How to Enjoy the Ever-Expanding Universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) is a show that so many fans have a deep nostalgia for, but did you know that it’s also the first piece in a long list of Avatarverse content? From comics to novels to an entire tabletop role-playing game set in the world of the Avatar, there is so much to explore within this universe.

Continue reading this guide to get all the information you need to enjoy the ever-expanding universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but we must warn you first: Even though the appeal of the expanded universe content is strong, we highly recommend that you watch the entirety of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra (LoK) before diving into anything else. A solid foundation in the Avatarverse’s basic concepts will only further your enjoyment of these comics, books, and games.

Once you finish both shows and taste the expanded universe, check out The Youtini Avatar Show for even more Avatarverse fun! Our podcast follows the Netflix adaptation of ATLA one episode at a time, with hosts who are longtime ATLA fans with a deep sense of nostalgia for the animated series.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics

Screen Comix

If it has been a while since you’ve watched the shows, but you’re looking to start your journey in the expanded universe, the ATLA Screen Comix would be a great place to start. Currently, there are four Screen Comix: two adaptations of the show and two standalone stories.

• Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 1, Volume 1, and Book 1, Volume 2 are straightforward comic adaptations of season 1 of ATLA. Both volumes were released in 2021, but we haven’t gotten much information on the future release of other seasons' adaptations. These comics are fun and enjoyable but don’t really “expand” the Avatarverse.

However, following those adaptations, Screen Comix released two standalone Avatar stories. Though they still tell stories from the show, these comics focus on one particular character arc rather than relaying several episodes' worth of content.

• Zuko Finds His Way hit shelves in 2022 and tells the story of Zuko’s journey toward accepting Uncle Iroh’s wisdom and guidance, realizing that his quest to regain his honor may not be the only path his life could take.

• The Power of Toph premiered in 2023 and follows Toph’s experiences joining Team Avatar in season 2.

Graphic Novel Trilogies

The world of ATLA and LoK comics is rife with graphic novel trilogies — and believe us when we tell you, they are a great time.

• The Promise, released in 2012, follows Team Avatar’s quest for world peace about one year after the show's end.

• The Search came out in 2013, and it really pulls at the heartstrings as we watch Zuko search for his long-lost mother, the former Queen of the Fire Nation.

• The Rift followed in 2014. This story involves not only the physical world of ATLA but also the Spirit World, as Aang and his companions attempt to heal a divide between the two realms.

• If you enjoy the political intrigue of the Fire Nation, you’ll love the next trilogy in this list: Smoke and Shadow (2015-16). This one details how Fire Lord Zuko was forced to push back against his political dissenters, the New Ozai Society.

• Next, we have North and South, a Water Tribe-focused story about Katara and Sokka’s realization that their small Southern village has become a bit of a metropolis while they’ve been away. This one came out throughout 2016-17.

• Finally, Imbalance (2018-19) is another tale of the age-old conflict within the Avatarverse between benders and non-benders.

That was a lot! But we promise each of these trilogies is worth the read. They deepen our understanding of the world of Avatar and of the characters we have all come to care about so much.

Graphic Novels

Outside of the ATLA trilogies, there are plenty of standalone graphic novels that you can read in any order. Each focuses on one or two characters, so we recommend starting with the character you like most and going down the list from there!

• Katara and the Pirate’s Silver follows Katara as she is suddenly separated from the rest of her friends and must find a way to survive on her own long enough to reunite with Team Avatar.

• Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy tells the story of the beginning of Toph’s academy, where she teaches the new form of bending that she discovered. This graphic novel becomes even more meaningful after seeing the incredible feats of the metalbenders in The Legend of Korra!

• Suki, Alone is the graphic novel for all the Kyoshi Warriors in the fandom. It follows Suki as she rebuilds her resilience against injustice and starts a new community in a very unlikely place. And it features Avatar Kyoshi on the cover!

• Azula in the Spirit Temple pits one of the show's most irredeemable characters against her own misgivings and failures, forcing her to either grow or dig deeper into her hatred.

‍The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer follows everyone’s favorite wise, old character, Uncle Iroh, as he faces the mistakes of his past and their implications on his future.

The Legend of Korra Comics

Graphic Novel Trilogies

Just like Avatar: The Last Airbender, stories that expand on The Legend of Korra occur mainly in graphic novel trilogies. However, where ATLA has six graphic novel trilogies, LoK currently has two. But, if you enjoyed the show, we promise you'll find these two comic trilogies worthwhile!

