Words I Write Crazy: Week 38 Reviews: Imbalance, Part 1, Imbalance, Part 2, Imbalance, Part 3

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Week 38 Reviews: Imbalance, Part 1, Imbalance, Part 2, Imbalance, Part 3

From Goodreads:

When Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph return to Earthen Fire Industries--the factory owned by Toph's father--Team Avatar finds that the once small town is now booming. Expecting a warm welcome, Aang is surprised when their arrival is met with unimpressed, cold-shouldered spectators. As soon as the team is asked for help at a business council meeting, the reason for the slight becomes clear--a massive bender versus non-bender conflict has gripped the town and is threatening to turn violent.

From Goodreads:

Aang and Team Avatar race to resolve rising tensions between benders and non-benders before a town is torn apart!

There's something fishy going on in Cranefish Town, and it's up to Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph to find out what, before the simmering conflict between benders and non-benders boils over into all-out war. But danger lurks where they least expect it, and uncovering the truth will reveal a threat unlike any they've ever faced--and a fateful choice for Aang he can never unmake!

Written by Faith Erin Hicks (The Adventures of Superhero Girl, The Nameless City) and drawn by Peter Wartman (Stonebreaker), in collaboration with Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, this is the ultimate continuation of Avatar!

From Goodreads:

Team Avatar faces their most dangerous foe yet as the bender vs. non-bender conflict turns into an all-out war in this action-packed conclusion to the Imbalance arc!

While Aang grapples with a life-changing decision that only he can make as the Avatar, Toph and Katara implore him--from opposite sides--to choose a path. Meanwhile, Ru and Yaling concoct a fiery ploy to get their mother back. The bender vs. non-bender conflict finally reaches a powerful boiling point, and for better or for worse, Cranefish Town will never be the same!

My Review:
I really loved reading this story arc! I don't think I have much more left to read of Aang's time, or at least, what's currently published. So this almost feels like a final send off. I know there's the Azula story, but it looks like that's a one and done. So it's almost like we're saying goodbye here, or very soon after.

This takes place in Cranefish Town, which I think will become Republic City, and explores benders vs. non-benders, and the prejudice there, exacerbated by technology replacing people, in a bustling, growing industry town. So that was a really interesting discussion, a difficult one, and with no easy answers.

Alongside that, is that Aang can take benders abilities away, as he demonstrated in the finale of the show. The question becomes, when is that the right answer to a problem? Because bending is a part of a bender's identify, as Katara points out, so when does the safety of the many override the abilities of the few?

All in all, this was another great look of the progress of the world, and the growing imbalance between nature and mankind, benders and non-benders. I'm a bit sad that there doesn't seem to be much more content of Aang and the gang, but this left off in a good place for the Legends of Korra series to pick up!

Loved reading this story, it was such a great read!

Author: Faith Erin Hicks, Illustrated by Peter Wartman
Series: Imbalance #1, 2, 3, Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics #6.1, 6.2, 6.3
Read: September 17th, 17th, 17th, 2023
Source: Online
Reason Why: Love this world, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2023 Book!
Publisher: Dark Horse Books
Published: October 23rd 2018, May 14th 2019, September 10th 2019

Imbalance, Part 1: