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Irene Koh’s excellent artwork is also some of the best in the Avatar/Korra comics, both matching the feeling of the show while still looking unique.
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But back in Republic City, the comic focuses more on the aftermath of the crisis at the end of the show. Here, there’s a touching expansion on the relationship alluded to in the Legend of Korra ending and the writing here is as tender and compassionate as that deserves, working even better since its paired with some of the wild visuals of the spirit world. Like The Promise, Turf Wars kicks off within a few minutes of the show’s end. Unfortunately, what seems like a fresh start and a new chapter for the comics ends (for now) with this story. The haves and have-nots conflict felt a little underdeveloped in that season, and Imbalance is a worthwhile read to see that explored more.īoth thematically and visually, the very good earlier run of Avatar comics started to lose some steam towards the end, and Imbalance goes a long way to breathing fresh life into the comics. But here, Imbalance benefits both from the set up in previous conflicts and from some foresight with how its story foreshadows the main conflict between benders and non-benders in the first season of Legend of Korra. The comic follows up on some of what started in The Rift, much like Smoke and Shadow felt like a follow up to The Search. The detailed images of a swelling cityscape are a particular standout that help make Imbalance’s urban setting stand out. Another strong suit of the artwork is that Team Avatar is also visibly growing up, though it’s a little disorienting at first seeing a tall Aang. Peter Wartman’s art in particular feels refreshingly like an interpretation of the show’s style rather than a direct copy. Studio Gurihiru’s art was a very literal transition from the show to the comics, with panels that look like they might have been still frames from the show.
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The shift is noticeable, but isn’t a downgrade. Imbalance opens with a new writing and artistic team, with Faith Erin Hicks on the script and Peter Wartman, Ryan Hill and Adele Matera on the art.