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Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics #8
Azula in the Spirit Temple
Azula continues her destabilizing campaign against the Fire Nation and her brother, Fire Lord Zuko.
But after a failed attack on her latest target, Azula finds herself in a mysterious forest temple inhabited by a solitary monk…or is it something more mysterious? Azula must confront her past, and finally face her chance at redemption.
Written in consultation with Avatar Studios, the veteran team of Faith Erin Hicks, Peter Wartman and Adele Matera is back with a new story in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
But after a failed attack on her latest target, Azula finds herself in a mysterious forest temple inhabited by a solitary monk…or is it something more mysterious? Azula must confront her past, and finally face her chance at redemption.
Written in consultation with Avatar Studios, the veteran team of Faith Erin Hicks, Peter Wartman and Adele Matera is back with a new story in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
80 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2023
71 people are currently reading
4,094 people want to read
About the author
Faith Erin Hicks
98 books1,593 followersBorn in the wilds of British Columbia, the young Faith frolicked among the Sasquatch native to the province before moving to Ontario at age five. There she was homeschooled with her three brothers, and developed an unnatural passion for galloping around on horseback, though never without a proper helmet (because you only get one skull). After twenty years of suffering through Ontario’s obscenely hot summers, she migrated east, and now lives beside the other ocean in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She worked in animation for a bit, and now draws comics full time. She’s not sure how that happened either.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 364 reviews
October 29, 2023
Azula is my favorite character in ATLA. I was so excited for this comic and I am so disappointed. It didn't lend anything to Azula or her arc. It gives nothing to the larger story. If this is a prologue to another series coming that will feature Azula, then maybe it works. Otherwise this was pointless. I learned and feel nothing new about Azula. This story serves nothing to the character or the universe.
November 27, 2023
I don't quite know what people were expecting from this but I thought it was a pretty great one-off character study of the Bad Girl we love to love to hate.
Definitely recommended for Avatar: tLA fans.
Definitely recommended for Avatar: tLA fans.
November 1, 2023
This comic was unfortunately so disappointing. I was looking forward to this so much and ultimately, it felt kind of like a waste of time. I'm not sure why they bothered with this story when it goes no where and seems to have no point. Azula as a main character of a story only works if she changes or reconsiders things in even the slightest way. Having her stubbornly refuse to change her thought process against every possible thing telling her otherwise makes sense for her character, but makes for an incredibly boring story and main character to focus on. I just don't know what the point of this book was because it does absolutely nothing.
November 3, 2023
Some are worthy, some will never be. I know the difference.
This is the opening line of the latest Azula comic, and by the end I thought this line was going to get turned on its head but something even better happens.
I must admit, I was going into this thinking we were going to get a very shallow and rushed redemption arc for the character, but I was surprised to see that Azula’s journey ends up in an even more interesting place, despite the overall plot of the Airbender franchise being largely unchanged.
Azula, one of the most enigmatic and complex characters in the Avatar universe, has always sparked passionate discussions among fans, with some seeing her as an irredeemable villain and others as a tragic figure shaped by her circumstances.
In the graphic novel "Azula in the Spirit Temple," readers get a unique glimpse into Azula's psyche, and a deeper look into her character.
To discuss this story properly, I’ll have to dive into spoilers. If you’re looking for my non-spoiler review, I would call this graphic novel anime filler, much like the Katara, Toph, and Suki one-shots we’ve gotten so far. And I don’t mean to say “anime filler” in a pejorative way. While yes, some anime filler can feel tedious, the best of it often feels like we get much deeper insights into our characters so that when the big moments DO happen, they are that much more rewarding to experience. For me, Azula in the Spirit Temple straddles the line between the two. I was expecting to hold contempt for what was going to be done to Azula’s arc but was actually quite happy with where she ends up at the end.
If you are expecting a huge shake-up to the Avatar timeline as I did, you should definitely lower those expectations. But when you do, I do believe there is something intriguing here.
Okay, now we’ll get into more spoilers and specifics for the story.
