The Legend of Korra: The Mystery of Penquan Island

by Kiku Hughes, Alexandria Monik (Illustrator), Diana Sousa (Colorist)

Mako and Bolin set off towards Penquan Island in the Fire Nation to find answers to a case—and maybe a little bit of their past along the way.

When a strange missing persons case falls into his lap, Mako is forced to choose between his job and doing what he feels is right! An upturned room and an unhelpful witness aren’t promising starts to the investigation, but when his brother Bolin comes across a surprising clue that ties their own mother to the case, the pair embark on a journey to the small, rustic island of Penquan. The island’s inhabitants seem to have things to hide, and the brothers are determined to get to the bottom of it—even if it means uncovering uncomfortable parts of their family’s past.

Written by Eisner-nominated graphic novelist Kiku Hughes (Displacement) with artists Alex Monik (The Legend of Korra: Patterns in Time) and Diana Sousa (Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins) in collaboration with Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Mystery

80 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2025

Reviews

[Chris Lemmerman]

One of the better Avatar/Korra comic tie-ins, I think. They're always a little hamstrung by the fact that they feel like they can't give us anything substantial about any of the characters outside of some fun adventures, and that's true here too, but the way the carrot is dangled and the satisfaction that you get, even if it's not the answers you're expecting, is well done. We know we're not going to get anything massively transformative, but what we do learn about Mako, Bolin, and their family sheds some new light on their history without reinventing them entirely. Great art, solid dialogue, a good entry overall.

[Christine Bobby]

This comic actually made me like Mako???

[Lucas Escherich]

This is really 4.5.

A great detective story that also clears up who Mako’s and Bolin’s mother really was. That was the greatest detail to their characters I never knew I needed!

[Clementine]

i’m just here for the korrasami crumbs

[ambyr]

Give how absolutely Over Mako and Bolin I was by the end of the show, I was surprised by how charmed I was by the brotherly bonding here. The dialogue is good, the expressions are good; the art in this volume is strong in general, with a particular shout-out for the full page of Mako lightning bending. So, A+ character work.

I'm less impressed by the worldbuilding; the isolationist, True Fire Nation Patriot town that refuses to acknowledge any Fire Lord past Ozai is an interesting idea to explore, but I didn't see how giving them the previously-unknown-in-lore "traditional" opinion that women aren't allowed to firebend added anything. And everything wraps up far, far too neatly at the end.

But still: nice character work. I would read more by Hughes, especially if she's given more pages to let her plots breathe.

[A]

Went through all types of emotions reading this. Although 1 wish it was a little bit longer I’m overall satisfied with it, esp with how much story they got in the solo comic format. It was an extremely enjoyable read, made me fall right back into the TLOK universe.

Mako, you are beating those no personality allegations…

[Vail Chester]

As far as dangling plot threads go, none compares to the fate of Zuko's mother. I've seen people who absolutely do not care about the canonicity of the comics accept through hearsay what the folks at Dark Horse did to wrap up that plot thread in Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Search Omnibus. Whatever future Avatar projects there will be as far as TV or film, hopefully will reference that graphic novel, so that'll make the original viewing audience who don't wanna read comics be in the know and have the closure those of us who read have had for years.

I only bring that up since this book scratched a similar itch that I didn't know I had regarding the pro-bender brothers: what was their mother like & what was she running from?
Spot-on characterization, an intriguing case, and a funny lil blast from the past as the titular island is so isolated from the rest of the world, they might as well still be living in Aang's wartime. For the 2% of fans who care about Mako & Bolin (which is already a small percentage of Avatar fans who even want to acknowledge Korra as as good show), this is essential reading!

[Natalia]

the Bolin-Mako bonding was nice, but can't say I am happy with the story about their mother and the island. A traditional fire nation village where women are forbidden to bend? Are the authors sure they didn't mistake them with northen water tribe?

[Jade]

I can't find it in me to care about Mako and his stupid eyebrows

[Patricia]

I always want more from this universe.

Mystery of Penquan Island is probably perfect for Mako fans; I personally can't say I'm one of them, but I still had a great time with this.

It goes into his past, focuses on his relationship with his brother, lets him show off his strengths (analytical, protective, determined), pokes at some of his flaws (rigid, overprotective and a little harsh) and introduces a very weirdly interesting new setting.

I wish they did more self-contained character-oriented oneshots like this!!! I enjoyed Suki Alone, and god KNOWS Asami is overdue for something at LEAST of this caliber or ideally much much higher (there's a world where she is the Batwoman of the Avatar Universe instead of constantly sidelined ).

Overall a fun little entry in the series.

