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| From the Editor: Remember, Remember... |
The fifth of November. Although we'd prefer you not blow up our newsletter headquarters, crazy things are still happening this month. Most of you are probably aware of the looming fate of the USA in a few days... But aside from that, the Avatar fandom has has a lot of good stuff going on!
Both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra have vibrant comics in the works, and your perception of the story has lots to expand on! Your inner Avatar nerd will surely be pleased by the amount of merchandise and goodies still produced for these classic series. So don't forget about your fandom community, either!
Like what you see below? Join the party and contribute articles! We can only return as many times as you guys are able to fill this groovy issue with your writing.
Happy Reading!
Flameo, fellow Avatards!
It's been a long time since we last heard any Avatar news, but oh goody is there a lot to share with you! Now, I don't want to keep on babbling any more, so let's get right down to it! After the rather lackluster Avatar panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con, hopes for news were slim, but everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked… Uhh, I mean everything changed three months later! A few days before the New York Comic Con, we got some hot information about The Legend of Korra comics along with some answers. We know that the comic series is going to be called Turf Wars, which is going to be a trilogy that will explore the relationship between humans and the spirits that have settled down in the physical world and I think it's safe to say that we can all expect a great deal of Korrasami. (I've seen panel shots of the beginning of the comic and I can already tell you - the comic's gonna be awesome! You can expect Korrasami in the Spirit World, *spoiler* riding on the wonderful dragon bird spirit *~*) The Legend of Korra comics are going to be written by none other than Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who'll be providing advice as consultant. Early on, we've been told that Brittney Williams, who's known for her work on Marvel, would be responsible for the art, but it seems she's no longer on the team. Ever since, fans have been wondering about the new artist and soon enough there have been rumors about who it could be and turns out they've been correct! The official replacements for Williams are Jane Bak, who'll do the coloring, Irene Koh, who will do the line art, and Heather Campbell, who will be responsible for the cover art. From the looks of it, I think the comics are in good hands. Definitely looking forward to see more of Koh's amazing art! (Isn't it creepy that her last name's Koh? o.O) The release date of the first issue will be sometime around June 2017, but don't worry, until then we'll have the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics to read. If you're not a big fan of those, no problem. For those of you who'd rather relive their favorite moments of The Legend of Korra, you can kill the time by watching the complete series on DVD/Blu-Ray, which will be out for purchase on December 13! Still not interested? Well, then you could also get that poster collection or the Avatar: The Last Airbender adult coloring book. I've seen some of the pages of those. and in my humble opinion they do not disappoint. There'll also be a coloring book for The Legend of Korra in July 2017, by the way! I wouldn't want to miss out on that. Can't wait to see the featured art! So many things to read and look forward to... *melts* For someone like me, who is an avid reader, that's awesome news! Speaking of books and news, Gene Yang revealed that the initial title for North and South had been "Oil and Water." That would explain that giant tower in the background of the second part's cover. And did you guys also know that there are lists full with suggestions for the comics and for the upcoming T:LoK coloring book? 0.0 Some of those ideas are pretty awesome, and I'd actually like to see those scenes in the coloring book! I mean, wouldn't it be pretty neat having an intense scene of the show captured on paper like the moment of Raava being separated from Korra or that giant mech attacking Republic City? We even might get to see Zaheer killing the Earth Queen in the coloring book. So intense. 0_0 (And yes, those are actually standing on the list!) In the unlikely event that you happen to be not a fan of books in general at all - that.. that is very unlikely, right? … I mean, you couldn't be not a fan of books… Y'know, 'cause they are so awesome! - you might be interested in those amazing (chibi) figures from Zwyer Industries, Dark Horse and Nendoroid that are on sale! So far, there are figures of Lin Beifong, Avatar Korra, Avatar Aang and of a cute Aang & Momo, and it doesn't look like they will stop anytime soon! If I had the moneys, I'd get each of them! So as you see, there's lots to come! (Un-?)Fortunately, most of it is merchandise and we didn't really get much info about the comics. Many of you are wondering about the future of the A:TLA comics and about the fate of she-who-must-not-be-named.. Well, we didn't really get any word on that. So far the fate of the comics and of she-who-must-not-be-named are currently unknown. Welp. And then there's of course the #1 question: Is there going to be another series featuring the next Avatar? The answer: no. Both Michael and Bryan are currently working on their own projects and Michael stated in a recent interview that he isn't really keen on re-entering TV production any time soon. So yeah, that basically leaves us with the comics - which are awesome - and with the merchandise - which is awesome. Personally, I'm happy. This is the best news we could have gotten. Granted, 90% of it is merchandise, but as much as some of you are unhappy about the lack of comics...or of another series *cough* - this is a good sign for the fandom. Lots of merchandise means that the interest for Avatar/Korra-related stuff is high and that's not really bad, is it? There's so many stuff coming out; comics, coloring books, DVDs/Blu-Rays, (chibi) figures, library editions… If you ask me, this is so much better than another season or series because it means that people haven't forgotten this amazing show and want to support it! This fandom is still alive, people! It might have seemed like it was dead, but actually it was only taking a break to hit full speed again! As fully-realized Avatards, it's our responsibility to fill this place with as much information and good atmosphere as possible and I believe that we can save the wiki! If not, how can we call ourselves Avatards? Let's do the thing! |
Mai and Ty Lee were Azula's elite comrades in her quest to capture Zuko and the Avatar. They fought alongside each other many times and together, took down the Kyoshi warriors. They never battled each other but if they did, who would win?