For one, there was some much-needed affirmation of what our perspective on Azula should be. The story is a reflection of the character's true nature and motivations. And there is even some meta commentary involved as well. Azula’s Acolytes in this story, much like the fandom, see her as a monster who cannot be compromised with, just as Mai and Ty Lee could no longer cooperate with Azula and chose to abandon her. Azula, in her spiritual journey, blames the way she is due to those around her who did not give her a fighting chance, like her mother, her domineering father, her friends. But her visions throw that back in her face as well. It’s a really nice character examination.
She is both a product of her toxic upbringing and a perpetrator of terrible actions. This nuanced understanding is what makes the comic all the more compelling for fans who appreciate the depth of Azula’s potential character development.
The writing in "Azula in the Spirit Temple" is pretty dope for its authenticity, as it maintains Azula's character without overly explaining her motivations. Instead, it subtly conveys her thoughts and feelings, allowing readers to interpret the narrative on their own, respecting the audience’s intelligence.
The final form of the spirit I thought was pretty cool as well. In reality, I’d like to think the bug spirit sprayed Azula with a hallucinogen, which enable this whole story to start, and the spirit does a good job showing Azula visions that were harsh but truthful. Things Azula had to confront.
One new reveal that was only hinted at in the show was the abandonment Azula felt when her mother left to live her own life outside the palace walls of the Fire Nation Capital. Before, Azula was mostly dismissive, agreeing that she was the monster her mother thought she was, and then later, during her search for her mother when love becomes and option for Azula, she tragically denies it.
This could be because Azula only wants forgiveness on her terms. She’s an A-Type personality as we all know, and it’s difficult for her to find solace in a different way, a humble way she is not accustomed to.
The interaction with the spirit also plays a pivotal role in the story, prompting Azula to confront her desire for forgiveness and her fear of ending up alone, which is where she ultimately ends up once more by the story’s end. And that’s what I like about it most. Even if we are on the path to an Azula redemption arc, it should not come easy at all. Even Zuko had to trip a fair few times before he got it right. For Azula, she can’t just trip a few times, she needs to tumble. Hard. She needs to fall. Hard. And it has to happen again until she gets it right. It cannot be an easy fix, and I’m glad this comic didn’t give her that easy fix. Azula is a walking contradiction, and there is a lot to entangle there.
While the story itself is compelling, I hate to say that the run of Faith Erin Hicks comics, with Peter Wartman doing the art, have not come with the best… well… artistry, with a lot of the backgrounds again being minimized with simple gradients that I would have liked to see be more complex, especially considering Azula’s compromised mind. There are a few standout panels, but they were too few and far between for my liking. That said, I do think a lot of what was going on here could translate really well if it were animated, especially the back and forth between all the visions Azula was seeing between her family, her friends, and the odd spirit that set her down her journey, which for me brought forth the imagery of the yokai in Japanese myths.
This is the opening line of the latest Azula comic, and by the end I thought this line was going to get turned on its head but something even better happens.
I must admit, I was going into this thinking we were going to get a very shallow and rushed redemption arc for the character, but I was surprised to see that Azula’s journey ends up in an even more interesting place, despite the overall plot of the Airbender franchise being largely unchanged.
Azula, one of the most enigmatic and complex characters in the Avatar universe, has always sparked passionate discussions among fans, with some seeing her as an irredeemable villain and others as a tragic figure shaped by her circumstances.
In the graphic novel "Azula in the Spirit Temple," readers get a unique glimpse into Azula's psyche, and a deeper look into her character.
To discuss this story properly, I’ll have to dive into spoilers. If you’re looking for my non-spoiler review, I would call this graphic novel anime filler, much like the Katara, Toph, and Suki one-shots we’ve gotten so far. And I don’t mean to say “anime filler” in a pejorative way. While yes, some anime filler can feel tedious, the best of it often feels like we get much deeper insights into our characters so that when the big moments DO happen, they are that much more rewarding to experience. For me, Azula in the Spirit Temple straddles the line between the two. I was expecting to hold contempt for what was going to be done to Azula’s arc but was actually quite happy with where she ends up at the end.
If you are expecting a huge shake-up to the Avatar timeline as I did, you should definitely lower those expectations. But when you do, I do believe there is something intriguing here.
Okay, now we’ll get into more spoilers and specifics for the story.
