Review: Avatar- The Last Airbender: Smoke and Shadow

July 21, 2020July 22, 2020 ComicBookWire

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline centers around a compelling mystery and some great villains. Subplots further develop the lore of this world and give Zuko’s family some character development. The conclusion is awesome and builds excitement for the future.

Cons: Some aspects of the main storyline feel too similar to the storyline from The Promise.

Overall: This collection stands out as an excellent addition to this comic series. It tells a story that is compelling from start to finish, further develops the general narrative of the Avatar world, and is backed up by artwork that enhances the experience. Any Avatar fan should consider reading this volume but fans of The Search, in particular, should not miss it.

Story

Avatar: The Last Airbender- Smoke and Shadow , by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Gene Luen Yang, is an excellent comic and a great example of what can be accomplished through the Avatar: The Last Airbender comic series. The main narrative focuses on Zuko’s role as Fire Lord and how members of his family have caused him to question his approach to leadership. This narrative also hinges on a powerful and enigmatic enemy, which leads to an exciting conflict and an equally exciting investigation into a mystery. Meanwhile, the volume’s subplots each stand well on their own and add some cool pieces of lore and character development into the mix. All of this then ends with a conclusion that builds even more excitement for the future of this series.

(spoilers start here)

The main narrative in Smoke and Shadow is one of the most compelling this series has produced. It involves “spirits” kidnaping Fire Nation children and the chaos this creates for Fire Lord Zuko. Then, it is revealed that these “spirits” are actually a group of firebenders lead by Azula, who is trying to strategically alter Zuko’s approach to politics. The tension posed by a powerful enemy/enemies, the exciting exploration into a mystery, and the captivating reveal of what is actually going on makes this a highly enjoyable comic to read.

Meanwhile, the volume’s subplots are just as enjoyable. One looks at a love triangle centered around a weird group of relationships, where one can understand each character’s point of view and where it is unclear who the reader should support. Another offers a glimpse at an interesting legend from the Fire Nation’s early history. Finally, the last one gives Zuko’s family some additional character development. Each of these subplots is compelling in its own way and helps make this volume enjoyable at every moment.

The only unfortunate feature in Smoke and Shadow is that the premise of the volume feels a bit too similar to its predecessors. Zuko’s worries about being “strong” for the Fire Nation and having these worries create a rift between him and the Avatar were the central feature of The Promise and are also a central feature here. Obviously, these are core aspects of Zuko’s character so seeing them again makes sense, but it just feels repetitive to see them reappear in such a direct way within a few volumes of the same series.

Luckily, the way in which Smoke and Shadow relates to other volumes in this series makes up for this flaw. The entire storyline is an excellent continuation of plot threads from The Search (Review). It also concludes with a cliffhanger that builds some serious excitement for the future.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in Smoke and Shadow, by Gurihiru, is essentially as good as it has been throughout this entire series. It utilizes a style that matches the style present in the original show and utilizes layouts that complement the reading experience. Where this volume stands out is in two noticeable regards. The presentation of the villains is wonderful, as they receive awesome designs that further the sense of mystery around their presence. Plus, the characters’ faces are drawn better and are more emotionally expressive, which is a big help in a storyline that deals with plenty of intensely personal issues. All in all, the visuals here retain the quality the series has held since the start and help make this a better comic.