Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Search Hardcover – February 18, 2014

This is the second installment of the Avatar: The Last Airbender comic book series.If you haven't seen the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon from Nickelodeon, don't buy this until you've seen all of it and read the first comic book in the series. There is a lot of back story you need to understand in order to read this.Okay, first I will address how the book looked when I got it, which almost lost the product a star in the review process. It wasn't wrapped in any protective coating when it arrived at my door, so it was scuffed from something it had rubbed up against. There were black marks on the white cover and I was VERY annoyed. Luckily, my husband was a janitor and had a microfiber rag that took the scuff marks off without harming the cover itself. It saved Amazon's fifth star! (haha?)Anyway. This book is INCREDIBLE. The storyline involves what happened to Zuko's mother, Ursa. I think every fan of the show wanted to know what happened to her, and the makers of the show never revealed it in the cartoon. I actually looked up the story on wikipedia a long time ago, but the description of events was so convoluted I couldn't get what really happened. Do yourself a favor and read this book. You will find yourself swept up in the tale and unable to put it down.The art is a joy to view. Combined with the running commentary in the margins, everything is beautiful and purposeful. You can see the story unfold in the panels, but also through the eyes/words of the authors. The character development in this series never stops in the writing or the illustration.This is a masterful telling of tales. I am proud to put it on my shelf.

Amazing book for ATLA fans, you'll definitely like this frame story. I hope more new adventures are released.

This is my first comic ever and I am amazed on how beautiful it is! I love the Hard Cover and everything that is extra like the sketches of the characters

If you're like me and were deeply saddened when you finished watching ATLA, this entire line of books is absolutely worth reading. This book is the follow-up to "The Promise," which picks up almost immediately after the show's finale. "The Search" primarily focuses on Zuko's journey to find his mother, while fleshing out many of the questions as to why she abandoned him and where she went. This was the story that the showrunners wanted to tell in the show's 4th season before it was cancelled. However, the specifics were not yet laid out, providing this book's author, Gene Luen Yang, with a lot of creative freedom.It's clear to see that the Yang has a firm grasp of the characters, as the writing in this book is absolutely phenomenal. It is so honest to the source material that it genuinely feels like watching an episode from the show. However, they also take the opportunity to delve into more complex and mature themes, which is a nice change of pace. The art by the comic team Gurihiu is also outstanding. They depict an older Gaang while still remaining faithful to the character models. The way they portray bending is also incredibly impressive when considering they have to simulate motion in a still image.Lastly, this book comes with annotations from the author and artists, making the whole process very gratifying. Every decision, both major and minor, are explained in depth throughout the book. Yang himself is a fan of the show and it is evident in the detail that he puts into his writing. Minor aspects of the show that weren't previously important come to the forefront of these books in ways that only a superfan could manage.Overall, this book was an amazing read, and it felt like a return to the world that the show had so beautifully crafted. Once you start, you will remember exactly why you fell in love with these characters in the first place.

As someone who watched avatar as a kid, these graphic novels have felt very true to the show so far. These stories take place after the events of the show "Avatar the Last Airbender" and it expands upon the characters, story and world in interesting yet faithful way. Especially if Zuko or Azula were your favorite characters. I'm coming upon the last volume and excited to see how it ends.

While I enjoyed "The Promise" it didn't grab me as a story I was dying to hear. I would probably give it 4 stars, but have never rated it. However, being an avid Avatar Universe fan, I bought "The Search" if for no other reason than to learn the demise of Ursa, the wife of Fire Lord Ozai. Well, this story was flat out great.Without giving away the details of the story, let me give you some generalities as to what you can expect if you purchase this 240 page volume:1. A story that feels like it's right from the end of the TV show. The characters feel right, especially Sokka (who shines in this story "NATURE HATES YOU!"), the story blends well with specific episodes from Season 2 and 3, and the art is wonderful. It really feels like you're reading a mini-story arc from A: TLA.2. A book of excellent quality. Thick paper, large margins, great binding. For 30$ you're getting your money's worth. The best thing about buying this compilation is you get notes from the creators, artist, and writers in the margins that give you little bits of info on the inspiration of certain characters or events. Kind of like when Nickelodeon did their pop-up Avatar run, which they should have included on the DVD releases of the original series. Ahem....3. More Avatar Aang! Need I say more? This is the official continuation of the story. If you love Aang and Korra as much as I do, then you have to ... HAVE TO get these books. The comics are done in collaboration with the writers of the show, so as far as I know, it's canonical.Enjoy!

Perfect hard cover book! Easy to read. I loved it!

This was purchased as a gift as part of an ongoing birthday tradition and the recipient loved it. Big fan of the ATLA art style and message myself.