For one, there was some much-needed affirmation of what our perspective on Azula should be. The story is a reflection of the character's true nature and motivations. And there is even some meta commentary involved as well. Azula’s Acolytes in this story, much like the fandom, see her as a monster who cannot be compromised with, just as Mai and Ty Lee could no longer cooperate with Azula and chose to abandon her. Azula, in her spiritual journey, blames the way she is due to those around her who did not give her a fighting chance, like her mother, her domineering father, her friends. But her visions throw that back in her face as well. It’s a really nice character examination.
She is both a product of her toxic upbringing and a perpetrator of terrible actions. This nuanced understanding is what makes the comic all the more compelling for fans who appreciate the depth of Azula’s potential character development.
The writing in "Azula in the Spirit Temple" is pretty dope for its authenticity, as it maintains Azula's character without overly explaining her motivations. Instead, it subtly conveys her thoughts and feelings, allowing readers to interpret the narrative on their own, respecting the audience’s intelligence.
The final form of the spirit I thought was pretty cool as well. In reality, I’d like to think the bug spirit sprayed Azula with a hallucinogen, which enable this whole story to start, and the spirit does a good job showing Azula visions that were harsh but truthful. Things Azula had to confront.
One new reveal that was only hinted at in the show was the abandonment Azula felt when her mother left to live her own life outside the palace walls of the Fire Nation Capital. Before, Azula was mostly dismissive, agreeing that she was the monster her mother thought she was, and then later, during her search for her mother when love becomes and option for Azula, she tragically denies it.
This could be because Azula only wants forgiveness on her terms. She’s an A-Type personality as we all know, and it’s difficult for her to find solace in a different way, a humble way she is not accustomed to.
The interaction with the spirit also plays a pivotal role in the story, prompting Azula to confront her desire for forgiveness and her fear of ending up alone, which is where she ultimately ends up once more by the story’s end. And that’s what I like about it most. Even if we are on the path to an Azula redemption arc, it should not come easy at all. Even Zuko had to trip a fair few times before he got it right. For Azula, she can’t just trip a few times, she needs to tumble. Hard. She needs to fall. Hard. And it has to happen again until she gets it right. It cannot be an easy fix, and I’m glad this comic didn’t give her that easy fix. Azula is a walking contradiction, and there is a lot to entangle there.
While the story itself is compelling, I hate to say that the run of Faith Erin Hicks comics, with Peter Wartman doing the art, have not come with the best… well… artistry, with a lot of the backgrounds again being minimized with simple gradients that I would have liked to see be more complex, especially considering Azula’s compromised mind. There are a few standout panels, but they were too few and far between for my liking. That said, I do think a lot of what was going on here could translate really well if it were animated, especially the back and forth between all the visions Azula was seeing between her family, her friends, and the odd spirit that set her down her journey, which for me brought forth the imagery of the yokai in Japanese myths.
November 2, 2023
I have loved the way Faith Erin Hicks interprets and writes Avatar characters, but this comic was a huge disappointment. There was build up and then nothing happened. I didn’t even realize I was reading the last panel because the story felt like it was still moving. I think they are waiting for the new movies to really develop Azula’s redemption arc. Overall the comic felt pointless besides Azula having a deep moment with the spirit disguised as her mother. I guess that’s some progress but still. Very disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
August 31, 2022I've been waiting for a new Avatar the Last Airbender comic series for what feels like a couple of years now and seeing this update has me excited!
Azula is a very interesting character and the state things are right now makes her even more intriguing and filled with potential so having, at the very least, one full comic about her seems like a huge treat.
Now, I'm waiting impatiently for this to be published.
Azula is a very interesting character and the state things are right now makes her even more intriguing and filled with potential so having, at the very least, one full comic about her seems like a huge treat.
Now, I'm waiting impatiently for this to be published.
November 1, 2023
This wasn't bad, but it also wasn't as impactful as I had hoped.
Azula is a very interesting character and it was nice to get a peek into her mind, but the story didn't really accomplish anything. I wonder if it's a prequel to something else Azula-related coming out in the future, as it mostly seems to reflect on her character a bit and hint a bit at the future. If you're hoping for something that drives her story forward, I wouldn't get this comic. It's more about her reflecting on her family/friends and her own actions. Though I'm not sure what she took away from it in the end.
