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Avatar: The Last Airbender: North and South #2

Avatar: The Last Airbender: North and South, Part 2

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Rebellion on the Horizon

After attempting to kidnap Katara and Sokka, Southerner Gilak has disappeared leaving only a haunting note in the deserted caverns: "Soon you will see the truth, Chieftain." The vow leaves everyone on edge and prompts Hakoda to tighten security around the city. Still reeling from the discovery that her father is romantically involved with Malina, Katara is more distrusting of the Northern newcomer than ever...and just as everyone begins to relax their guard, Gilak's crew strikes and reveals some troubling information. Have Katara's worst fears been confirmed?

76 pages, Paperback

First published January 25, 2017

171 people are currently reading
4207 people want to read

About the author

Gene Luen Yang

314 books3,386 followers
Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress’ fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. American Born Chinese, his first graphic novel from First Second Books, was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the winner of the Printz Award and an Eisner Award. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the L.A. Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His other works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), Superman from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. His most recent books are Dragon Hoops from First Second Books and Superman Smashes the Klan from DC Comics.

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5 stars
2,517 (50%)
4 stars
1,633 (32%)
3 stars
710 (14%)
2 stars
94 (1%)
1 star
20 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
Profile Image for Alexandra Elend Wolf.
646 reviews319 followers
March 15, 2019
"Wounds flow from wrong actions. Wrong actions flow from wrong beliefs. Someone needs to reexamine their beliefs."

This is exactly what happens when we became extremists and forgo the ever-sensible reaction of talking about our problems looking for peaceful solutions. But it is always more appealing to just go to arms and try to do it by our means. Of course.

Things got really heated towards the end and the promise of an intense confrontation next issue is imminent.

I wonder, how are they gonna save the situation?

Aang and Toph are a part of this, finally, and the prospect of what both of them, whose views are completely different at times, are gonna bring to the table is interesting.
Profile Image for Sophia.
2,740 reviews384 followers
December 31, 2020
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
Tensions rose to an all-time high as secret plans were uncovered.

I liked the Katara and Hakoda talk. It was a mature and honest conversation. Plus you saw Katara truly take it to heart.
Of course things went from shaky to awful on that front.

I’m excited to see the conclusion to this story line. I can see both sides of the argument so it'll be interesting what the end result will be.
Profile Image for Cherisa B.
706 reviews96 followers
August 9, 2022
Yang and Gurihiru are so talented. Got two volumes of this series for my granddaughter, not knowing there are actually 5 in the set. Grrr. Now will have to wait for the rest because the local bookshop doesn't have the others. If you don't know Avatar, The Last Airbender, I'm sad for you. :)
Profile Image for Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight.
1,193 reviews
March 1, 2021
I wasn't exactly annoyed that Toph and Aang showed up, but we had a lot of stuff with the Gaang previously and I kind of wanted more Katara and Sokka-focused content, even though that's what the first volume was. Aang was pretty cool in here, though.

The story's plot has taken a bit of turn that I've seen before when a character is worried another character is going to betray them, which is a little done, but it's not bad. 4/5 stars.
Profile Image for Calista.
5,432 reviews31.3k followers
September 23, 2017
I enjoy these fun stories about Aang. This was a good story with colorful and fun art showing the action. If you liked the movie or the cartoon, you will enjoy this stories as well.
Profile Image for Aleksandra.
1,540 reviews
April 12, 2018
4.5 stars!

Like this volume a lot! Action-packed and intense!
I like the humor in here, Sokka and Toph are the greatest! It's great to see Aang again.
I love the strong anti-colonialism theme of ATLA comics and I love the discussion on moving forward with time while saving your tradition and culture.
ATLA: North and South is very entertaining and very thought-provoking arc. In the best traditions of ATLA;)
Profile Image for Kailey (Luminous Libro).
3,579 reviews547 followers
October 23, 2020
I love seeing more stories from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's so exciting to see Team Avatar growing up, dealing with bigger problems, and learning new things.
The conflict really gains momentum in this second volume, and the stakes are higher as Katara and Sokka discover that their father is not quite the same as they remembered. They have all grown and changed over the years, and that's not a bad thing. It's just different, and Katara has trouble adjusting to the new dynamics in her family.

I'm loving this story!
Profile Image for karla⁹ ⛈.
313 reviews50 followers
August 12, 2020
So you know that the right kind of love, the kind that’s real, that sacrifices, that kind of love doesn’t blind you. It actually helps you see.

que frustración, que bronca al final
Profile Image for Britt.
741 reviews
February 9, 2017
Oil. Extremists. An affluent nation thinking it knows better than the 'savage' one.