Let us begin with Mai. She has an impressive and lethal arsenal. She carries knives, concealed within the sleeves of her robe. When thrown at great speed, they are capable of puncturing wood and lodging themselves in stone and metal. She can throw a less accurate spread of many knives, similar to a shotgun blast. Mai deploys sharp stilettos from spring-loaded holsters mounted on her wrists and ankles. She carries a sai which is perfectly lethal and can even be used as a close-quarters weapon. In addition, Mai has quick reflexes and is remarkably agile. She has managed to fight toe-to-toe with many a powerful bender, including Katara. Now for Ty Lee. She is an adept chi blocker, capable of preventing bending and paralysing limbs and entire bodies. She was able to paralyse the legendary Terra Team, Katara, Sokka, Toph and even Princess Azula. Unlike Mai, Ty Lee lacks lethal weapons and variation with her weapons. Ty Lee is incredibly agile, able to avoid almost ever attack her enemies could throw at her. She specialises in ducking behind her enemies and blocking their chi before they can fight back. A battle between the two would boil down to a few things. Mai has a greater variety of lethal weapons than Ty Lee that can likely bring a decisive end to the battle. Ty Lee's chi block is guaranteed to bring Mai out of the fight and Ty Lee could use one of Mai's weapons to kill her. Another factor is knowledge of each other. The two fought side-by-side many times. Ty Lee knows to avoid Mai's stilettos at close-range and Mai knows to avoid Ty Lee's jabs. Bearing this in mind, I think Ty Lee's agility may give her the edge she needs to incapacitate Mai and kill her. What's your verdict? Disagree with the votes? Want to suggest the next battle? Comment to share your thoughts!
Inspired by our lovely community and written by Yours Truly:
WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS. I am a huge fan of the Avatar graphic novels, and one of my favorites so far has been North and South Part 1! This story seems to act like the rift between one of my favorite avatar trilogies. Once again, this story talks about a culture trying to remember its roots while it moves into the future. Unlike last time, it seems to suggest that it will have a very different view on the subject, that roots and tradition should win over "advancement" in this situation. In another way, it is taking the idea of not separating the nations that are discussed in The Promise too far and having cultures trying to control one another. But first, lets talk about the scenery. The snow and ice of the South Sole provide a much-needed break from the reds and grays of Fire Nation cites. The new Southern Water Tribe town is VERY similar to the Northern architecture style, so much that it could be a suburb of the Northern Water Tribe. In fact, it is stated several times that this is just "a cheap imitation of the North." Even the contractors of the construction crew (who seem to be in charge of the whole thing) admit that they are from the North and have lived their lives in the Earth Kingdom, so they know nothing about Water Tribe culture. As revealed by Maliq, who tells the workers "Come down here and you think you can get sloppy!", not even the construction crew of Two northerners and earthbender knows about the South's culture. The fact that the grand town hall, decorated with what are basically now government symbols, is "just for the local government," and that there will soon be an even grander palace for Hakoda, is a perfect example of Earth Kingdom government and proves that there's just as much of them here as in the North, with no Southern culture. This book also features the second car-like, non militarized vehicle, the first one being Satoru's (from The Rift, remember?) forklift. This new vehicle is designed for speed in the snow and has a sleek design, headlights, a basic steering wheel, skis, two seats, and it is the transportation of choice for the natives of the Southern Water Tribe. These rebels steal documents from the construction crew in order to learn what is happening in the town as well as what they can do about it. In a way, these people are extremists, stealing from government officials and preparing for war, but in some ways they are right. The more power-based governments are the strongest. If the Earth Kingdom represents China, as several Avatar sources suggest, then are the Air Nomads Tibet? (A country that China claimed as its land and took control of.) Is the Southern Water Tribe Taiwan? (An island nation that China also once claimed as its land)
Considering the last scene in this graphic novel, I believe we will learn more about these mysteries in the next installment. I will be back to review North and South parts Two and Three when they are released! |
Last issue, I talked about three trends in the Legend of Korra fanfiction, all three being Korrasami related. This makes perfect sense, as the general direction a lot of stories have been leaning in since the finale is Korrasami rather than Makorra or Masami or any other ship involving the two leading ladies. Being an ardent Korrasami shipper myself, I was very much surprised when I put some thought into the stories I'm currently reading and eagerly awaiting updates from; many, many more than I would have expected actually have Kainora as its main relationship. Since realizing this, I figured it would be fun to overanalyze this fact, as well as draw some attention to the better stories that I believe deserve some than they are currently getting.