Azula is a very interesting character and it was nice to get a peek into her mind, but the story didn't really accomplish anything. I wonder if it's a prequel to something else Azula-related coming out in the future, as it mostly seems to reflect on her character a bit and hint a bit at the future. If you're hoping for something that drives her story forward, I wouldn't get this comic. It's more about her reflecting on her family/friends and her own actions. Though I'm not sure what she took away from it in the end.
August 30, 2023
I always end up feeling like a grouch when it comes to the AtLA comics, but I didn't think this was spectacular.
TW: parental abandonment, hallucinations, bugs
✨I read this title for the Magical Readathon: Orilium!
✨Autumn Equinox: Conjuration, O
--
Pre-review:
"Azula must confront her past, and finally face her chance at redemption." HELLO!?
TW: parental abandonment, hallucinations, bugs
✨I read this title for the Magical Readathon: Orilium!
✨Autumn Equinox: Conjuration, O
--
Pre-review:
"Azula must confront her past, and finally face her chance at redemption." HELLO!?
June 8, 2024
⁀➷ ★★★★.25
🩰
They could never make me hate you Azula!
🩰
They could never make me hate you Azula!
April 22, 2024
This was so disappointing to me. I feel like this comic didn't really add anything to Azula's character. She had some big moments and delved into her trauma, but it just lead nowhere? And then it ended? Idk. I love Azula's character, so maybe I just had too high hopes for this one.
November 2, 2023
It just occurred to me that Azula is 15 when she had to go through this. That is so sad.
May 31, 2024
I'm a bit disappointed with this one. It shorts at 80 pages and I feel it didn’t change anything. Azula is still the same old same old. I love her, but if the character does not grow in any shape or form, I see no reason to revisit her.
August 9, 2023
This is the best Avatar comic we've gotten in a while! Probably since The Search, imo. This one feels so good because it's furthering a plot element we've been so intrigued by for years-- Azula's psyche and if she could ever be redeemed. I think this comic answers that question, and it does it very well. We continue to feel bad for Azula, while still not ignoring the monster she is. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in Azula as a character, or someone who needs some Tyzula crumbs. 5/5 stars!
Want to read
December 26, 2022All my groveling for an Azula story has finally paid off. This needs to be released now 😭💙
April 11, 2024
*3.5
HELLO, an Azula graphic novel? At long last?? I know every ATLA fan has been asking for this book for ages - but the ATLA comics are certainly a mixed bag. So, does AitST deliver the originality and depth we all crave to see from Azula?
Well. Almost?
This book takes place after the current run of ATLA comics, with Azula on the run and trying to dethrone Zuko by whatever means necessary. (What is she, like 17 by this point??) However, when she stumbles across a forest temple where nothing is as it seems, she becomes forced to choose between facing her past or charging blindly towards her unknown future.
The focus on Azula in here worked well, and I loved how we received snippets of her past with her parents in the flashback scenes. I really like the magic system in ATLA, and the spirit temple and how it worked in Azula was neat, too. It just felt like, ultimately, this book didn't quite fulfill the prompt.
This is going to be pure spoilers, now.
I just wish that ending was a tad more hopeful. This is definitely a worthy read if you're a fan of Azula, but I think her arc deserves a bit more closure than this.
3.5/5 stars.
HELLO, an Azula graphic novel? At long last?? I know every ATLA fan has been asking for this book for ages - but the ATLA comics are certainly a mixed bag. So, does AitST deliver the originality and depth we all crave to see from Azula?
Well. Almost?
This book takes place after the current run of ATLA comics, with Azula on the run and trying to dethrone Zuko by whatever means necessary. (What is she, like 17 by this point??) However, when she stumbles across a forest temple where nothing is as it seems, she becomes forced to choose between facing her past or charging blindly towards her unknown future.
The focus on Azula in here worked well, and I loved how we received snippets of her past with her parents in the flashback scenes. I really like the magic system in ATLA, and the spirit temple and how it worked in Azula was neat, too. It just felt like, ultimately, this book didn't quite fulfill the prompt.
This is going to be pure spoilers, now.
I just wish that ending was a tad more hopeful. This is definitely a worthy read if you're a fan of Azula, but I think her arc deserves a bit more closure than this.
3.5/5 stars.