3.25/5


P.S. The boys are gonna get back to Republic City, pick up Pabu at his aunts' house and Korra and Asami are gonna be like "Oh hey how was your trip?" and Mako's gonna be like "Well we went to a sundown town, avenged our parents' murder, overthrew the local government and I have a date with a single mother of 3 next week. How was YOUR weekend?" like what the hell

[Anna L]

Mako is kind of an underdeveloped character imo and I think this comic really helped him shine. He’s definitely not my favorite character from LOK, but I really enjoyed following his story. His motives were clear and in-character. Additionally, I like that we got to know something about Mako and Bolin’s mother. That was definitely some lore that was missing from the show. Also the reveal that she and their father were killed in a targeted attack, not just a random one?? Adds depth to their story but also makes me so sad :( Like most of the short ATLA/LOK comics, this one could’ve benefited from being a little bit longer into order to better flesh out details, but overall I think it was quite good. (Also, do I see a potential love interest for Mako?👀 Or was that just me?)

[Allie]

Was I expecting to cry? No. Should I have been? Probably. A great resolution to a loose end involving the boys.

[Mitali]

3.5 stars

[Anna Gianakopoulos]

short and cute, the two panels of korrasami were not enough tho💔

[Huda Al-Mossalli]

Awww that was wholesome

Love that we got a comic focused on the brothers

[Maya R]

Een beetje cheesy, maar wel classic avatar wholesomeness.

[Avery]

Mako and bolin truly are the best brothers!! I love that we got to learn more about their past and what truly happened to their parents

[W :)]

This was way too short. Pure nostalgia is fuelling my rating. I miss LOK. I miss these characters. I want more!!

[Jamie]

Friendship ✔️ Adventure ✔️ A nice buddy cop story

[Amber | backinthebookshelf]

If the next graphic novel isn’t about Korra and Asami babysitting Pabu I will sue

[giselle ✨]

This was so much better than I thought it was gonna be?? Usually these are all no stake stories just for fun but this one made me like mako. Never thought I’d say that lol.

[Laura]

Mako being like his mum is so so so special to me 😭😭😭😭 it’s so cool that we got to find out a little more about Mako and Bolin’s background!! knowing that their parents dying in front of Mako’s eyes wasn’t just a freak accident is absolutely gutting 💔 my poor boy can’t catch a break.

I truly believe that most people don’t understand Mako as a character. Maybe it’s just because he’s my favourite, but it’s so clear to me that this is a boy that took on way too much responsibility at a young age (after watching his parents murder mind you) in order to protect his brothers life and innocence. People who just seem him as Asami/Korra’s grumpy boyfriend just don’t get him. It’s a shame because the show doesn’t plainly show this side of him but I’m soso glad this comic does!

I’ve been excited for this comic since it was first announced and it didn’t disappoint!! Mako solo comic 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

edit after reread:

I still can’t believe we got a canon mako comic. was janitors to reread by the recent surge of mako shooters I’ve seen on tiktok (about damn TIMEEEEEEE). even as I read/watch many new stories, mako and LOK as a whole remain precious to me and this comic was just perfect. it really just confirmed everything I already knew about mako because im not stupid and can read between the lines without him spelling it out for me 🫶🏻 truly vindicating

[Émilie]

I got invested in the story by the end, but it was overly stuffed and I wish it had been a bit more focused. the paneling was also pretty uninspired, just a lot of very similar compositions over and over again, and the expressions were not emoting as much as I would have liked. but I do love Mako!!

[kennedy]

yup. mako book. and u know what…it was kind of fire ngl

[Tamara]

This was an enjoyable short story in the legend of korra universe set after the main series

[Lostliketheocean]

It didn't really do much, still enjoyable, though.

[Iain Hawkes]

This was a "good," if not "great" entry in the Legend of Korra graphic novels.

I should state where I stand briefly - I do like LoK overall, though mainly because of it's third and fourth seasons rather than its first two. Of the graphic novels that followed, so far, Ruins of the Empire takes the top spot, though I'd still rank this above Turf Wars overall.

Basically, Mako, being the good cop that he is, follows up on a case that takes him and Bolin back to Penquan Island, which is basically located in the Fire Nation's equivalent of the boonies. Turns out that this is where their mother hailed from before she left (or rather, fled) to Republic City, and her death wasn't as accidental as first thought. I can't remember if the deaths of the siblings' parents were heavily explored in the series (certainly they were established as orphans from the outset), but it does a good job of exploring this element of them, and especially the bond between them as brothers. Might be nice to do something similar for their father as well, but meh.

Something else the graphic novel does is something I'm on the fence about. Something pointed out ages ago that after being the antagonist of The Last Airbender, the Fire Nation (or a proxy) is conspicuously the only non-antagonistic force in Legend of Korra. Arriving at Penquan Island however, we see a society that effectively worships the likes of Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai (or rather is forced to worship by a self-appointed warlord). Yes, generations after the Hundred Years War, we still get people supporting war criminals which is...actually not that far removed from the real world. :(

The reason I'm iffy about this is that the Last Airbender comics have already explored this idea in-depth (to the point that as of this time of writing, Azula is still fighting against Zuko), so having the idea done again here feels, I dunno, out of place? Not from an in-universe standpoint, it just feels fairly hackneyed for a LoK comic when the Last Airbender comics have already plumbed this idea to death. Part of why I think Ruins of Empire is superior is because it actually ties in more immediately with the events of Legend of Korra (Earth Empire, revanchism, etc.), whereas this doesn't have the same 'oomph.' Granted, this is one graphic novel compared to RoE's three, but still...