First up, the origin. Jinora has been a difficult character to pair for the first two books, and as a result, she was often paired with Skoochy, the street urchin who appears precisely once and never shares the screen with Jinora. To quote Harry Stamper from Armageddon: "He's the only one in your age bracket [...], it's not a choice, it's a lack of options." So when Kai showed up in the second episode of Book 3 and had some actual chemistry with Jinora, Jinoochy was dropped like a stone and replaced with Kainora by many fans. And in all honesty, I can totally see why. Jinora's relatively sheltered upbringing along with her age means that she would be craving some rebellion like any normal teenager would, so when a handsome boy with a shady past get dropped in her lap, it's not a big leap. Kai meanwhile, in spite of his earlier ulterior motives, does become genuinely interested in the Air Nation, and by extent, Jinora. Even though they don't have any real development in Book 4, which is kind of a shame if you ask me, their long-distance relationship is hinted at, giving it legitimacy in the eyes of many fans. Now, onto fanon. What strikes me as odd is that judging by the numbers, there is only one story that got anything close to the attention of any of the more popular Korrasami stories, and that is, in my humble opinion, the best one, as well as one of the best Alternate Universe stories ever written: What's Done In the Dark. Contrary to what you might think, the title isn't referring to any actual activities undertaken in the dark, but rather to the fact that Kai and Jinora have kept their relationship hidden for a long time, only to be outed as the story opens. What I really like about this is that it does not so much pose the question of 'will they get together?' (which, and let's be honest here, we all know the answer to in most given stories) but rather how they are going to overcome the difficulties their relationship brings them. Tenzin is disapproving, Ikki is being a brat, Mako and Bolin (who act as Kai's caretakers here) are struggling to make ends meet, etcetera. All of this stuff is great, it means that not only do we see their relationship develop, we also see Kai and Jinora develop with it. Most of the 'firsts' have already been taken care of in the year or so before the story proper takes place, so the focus really is on how to continue with their relationship. This has all the makings of a great story, aided by Kuno12's excellent ability to write well-rounded and very human characters, but it's not what makes it, in my mind, the best AU I have read. That can be summed up in three words: it portrays life. It makes no bones about it, that sometimes, life just sucks, plain and simple. Life can have its great moments, but it has its bad moments as well, and what makes this story so likable is how Kai and Jinora face these moments: together. This is a story I cannot recommend more highly, if not for the great Kainora stuff, then as a sort of 'how-to' manual on how to write an AU properly. There are of course many more stories in the Kainora fandom, a few of which I'll discuss a little quicker than What's Done In the Dark. First of all, Anchor. This story is a pirate-AU, but it has two problems that the above doesn't have: it's mostly about how Kai and Jinora end up together, and it's fairly inconsistent about its own setting. Those seem like big issues, but they are overcome by two things: the Kainora is just too likable to care very much, and it developed something of its own mini-universe. There is a sequel, Compass, which deals with the post-getting together stuff (and consequently, I think it's the more interesting story) not to mention one-shots from the same author, words-with-dragons, as well as companion stories from the aforementioned Kuno12 and boasamishipper, who has many good stories under his belt as well. These include Sometimes You Hear the Bullet, a story that should be getting much more attention than it is, in which Kai and Jinora are surgeons on the frontlines of a total-war scenario, as well as Those In Peril On the Sea, a Titanic AU. This should logically be the lesser one, as it mostly borrows the storyline from James Cameron's eponymous movie and therefore feels a touch predictable, but it's still a good and very enjoyable story, even if it does bring up a touch of déja vu for those who have seen the movie. In all honesty, I could spend all day here rattling off stories that I like a lot (Keep a Spur Handy and 20 Questions are worth mentioning), but I only have so much room to talk about the subject, so for now, I'll drop it here. Take care, folks.
