her story in the near future.  I think it could be another short comic series.

[PokemonLotty]

I had a feeling it wasn't going to be in these comics. By the way Gene kept conveniently avoiding directly answering that question at all costs, it showed me a reason to skeptical about whether it would be answered in these comics. He kept saying "the conversation will be finished between Zuko and Ozai" and evading everyone's direct "will we see Zuko's mom" so that kind of gave it away for me. But, yes, alike you guys, I also believe it will be in another comic series they said "we know fans are dying to know what happened to Zuko's mom, hopefully we can answer that in the near future" okay, so I think now we can confirm that that's not going to be answered in The Promise, but now I'd bet on an entire separate comic for it. I'd actually prefer that way more than having it crammed into The Promise.

[aa623]

I wasn't to convinced we were going to see Ursa in these comics to begin with, and it looks like it's not gonna happen. I wonder what/when they're planning on answering where she is. I honestly couldn't care less if we see her or not. But Bryke has to know by now that they will never stop being bothered until they answer it.

[PokemonLotty]

They're definitely going to answer it. The question now lies is when and how. Most likely, they'll have it in its own, seperate comic entity, but who knows, they could make a TV special to try to hype up for Korra, or they might even have an episode in Korra with a whole "The Avatar and the Fire Lord" aspect to it where someone triggers a flashback about their daddy or grandpop, Zuko and how he found grandma or great-granny Ursa (which I think is unlikely due to Bryke's comment in a previous interview stating "it will be answered in some way, just not necessarily in the show."). So we'll just have to wait and see.

[Stupendous]

Is Zuko right for not wanting to remove what his nation has worked so hard to achieve

While Zuko not wanting to force the removal of FN citizens is somewhat right, I don't think that's a great argument to start with. Considering the Fire Nation waged war on the Earth Kingdom to get that land in the first place, why does the Fire Nation deserve to keep that land?

[PokemonLotty]

I think they're both equally at fault here. While Zuko doesn't think the innocent civillians should be kicked out after living there for a hundred years, he's right, it's not fair. While Aang believes that it's not fair to the Earth Kingdom to have the Fire Nation occupy their country and it reminds them of the war. They've both got very valid arguments, that's why I compromise should be in order; hence the creation of Republic City.

[aa623]

They're both definitely at fault like you said. They're not really being rational or even trying to make a compromise (which I think would have made a good title). They're acting like a bunch of kids, oh wait. I look forward to the conversation they have with Kuei.

[PokemonLotty]

^Yeah, I also look forward to that conversation. I have a feeling that the Earth King is going to side with Aang, I also want to know what Ozai "advises" to his beloved son and how exactly Zuko will bring that up at the meeting. Obviously the EARTH King is going to side with the EARTH Kingdom. But, I want to know how exactly they're going to respond to whatever sinister thing Zuko is most likely going to suggest that he idiotically took from his daddy. And, yes, I agree, The Compromise, with the promise part of the word bolded would've been a very nice, punny, title, it's not like we didn't already know the spoiler that they both found Republic City.

I still place ten bucks on Zuko becoming Ozai's puppet/pawn in the future comics, much like Azula, but way more controlled and more puppet-ish rather than pawn-ish, like Azula was.

[colle]

I still place ten bucks on Zuko becoming Ozai's puppet/pawn in the future comics, much like Azula, but way more controlled and more puppet-ish rather than pawn-ish, like Azula was.

I hope that doesn't happen, that would be a step backward.

[PokemonLotty]

^I also really, really, hope it doesn't happen, but it just feels like it is if my predicting skills serve me right. Hopefully, I'm wrong and I can be mocked. xD

[LadyKim]

This is how Part 3 will end.

soldier guy; Your majesty, we have received information regarding your mother, Lady Ursa!
-Zuko turns around in suprise- W-what?!

THE END.

[aa623]

^Haha that's probably what will happen.

[Stupendous]

This is how Part 3 will end.

soldier guy; Your majesty, we have received information regarding your mother, Lady Ursa!
-Zuko turns around in suprise- W-what?!

THE END.

And the fandom dies a little on the inside.

[PokemonLotty]

This is how Part 3 will end.

soldier guy; Your majesty, we have received information regarding your mother, Lady Ursa!
-Zuko turns around in suprise- W-what?!

THE END.

-Another comic series never comes out.- And we never figure out and it turns out that Bryke is paralleling their trollage of the finale and Zuko's: "Where. is. my. mother?"

Omg though, I would squee so much if that happened.

[colle]

It is interesting that we don't seem to trust the writers not to ruin things. This I do understand, going though what some of the writers of the "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic have done though the years.