Avatar: The Last Airbender was a unique animated series for US television which a broad range of influences. Mixing Eastern mythology with martial arts and fantasy, the show was very different to everything else being produced in the US at the time – especially on Nickelodeon, home of Spongebob Squarepants. While it didn’t have a lengthy stay on TV, lasting 61 episodes over three seasons, it did have a very passionate audience who loved the show very dearly.
Luckily for fans, Dark Horse Comics acquired the rights to continue the show in the form of graphic novels. Picking up where the show left off, the creative teams work very closely with the show’s creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko with the plot so it should definitely please the fans. So far this has worked quite well with the graphic novels being well-received by fans and critics.
With another graphic novel trilogy beginning soon, Dark Horse want to make sure Avatar fans know that the series has continued in this format. They’ve done so by releasing their Avatar: The Last Airbender Graphic Novel Timeline which you’ll be able to see below. I’ll also expand on the timeline with a listing of all the graphic novels that have been released so far.
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Where Can I Find Avatar: The Last Airbender Graphic Novels?
All the graphic novels mentioned in this guide can be found in all good comic book stores, online stores, eBay, and digitally on Dark Horse Digital or Amazon.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Graphic Novel Reading Order
As mentioned before, The Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels work in groups of trilogies which, to my understanding, each acting as the equivalent of a TV season. You can find a reading list of all the graphic novels, both released and soon to be, below.
Katara and the Pirate’s Silver
Unlike other Avatar graphic novels, Katara and the Pirate’s Silver will be an 80-page one-off story instead of a trilogy.
Katara and the Pirate’s Silver is set after the Season 2 episode “Bitter Work”.
Suki, Alone
Written by Faith Erin Hicks and Tim Hedrick. Art by Peter Wartman and Adele Matera.
This standalone graphic novel focuses on Suki, where she has been captured by the Fire Nation.
Suki, Alone is set somewhere between the Season 2 episode “Appa’s Lost Days” and Season 3’s “The Boiling Rock”.
Come back every few months as this will be regularly update when new information is available.
The Promise
Written by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.
The Promise: Part One
The Promise: Part Two
The Promise: Part Three
All three graphic novels are available collected together in the Library Edition format (an oversized hardcover edition) and the easier on the wallet omnibus edition.
The Search
Written by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.
The Search: Part One
The Search: Part Two
The Search: Part Three
The Search is also available in a library edition (which collects all three graphic novels in one hardcover collection) or paperback omnibus.
The Rift
Written by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.
The Rift: Part One
The Rift: Part Two
The Rift: Part Three
The Rift is also available in a library edition (which collects all three graphic novels in one hardcover collection) or paperback omnibus.
Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy
Written by Faith Erin Hicks and Tim Hedrick. Art by Peter Wartman and Adele Matera.
Toph has opened up an academy to teach metalbending. This standalone graphic novel reintroduces a bunch of characters from the show that we haven’t seen in a while.
Smoke and Shadow
Written by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.
Smoke and Shadow: Part One
Smoke and Shadow: Part Two
Smoke and Shadow: Part Three
Smoke and Shadow is also available in a library edition which collects all three graphic novels in one hardcover and a softcover omnibus.
North and South
Written by Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and Gene Luen Yang. Art by Gurihiru.
North and South: Book One
North and South: Book Two
North and South: Book Three
North and South is also available in a library edition which collects all three graphic novels in one hardcover or a softcover omnibus edition.
Imbalance
Imbalance is the latest story cycle of Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has a new creative team with Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko joined by writer Faith Erin Hicks (The Nameless City) and art team Peter Wartman and Adele Matera.
Imbalance: Part 1
Imbalance: Part 2
Imbalance: Part 3
All of Imbalance is also collected in the hardcover Library Edition. No omnibus edition has been announced yet.
Azula in the Spirit Temple
Written Faith Erin Hicks. Art by Peter Wartman and Adele Matera.
The controversial character Azula is getting her own graphic novel. It will be set during the period where Azula left the fire nation.
Azula in the Spirit Temple is available from 26th September, 2023.
Other Avatar: The Last Airbender Graphic Novels
Dark Horse Comics has also published two other collections of The Last Airbender material. Read on to find out more.
The Lost Adventures
Written and art by various.
This collects material from Nickelodeon Magazine and comics that were packaged with the DVDs.
Team Avatar Tales
Written and art by various.
A collection of short stories which were previously available as part of Free Comic Book Day.
The Last Adventures and Team Avatar Tales can also be read collected together in the Library Edition format.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Chibis Volume 1: Aang’s Unfreezing Day
Written by Kelly Leigh Miller. Art by Diana Sim.
All your favourite characters in chibi form!
Boxed Sets
Dark Horse Comics has started to collect some graphic novels in boxed sets. See all the details below.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Boxed Set
Collects: Katara and the Pirate’s Silver, Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy, and Suki, Alone
Have Your Say!
Will you be checking out the graphic novels? What other kinds of comic book content would you like to see on How to Love Comics? Let me know in the comments below or via Facebook or Twitter.
You could go to books a million if there is one near you
Are the comics nickelodeon official
So glad I saw this post, thanks alot 😌✨
But I also wanted to ask if there’s an app(like a library app) that I can download them from because I haven’t seen any bookshop or library in my country that deals with any ATLA or LOK comics…
Thanks 💫
Hey David, I’m not overly familiar with the different library apps available. However, I believe ATLA and LOK are both on Hoopla. Otherwise, you can purchase them through Dark Horse Digital or Comixology apps.
Hey there, there have been more books released like: Suki Alone, The Lost Advetures, The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi.
Where do those go in the time line?
(thanks for the response)
🙂
Will there be a library edition for the lose parts of the pirates and metalbending academy in the future?
Hey Jaimy, great question. No word when a Library Edition will be available, but it is reasonable to believe that there will be one in the future.
incredible information yu just shared in your blog, thank you
Hi, my daughter Sophia just got the first book in the Smoke and Shadow series. She really enjoyed the book, but wants to read all the books as each trilogy was written. I think she needs to read the Airbender, the promise, the search, the rife, the next two smoke and shadows, and north and south? Is this correct?
Hey Gina, that correct! There’s more books on the way after North and South so I will need to update this reading order soon!
What is library edition???? How do i get these comics?
Library edition is basically all of the books combined for a library to rent out. It makes it easier to read is you go to the library a lot. It also makes less work for librarians. Hope this helped!
thankyou! this make me easier to search
Love the show and love the graphic novels! Legend of Korra really draws you in after the first few episodes, even though I miss Aang and the original Team Avatar. I wish they would animate more! Please, Nickelodeon! Bring back Avatar Aang and continue where the north and the south part 3 leaves off!
I wish there is a Library Edition of a Novelized edition of the animated Series !