June 27, 2024
This comic fails to do anything interesting with Azula as a character. We learn nothing new about her and the comic series keeps taking extremely heavy handed approaches to storytelling. Do we really need a spirit to assume the forms of different people in her life and have them express the same sentiment, "you want control because of your fear of abandonment", over and over and over again? It's super repetitive and it lacks any nuance. Besides, character growth, in fiction and reality, is often precipitated by a complex combination of events and usually not merely because someone bluntly laid out your faults to you. That can sometimes be what initiates change, but there are so many other things that do and it feels like lazy writing to employ the same obvious device ad infinitum.
The comic ends where it began, with Azula still in denial about the pain that drives her abhorrent actions. It would be one thing if we learned more about Azula through this process but we don't. She responds to the challenge from each form with the same denial, pride, and refusal to take accountability. The Search was annoying in how it flanderized Azula (reducing her to being permanently in the "madness" state she was in by the end of ATLA) by making her act crazy with thinking her mother was orchestrating everything, but it at least tried to push her character in a new direction. She was a flat character in that but oddly a dynamic one. In this one, she is both a flat character and a static one. If we learn nothing new about a character AND they do not change then what is the purpose of making more content about this character?
Both writers of the comic series have disappointed me. Gene Luen Yang makes everyone act out of character and Faith Erin Hicks makes everyone act like two-dimensional versions of themselves. Both writers have the characters act woodenly and/or broadly. I miss the nuanced and vibrant characters from the original show. Those characters had multiple sides, weird specific details about them that made them pop, and incredible arcs. The graphic novel series fumbled the bag hard and I am left feeling very disappointed.
The comic ends where it began, with Azula still in denial about the pain that drives her abhorrent actions. It would be one thing if we learned more about Azula through this process but we don't. She responds to the challenge from each form with the same denial, pride, and refusal to take accountability. The Search was annoying in how it flanderized Azula (reducing her to being permanently in the "madness" state she was in by the end of ATLA) by making her act crazy with thinking her mother was orchestrating everything, but it at least tried to push her character in a new direction. She was a flat character in that but oddly a dynamic one. In this one, she is both a flat character and a static one. If we learn nothing new about a character AND they do not change then what is the purpose of making more content about this character?
Both writers of the comic series have disappointed me. Gene Luen Yang makes everyone act out of character and Faith Erin Hicks makes everyone act like two-dimensional versions of themselves. Both writers have the characters act woodenly and/or broadly. I miss the nuanced and vibrant characters from the original show. Those characters had multiple sides, weird specific details about them that made them pop, and incredible arcs. The graphic novel series fumbled the bag hard and I am left feeling very disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'comics-read'
December 29, 2023proof that mommy issues will turn you into a sociopath
January 28, 2024
I want a sequel!!!
November 4, 2023
Had high hopes for this one since Azula is such a layered character. Unfortunately there's no character development in this comic, other than the fact she can do her own hair now apparently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2023
I know you can't really accomplish much with 75 pages to work with, but this feels really shallow.
Azula is confronted with the sins of her past, and she basically just tells them all to go away. She doesn't learn anything she didn't know already (mostly because she knows it all but refuses to accept it), and the story ends right back at the beginning with no development or revelation at all. Again, these are tie-in comics, I'm not expecting anything huge, but all of the other stories we've gotten have at least been fun character pieces.
And honestly, the chances of us getting any cartoon-based resolutions to Azula's story are slim to none, so why not let us see where she ends up instead of keeping her in a holding pattern?
Azula is confronted with the sins of her past, and she basically just tells them all to go away. She doesn't learn anything she didn't know already (mostly because she knows it all but refuses to accept it), and the story ends right back at the beginning with no development or revelation at all. Again, these are tie-in comics, I'm not expecting anything huge, but all of the other stories we've gotten have at least been fun character pieces.
And honestly, the chances of us getting any cartoon-based resolutions to Azula's story are slim to none, so why not let us see where she ends up instead of keeping her in a holding pattern?