(And yes, the geyser metaphor is on the nose, but well done, I guess.)

Still, like I said, this is still a good graphic novel. Despite my gripes, Mako and Bolin are the stars of the show, and as brothers on a journey of self-discovery and mystery, bonding along the way, in that, the comic definitely succeeds.

[Bren | Wordwanderlust]

📌 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕:
Art style: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Main storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read this if you enjoy:
🌋 The Legend of Korra/Avatar universe
🌋 Graphic novels and comics
🌋 Young Adult, mystery

📚 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
I actually bought my copy of The Mystery of Penquan Island very early this year when it was first released, and I wanted to savour the story for as long as I could before I actually got over my procrastination tendencies and sat down to read it. And as expected, I enjoyed it so much! Was a breeze reading the graphic novel and it reminded me of how much I have missed the Legend of Korra (LOK) universe.🥹

The Legend of Korra: The Mystery of Penquan Island is a spin off story set in the LOK universe. It follows Mako and Bolin (2 of Korra’s best friends) as they set off towards Penquan Island in the Fire Nation to solve a case and seek some answers that’s related to their past along the way. It’s a pretty short graphic novel but I love how we get into the plot straight away and it’s super easy to follow through with the main storyline. Right off the bat, the first thing that caught my attention was the GORGEOUS art style! It reminded me exactly of the show and reminded me of the first time I watched the LOK series😔

I’ve missed the two brothers so much, and it was so heartening to see how their relationship still remained the same, if not stronger, in the comics (and I have to say, I like Mako way more now after this novel HAAHHAHA).

I also thought it was great that we finally get to hear more of Mako & Bolin’s backstory, and the mystery behind their parents’ death after all these years. Overall, it was a simple yet engaging detective story that ties in well to the overall LOK story arc. My only concern is the lack of more info and details on the backstory regarding Penquan Island and the reasons for its regressiveness, but im hoping we get to know more in future. Who knows, we might be getting more comics sooon (a girl can hope!) While it might be beneficial for you to know about the universe beforehand, I think this can still be read as a standalone if you aren't familiar with LOK! I highly recommend graphic novel/comic lovers to check this out if you’re in the mood! This also reminds me of the vast array of Avatar comics out there waiting for me!

[寿理 宮本]

I know it was (or is?) fun to hate on Mako after he broke up with Korra, but I feel like that's really unfair, especially since he's basically been by himself with Bolin, married to his job. He hasn't once struck me as a bad person, just a normal one who made normal mistakes.

Bolin really has the more impressive resumé, though, I always have to note.

I read this as a sort of palate cleanser after struggling to get halfway through I Am Malala—which is good but HEAVY reading—so it's interesting that this has some of the same themes: tyrannical dictator forcing the people to bend to his wishes or else, people disappearing or being murdered when they disobey. I guess that's just TOO universal of a story, which makes me wonder if said dictator in this book ALSO fixed some of the people's problems early on to get them on his side, then turned around and immediately inflicted the exact same cruel policies that the former regime enacted.

Kinda makes me sad, that this happens, ever, but ESPECIALLY in real life.

So, not JUST because I happened to coincidentally read something immediately prior that makes this feel cathartic (since the good guys win, something that's not easy to accomplish in real life), but this is a nice read since Mako and Bolin get to spend time together and find out more about their mother. It's a great brother story as well as a good mystery, and a definite recommend for fans of the series!

[Brooksie Fontaine]

Not the best of the Avatar comics, but still really solid! Mako and Bolin are actually some of my favorite Korra characters -- both have flaws, but perhaps controversially, I like the portrayal of the messiness of being a late teen or twentysomething.

As such, it was really great to learn more about their origins, and what compelled their mother to essentially flee to Republic City. It's also compelling to see the brothers more in their adult lives, with the sense that especially Mako is coming into his own after the events of LOK.

Not to spoil too much about the titular Penquan Island, but it's a really cool and somewhat frightening setting, in a way that I didn't necessarily expect based on the title.

All this being said, I have some complaints. One of which is that I think it should have been a trilogy, as the brothers find out some pretty life-altering information about their mom and I think there should have been more buildup and time to process that.

Next, Bolin is mostly really funny and likeable in this, but bizarrely he tries to convince Mako not to try and help a mother and her children who are pretty clearly being threatened into returning to the island, and the narrative kind of paints Bolin as being in the right for doing so. I found that odd.

Finally, this is a recurring problem I have with some of the post-ATLA comics, but the way propagandized people are handled is WAY too neat. Just because a ringleader is eliminated doesn't mean that citizens will automatically be deprogrammed. Again, should have been a trilogy, so that could be explored more.

All that being said, the comic is really good and entertaining, and a strong one-shot! I loved seeing more world-building, especially about the way cultures interface with one another in Republic City and how some groups reacted to the changing world we've seen in Korra's time. More Korra-era comics, please!