• Turf Wars picks up pretty much immediately after the end of The Legend of Korra with Korra and Asami’s impromptu vacation to the Spirit World. The couple has a great time, but while they're gone, Republic City falls into disrepair and chaos due to a spirit portal in the middle of the city. The trilogy follows Korra as she tries to navigate her new relationship with Asami while also trying to fulfill her Avatar duties to Republic City and the rest of the world.

‍Ruins of the Empire takes place soon after Turf Wars wraps up. It is a rematch between Korra and Kuvira as the justice system decides the correct punishment for Kuvira’s crimes throughout the Earth Kingdom.

Other LoK Comics

• Patterns in Time is an anthology comic packed with eight stories set throughout the timeline of The Legend of Korra. Each story puts one or two familiar characters in the spotlight to give us additional stories we didn’t get from the show.

• Mystery of Penquan Island is an upcoming LoK comic focusing on Mako and his family. We don’t know much about it yet, but we do know that it is a standalone story rather than a trilogy.

Chronicles of the Avatar Novels

‍Chronicles of the Avatar is a series that tells the stories of past Avatars that came before Aang and Korra in a world distinct from the one we see in the shows. These novels provide the rich history of that world, making the shows and other comics feel even more real and tangible. 

If you’re interested in playing the Avatar Legends RPG, we recommend reading these novels first! They will give you a better understanding of the sense of worldbuilding within the Avatarverse, enriching your game for both the DM and the players!

Kyoshi Novels

The Rise of Kyoshi and The Shadow of Kyoshi make up the Kyoshi duology by F.C. Yee. They take place many years before ATLA begins when Kyoshi is discovered to be the next Avatar in the cycle. These novels contain political intrigue, Avatar lore, intense friendship and romance, and, of course, some incredible bending.

If you’re interested in the Chronicles of the Avatar novels, The Rise of Kyoshi is the best place to start!

Yangchen Novels

Set before the Kyoshi novels, the Yangchen novels, also by F.C. Yee, focus on the early life of the previous Air Nomad Avatar one full cycle before Aang. Yangchen, like the other Avatars before and after her, must learn to find the delicate balance between protecting the world in her role as the Avatar while also building and maintaining her own personal relationships.

This duology consists of The Dawn of Yangchen and The Legacy of Yangchen. These novels are particularly exciting because they are our only window into the culture and society of the Air Nomads before the genocide that incited the Hundred Years’ War.

Forthcoming Novel

The next book — and possibly the start of the next duology? — in Chronicles of the Avatar is The Reckoning of Roku by Randy Ribay, which comes out in July 2024. This novel will tell the story of a young Roku, the Avatar immediately preceding Aang in the cycle, as he navigates his doubts about his power and the weight of his friendship with Sozin, the Prince of the Fire Nation.

Much like his fellow Avatars, Roku doesn’t have much time to master the elements before his help is needed in large conflicts around the world that will affect entire populations. That means he has to figure things out on the go and hope that the decisions he is forced to make are the right ones.

Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game

Avatar Legends is the only official RPG system set in the Avatarverse, and it is an incredible amount of fun. The worldbuilding of the Avatarverse comes to life in this game, and the mechanics are much easier to pick up and run with than many other games in the current RPG sphere.

Players can choose to play within one of five eras:

• The Kyoshi Era

• The Roku Era

• The Hundred Years’ War Era

• The Aang Era

• The Korra Era

There are a few pre-written missions that your characters can go on depending on what era you choose to play within, and the mechanics allow Game Masters to get as creative as they want in designing their stories. And, of course, you can choose to be a bender! All types of bending are built into the game, along with techniques that focus more on technology or non-bending combat through simple ingenuity.

Along the way in your campaign, you will likely run into a few legendary non-player characters from your chosen era, giving you and your team the boosts they may need to move forward in their own particular stories.

Players choose between playbooks to start the creation of their characters, then customize everything in order to come alive in the world of the Avatarverse! Whether you are new to RPGs or a seasoned player/GM, we highly recommend picking up the Avatar Legends rule book from your local game store.

Conclusion

So, welcome to the ever-expanding universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra! This universe is rapidly growing with incredible content that feels just as good as the original animated series, and we just cannot get enough of it.

If you’re interested in talking to other ATLA and LoK fans, check out The Youtini Avatar Show and join our Discord to meet like-minded fans!