Gene Luen Yang is not backing off from 'adult' topics in a comic that has children as their main audience. I am glad that he does because for children growing up in this world this particular trilogy shows that the world - whether it is ours or the Avatar world - is not black and white. And I think it is important to acknowledge that. It also shows that a small group of extremists does not represent a whole nation. It shows that some beliefs are grounded in reasonable standpoints but when taken to the extreme... it goes completely off the track.
However, sometimes the art threw me off and scenes were quickly changing, which confused me. Still, I am very glad about this more grown-up turn of the story because it makes it more enjoyable for me, too.
Profile Image for Gretal.
1,037 reviews85 followers
June 8, 2020
I really love how it's apparent that they're a bit older than they were in the series.
Profile Image for Madeline.
1,006 reviews118 followers
October 15, 2020
North and South, Part 2 was super dramatic and I enjoyed it a lot. There are so many people with different and opposing motivations and I still can't foresee how it will all be reconciled. I particularly appreciated reading about Sokka and Katara's opposing viewpoints.
Profile Image for Yub Yub Commander.
387 reviews37 followers
April 4, 2018
I'm hoping the creators of the comics stop after this series, because I'm starting to see more of

If you've read any of my Avatar graphic novel reviews or spoken to me about Avatar, you will know that I despise Korra.  Two videos that I recommend that give EXCELLENT reasons are The Legend of Korra is Garbage and Here's Why and Animated Atrocities #141: The Legend of Korra Book 1.  These are not rant videos, but videos that take an in-depth look into why Avatar was great and why Korra is a failure.  Korra had amazing potential, but the creators of it messed up badly.

One of my personal issue with Korra is this shift from an Asian/diverse world into a heavily-influenced, Steampunk-esque 1920s New York.  The sudden shove toward this is so evident in the comics, and it's awkward.  Except for one other of the comic series, none of the others have had this feel to shove Korra's ideas in your face until now.

North and South shows how the Northern Water Tribe wants to use the Southern Water Tribe's resources for their own.  They want to convert the SWT into a colony of the NWT.  The whole point for this? The fact that the SWT has oil.  Firstly, that is SUCH an Americana idea, it's sick.  And it's so blatant too!  The NWT feels as though the SWT is primitive and animals all because they didn't live in big fancy houses and the SWT was a conglomerate of a bunch of tribes living down in the South Pole.  You got a hint of the feeling of that in the first season of Avatar, but it wasn't quite so greed-based.  The NWT looked down on their brothers because of an argument between the two and because the North prided themselves on "civilization."

None of this felt right.  Saying that Katara's and Sokka's dad would want to change the whole tribe to be a NWT knock-off was a bit much.  And making him in charge of everyone?  Why?  There was nothing in the TV series that showed he could be a great political leader for an enormous amount of people.  He feels like a puppet monarch, more than anything.

The whole concept out of these two books was that old/ancient ways and customs are bad, and innovation, ambition, and "improvement" is the "right" way.  But you'll argue and say that the NWT didn't get what hey wanted.  Didn't they?  The majority of SWT people are now happily living in Northern styled homes, eating Northern styled food, and wanting a fancier life while all the dissenters live in a cave, are quick to try to kill people, and are ridiculously foolish.

One of the arguments from the above mentioned videos is that the creators of Korra went out of there way to say that Democracy/Americana was the only good thing and that everything else is bad.  It's very blatant in the show, whereas in North and South, it's more subtle, but it's there.



Also, still no one has explained how automobiles work AND why they require oil.  yet another technological "advancement" that quickly shoves you more toward the Korra world.
Profile Image for Kelsey.
963 reviews
March 23, 2018
is... is it bad i wanted someone to get brutally stabbed and die from their wounds in the world of avatar? maybe...

i got really excited about them changing up the formula for a second. HOWEVER, the quick up-close-and-personal display of violence such as a stabbing hasn't really been shown in avatar so far, that i can remember. felt a bit odd, though not bad

the world of the north "invading" the southern water tribe was more developed here, as the gang goes to a festival. toph made an appearance, and i love her so much; she had the best lines, of course, which is very in character

verrrrry interested to see how these two ideologies are going to be resolved in one slim volume. "join the future or we take your shit" vs. "we're gonna kill you for even daring to think such a thing." very tense.
Profile Image for D. J. Arévalo.
120 reviews
Read
June 14, 2022
This continuation after the last season is bringing life back to the story and serious doses of nostalgia. I would not be unhappy at all if the makers of Avatar continued with new content, not just for nostalgia's sake for my generation, but for my kids to be able to follow and grow up this story as well.
Profile Image for Sam.
950 reviews33 followers
August 19, 2018
Reading these after having watched all of Legend of Korra, makes me realize how much I had missed certain characters, like Sokka and Toph. Okay, yes, we do get a little bit of both of them in Korra, but not nearly enough.

I'm reading these way too quickly, and then I'm going to have to wait to have more Team Avatar in my life.
Profile Image for megan.
543 reviews33 followers
July 13, 2017
My love for the Avatar world is never ending.
762 reviews2,235 followers
July 23, 2022
at first i thought the comics about zuko & the fire nation were the most interesting, but this conflict between the north and south is seriously so intriguing. i like it much much better than zukos problems in the fire nation. the water tribes are so complex and so cool.
Profile Image for luciii.
317 reviews
August 4, 2022
I hate hate hate that everyone is fighting everyone bc they don't have a common enemy anymore
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews

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