22 Jan / Avatar: The Last Airbender | Smoke and Shadow (Parts One and Two) created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, script by Gene Luen Yang, art by Gurihiru, lettering by Michael Heisler
Avatar Aang takes a temporary narrative back seat to his Fire Lord buddy Zuko in Part One of the newest Last Airbender three-part installment. Now that Zuko has been reunited with his long-lost mother Ursa [you’ll need to read The Search for the full backstory], he’s bringing his new family – including Ursa’s first-love-now-husband Ikem and their young daughter Kiyi – back to the Fire Nation capital. The journey home is interrupted when Zuko is warned of an imminent attack. After maneuvering his family to safety, Zuko comes face-to-face with the so-called New Ozai Society for the first time. Their mission? To restore Zuko’s father Ozai to the throne! Uh-oh.
Aang returns to the page in full force in Part Two as Zuko calls on his help in fighting not only the New Ozai Society, but powerful dark spirits called kemurikage who were supposed to be no more than ancient scary stories to frighten kiddies into good behavior. But these malevolent shadows are kidnapping Fire Nation children, giving the New Ozai Society that much more ammunition to dethrone young Zuko.
Deep in the bowels of the palace are hidden secrets – and maybe just the right answers. Zuko will need not only Aang by his side, but the fierce strength of his former love, Mai … and the new young man in her life.
The latest from two-time National Book Award finalist and newly anointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Gene Luen Yang has all the best ingredients for another tri-part Avatar-adventure filled with chilling mystery, true love, power struggles, family dysfunction, and oh so much more. The only challenge will be waiting another three months (Book Three hits shelves in mid-April!) to see what happens next …!
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 2015