May 18, 2024
slight spoilers ahead
this added nothing & led nowhere. but i still loved it.
it saddened me that she stubbornly refused to overthink her stance, even though it's realistic (especially for her character) to not just change the persona she's held on to for such a long time.
i'm just worried that they just don't want to give her that redemption arc –which would be interesting enough but not really fair at this point– and that it will all end here. this story would have only made sense as a bridge to another story about her; but since these comics can't go on forever we can't be sure about that.
this added nothing & led nowhere. but i still loved it.
it saddened me that she stubbornly refused to overthink her stance, even though it's realistic (especially for her character) to not just change the persona she's held on to for such a long time.
i'm just worried that they just don't want to give her that redemption arc –which would be interesting enough but not really fair at this point– and that it will all end here. this story would have only made sense as a bridge to another story about her; but since these comics can't go on forever we can't be sure about that.
November 19, 2023
Unless I’m forgetting something from the previous comics, I thought we were heading towards some type of redemption for Azula. Yes, I know she was unhinged and villainous, but I thought we would be exploring more of her parent’s treatment of her. I feel like this story didn’t add anything new to her character and pretty much had her mentality exactly how it was at the very beginning of the tv show. Overall, I don’t think this story added to the world and definitely didn’t do anything for Azula’s character. The plot was disappointing, but I still appreciate the artwork.
February 3, 2024
my girl needs therapy not revenge.
April 6, 2024
Anything about Azula is a slay!
January 28, 2024
I read this and I enjoyed It, and I gave it four stars because giving it less feels like a crime.
Hypothetically though if I wasn’t coming from the avatar super fan perspective, and had to give it a rating on genuine quality than I would say 2 stars. (I know it hurts). Extra two for being Azula, and I really loved reading it. But I enjoyed it the same way I enjoy a somewhat decent fanfic, and even then, if this was fanfic I would be rating it for different reasons.
I feel like this did a lot of tell and no show. Rule of thumb is never actually tell the audience a character’s fundamental wants and fears, because where’s the fun in that. You can do it, rules are meant to be broken. But break them with fire works, not a hammer, do it well, do it exciting… and this doesn’t. It didn’t feel revolutionary, it felt like narrative rules were being broken.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this! I enjoyed this very much! But I am also disappointed in it. I wish we saw even the shread of change in her, a glance back, a tearing lock, more fear? The stiff dialogue and the stiff art, really adds to that layer of stiffness this whole book had.
I also was really thrown off by the bleached haired characters? Like no one in Avatar has ever been blond, and yet two characters have like a split dye job? Really stupid thing to notice, but I did.
This book was fun. And I think it is a great short story to have, but I just wish we saw how it affected Azula more and also that it showed more than it did.
Four stars regardless, I will still read it again and recommend it to my friends.
Hypothetically though if I wasn’t coming from the avatar super fan perspective, and had to give it a rating on genuine quality than I would say 2 stars. (I know it hurts). Extra two for being Azula, and I really loved reading it. But I enjoyed it the same way I enjoy a somewhat decent fanfic, and even then, if this was fanfic I would be rating it for different reasons.
I feel like this did a lot of tell and no show. Rule of thumb is never actually tell the audience a character’s fundamental wants and fears, because where’s the fun in that. You can do it, rules are meant to be broken. But break them with fire works, not a hammer, do it well, do it exciting… and this doesn’t. It didn’t feel revolutionary, it felt like narrative rules were being broken.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this! I enjoyed this very much! But I am also disappointed in it. I wish we saw even the shread of change in her, a glance back, a tearing lock, more fear? The stiff dialogue and the stiff art, really adds to that layer of stiffness this whole book had.
I also was really thrown off by the bleached haired characters? Like no one in Avatar has ever been blond, and yet two characters have like a split dye job? Really stupid thing to notice, but I did.
This book was fun. And I think it is a great short story to have, but I just wish we saw how it affected Azula more and also that it showed more than it did.
Four stars regardless, I will still read it again and recommend it to my friends.
November 1, 2023
While I love the original ATLA series, I have a complicated relationship with the follow up comics. However, I was looking forward to this comic since Azula is one of my favorite characters in the ATLA universe. There’s so much room for her character growth post the final season. While I loved the concept of Azula confronting her demons, and slowly becoming aware of the “monster” she’s become, this feels incomplete.