I was a latecomer to Avatar: The Last Airbender, seeing my very first episode two full years after the series ended. I was soon hooked into it, though, and I finished watching Sozin’s Comet before the end of 2010. It was not long afterwards that I visited the encyclopedia on the wiki and began doing my own worldbuilding within its universe. My first fanon that I wrote on here, Energy Saga, largely arose from that initial worldbuilding. Looking back that really stands out to me, given how many details I included and how I introduced a couple of plot points which I never really bothered to expand upon later. As I said, it was my first fanon on here, and my debut into that part of the site, as well as my reentry into the world of writing in general.
Shortly after I started that, I branched out into the community on here. For the rest of 2011 and most of 2012 I had what I considered to be a busy life at the time but I also had an abundance of free time. Then I got a new job, which made me busier. And then a second job. And then I started taking online courses. Throughout the past few years there has also been the occasional personal drama spurt, during which I have to put everything else on hold pretty much until its resolved. I started to step away from the wiki, my roles there and a lot of my writing. While I would still lurk and occasionally dive in for a bit, most of the newer users these days I haven’t really interacted with. Nevertheless, I have a lot that I still plan to do. My current fanon I’m about halfway done with writing. Having written over 200,000 words of it, that’s not something I would ever leave unfinished. I will see it to the end regardless of how long it takes or how active I am or how active the wiki is in the future. Something that I realize with the help of others on here is that writing anything requires putting in the effort to make time for yourself to write. We’re all busy to some extent. Time management is part of it, though I don’t really have any business writing an extensive article on that, as that’s not the strongest suit of mine. Writing regularly and often reinforces the habit, going for a daily word count. At the busiest of times, that hasn’t always been feasible. Rather than write constantly at a time like that, I sometimes try to write a lot all at once, such as when I did NaNoWriMo in 2013, 2014 and 2015. I will not be doing it this year, not just because of being busy, but also because I’m currently editing and revising some of my writing, and that’s something I have to concentrate on as well. I typically edit only after setting something aside for a little while first. Personally, I can never even write and revise in the same sitting, even if it’s different projects. It’s a completely separate mindset when I do each one. Fortunately one doesn’t have to do a full NaNo to get some of the spirit. It could be a week of writing extensively every day, or a blast weekend of writing, which I’ve often done whenever I’m behind. After the initial word vomit, to borrow words from Veronica Roth, its ready to edit before posting. This patience took me time to develop, as for the first several chapters in Energy Saga I posted literally after I finished typing it. Whatever one’s routine, it’s important to open time regardless of how busy one is, and if one steps away for a while, always come back to it. We all have our own habits and styles, but whatever our pace, its all a matter of remaining persistent enough to stick with it. Stay the course.
What's a newsletter without random, time-killing puzzles and games? This here is an interactive puzzle that allows you to move the pieces of the image around until they all click together. Find out which iconic image we've pulled from the series, and see who gets the best time!
Trivia: Today's puzzle art was drawn by Nazgullow!  |
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Nazgullow, a good friend and epic illustrator hailing from DeviantArt.com. Many of you are familiar with his work in the fanon portal as a contest prize illustrator, and today he'll be sharing with us the joys and challenges of being a story artist.
Every author's dream is to see his or her story come to life; the artist who makes it happen has a journey of his own. All fanon artwork by Nazgullow can be found here. See here for his deviantART gallery. See below for his accurate interview drawing.
Hi Naz, thanks so much for coming! How's it going?
Glad you could make it! Ready to share the magic behind your drawing wizardry?
Awesome! Let's start from the beginning, then: Why drawing? What drew you to it and makes it special to you?
That passion really stands out in your work! It's amazing what you've done for our fanons here. Do you ever find it scary whenever you're the first artist to visualize someone's original character purely from text? How do you capture a story without using words?
Well, I think you've nailed it! Out of all the factors you take into account during the process, what's the first piece of information you look for in a request?
Wow, it must be an adventure to bring it all together in one picture. How long do commissions usually take you to draw, planning and sketching included?
I'm pretty sure you are, man. And speaking of the industry, what are your tools of the trade? If you don't mind me asking.
Do you find it more enjoyable to draw for a series you know well? Or does it depend on the idea behind the request?
Words of wisdom! Your author clients must be very happy. What part of a story do you get requested to draw most often? Any trends?
How about the protagonists? What kind of person are they usually? You know, like... dark and brooding, armor clad, crazy, superhero, hopeless romantic, etc...you get the idea haha!
What do you think of shipping fan art requests?
Can you tell what kind of writer someone is based on their request? Or...what it says about them? o.o
And you've probably got lots of commissions from those writers to work on right now! It's time we let you return to the palette, and we're all thrilled to see what you come up with next. A thousand thanks for taking the time to share the creative process with us!
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