The comic takes time to carve out her human side. And it seems that the creators are drifting away from the simplistic “crazy” and “evil” characterization she was originally given, and I’m pleased to see it. However, by the end of the comic, I don’t believe she had gotten anything near closure. I’m curious as to why this was given a one off while others had gotten at least three parts to come to a complete closure. While I don’t expect for Azula to magically become a “good” person by the final pages, I expected more than what we were given.
The ending was rushed, and nothing was resolved for Azula. I even re-read it to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s not a bad comic and I enjoyed the writing from what I saw. The artwork is great and I loved seeing how Azula sees her father, Fire Lord Ozai versus how Zuko sees him. This could’ve used at least another part to tie the plot off.
The comic takes time to carve out her human side. And it seems that the creators are drifting away from the simplistic “crazy” and “evil” characterization she was originally given, and I’m pleased to see it. However, by the end of the comic, I don’t believe she had gotten anything near closure. I’m curious as to why this was given a one off while others had gotten at least three parts to come to a complete closure. While I don’t expect for Azula to magically become a “good” person by the final pages, I expected more than what we were given.
The ending was rushed, and nothing was resolved for Azula. I even re-read it to make sure I didn’t miss anything. It’s not a bad comic and I enjoyed the writing from what I saw. The artwork is great and I loved seeing how Azula sees her father, Fire Lord Ozai versus how Zuko sees him. This could’ve used at least another part to tie the plot off.
February 5, 2024
So, I have an apparently quite differing opinion from the general opinion on this entry in the avatarverse. Azula being by far my favorite character in this franchise might have something to do with it.
We continue Azula's off screen storyline in this comic and it holds and might even predict quite the potential for her future involvement in the greater story. As always I like to imagine every comic entry as a possible animated episode just added post avatar finale and frankly it works in every way.
This short story is not groundbreaking neither does it throw Azula into a completely new direction, which many people expected it to. It answers it's own questions asked in the beginning of the comic. These questions don't stray too far from who Azula is at the moment, but the answer provides the fact that Azula will stay relevant and is meant for greatness, not pettiness.
Now OF COURSE this fandom has been waiting for Azula's redemption ever since the show aired its final season (maybe even sooner). But it is clear, even in this entry, that Azula is not meant for redemption, nor interested in it. Her development, her changes, her developed identity can exist within non-redemption, within villainy, within antagonism. Azula is a force to be reckoned with and her humanity shimmers through every once in a while, like it did in the series, like it did in this comic. The way she decides to let her empathetic side make decisions is also implemented.
Slowly, Azula is finding her place and deciding what that exactly should be.
I felt it was a more than decent entry and I can only hope to know more of what happened her.
We continue Azula's off screen storyline in this comic and it holds and might even predict quite the potential for her future involvement in the greater story. As always I like to imagine every comic entry as a possible animated episode just added post avatar finale and frankly it works in every way.
This short story is not groundbreaking neither does it throw Azula into a completely new direction, which many people expected it to. It answers it's own questions asked in the beginning of the comic. These questions don't stray too far from who Azula is at the moment, but the answer provides the fact that Azula will stay relevant and is meant for greatness, not pettiness.
Now OF COURSE this fandom has been waiting for Azula's redemption ever since the show aired its final season (maybe even sooner). But it is clear, even in this entry, that Azula is not meant for redemption, nor interested in it. Her development, her changes, her developed identity can exist within non-redemption, within villainy, within antagonism. Azula is a force to be reckoned with and her humanity shimmers through every once in a while, like it did in the series, like it did in this comic. The way she decides to let her empathetic side make decisions is also implemented.
Slowly, Azula is finding her place and deciding what that exactly should be.
I felt it was a more than decent entry and I can only hope to know more of what happened her.
March 16, 2024
La complejidad de Azula me encanta.
June 11, 2024
3.5
I love the art of these comics so much
Nothing big happened but I love this world and I enjoy (so far) every character journey big or small
Hopefully though, they make another Azula comics that delves deeper into her character
I love the art of these comics so much
Nothing big happened but I love this world and I enjoy (so far) every character journey big or small
Hopefully though, they make another Azula comics that delves deeper into her character
November 4, 2023
completely pointless.
also I’m 100% team Azula doesn’t deserve redemption.
also I’m 100% team Azula doesn’t deserve redemption.
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