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Avatar: The Last Airbender: Smoke and Shadow #2
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Smoke and Shadow, Part 2
What is the secret of the Kemurikage?
The shadowy spirits known as the Kemurikage are abducting children throughout the Fire Nation Capital, sowing widespread fear and panic in their wake. Desperate to determine what has angered these spirits, Aang and Zuko search for clues deep in the Dragonbone Catacombs underneath the Fire Sages Capital Temple. Can they uncover the hidden history of the Kemurikage and solve the mystery in time, or will more children be taken?
The shadowy spirits known as the Kemurikage are abducting children throughout the Fire Nation Capital, sowing widespread fear and panic in their wake. Desperate to determine what has angered these spirits, Aang and Zuko search for clues deep in the Dragonbone Catacombs underneath the Fire Sages Capital Temple. Can they uncover the hidden history of the Kemurikage and solve the mystery in time, or will more children be taken?
76 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2015
About the author
Gene Luen Yang
326 books3,293 followersGene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress’ fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. American Born Chinese, his first graphic novel from First Second Books, was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the winner of the Printz Award and an Eisner Award. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the L.A. Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His other works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), Superman from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. His most recent books are Dragon Hoops from First Second Books and Superman Smashes the Klan from DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews
May 6, 2019
"You can still learn from the past, even if you officially deny its existance."
And that final punch was really something!
I love this, is that even a surprise by now? I mean Zuko is one of the main characters so...
I honestly don't have that much to say. I just love it. The art is beautiful -obviously- and the fighting is well choreographed and delightful to watch. There is a good balance between humor and seriousness, and we get to see our favorite characters together again.
What else is there to wish for?
More Iroh! But I think will see him a bit more in a bit *wink, wink*
And that final punch was really something!
I love this, is that even a surprise by now? I mean Zuko is one of the main characters so...
I honestly don't have that much to say. I just love it. The art is beautiful -obviously- and the fighting is well choreographed and delightful to watch. There is a good balance between humor and seriousness, and we get to see our favorite characters together again.
What else is there to wish for?
More Iroh! But I think will see him a bit more in a bit *wink, wink*
January 21, 2016
Avatar Aang finds out that the Kemurikage spirits are not a legend, they exist. He also finds out that they have nothing to do with the kidnappings in the Fire nation’s capital. But if they not the responsible for the disappearance of Mai’s little brother and all the other children who is? Is that “name” behind the mask? Can’t wait to find out what is going on
4 stars because after not including Toph in the first part, now we don’t see Sokka and Katara.
Also I hope that Aang will get in the Avatar state in the last part
image:
4 stars because after not including Toph in the first part, now we don’t see Sokka and Katara.
Also I hope that Aang will get in the Avatar state in the last part
image:
February 21, 2021
Oh shoot - that ending - I was just thinking about that plotline.
Stuff is really picking up - but again, I really want this specific thing to happen and I'm hoping that it will. 4/5 stars.
Stuff is really picking up - but again, I really want this specific thing to happen and I'm hoping that it will. 4/5 stars.
January 19, 2016
I'm not doing a full review for this. I just want to say how continually glad I am that we get to keep having new stories in the A:TLA universe. It might be time for my annual rewatch . . .
November 5, 2020
*** This review contains spoiler-filled reactions, thoughts, and opinions ***
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars).
Does this book, comic book series, even need an introduction anymore? I don´t think so. I am Avatar The Last Airbender & The Legend of Korra trash the moment ATLA was released (same goes for Korra). A huge part of my childhood was impacted by Avatar and now I am in my adult years and I still find myself gushing and thinking about Avatar constantly. Guess I´ll be Avatar trash for the entirety of my whole life and honestly I am not complaining about that.
Whoohoo so much Mai already. I also really want Mai and Zuko to get back together.
OLD MAN, ZUKO IS A GREAT FIRE LORD AND THAT'S THE END OF THIS DISCUSSION.
It's kind of sad how Kiyi is treating Ursa, but it's also understandable since suddenly her mum got a whole new face and that must be confusing to her.
Lol, fire lord Zuko visits us fire sages often BUT NEVER FOR MY MEDITATION CLASSES. Nawww poor fire sage dude.
*Kei Lo calls Mai babe*
Aang: babe???
Zuko: lol, look whose talking, you little shit. You and your girlfriend call each other sweetie, which is way worse. You have no right to complain😂😂
I knew it, I knew that they weren't real spirits, after all, just people who dress up like those spirits.
I also knew Mai's dad was behind the kidnapping.
WOW PLOT TWIST! I wasn't expecting Azula to be one of those fake dark spirits. I knew she was going to pop up again after Kiyi kept calling zuko zuzu, but I honestly didn't expect her to work together with Mai's dad.
ONTO THE NEXT VOLUME I SAY, cause there's no way I can just stop at this volume and not read the concluding part.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars).
Does this book, comic book series, even need an introduction anymore? I don´t think so. I am Avatar The Last Airbender & The Legend of Korra trash the moment ATLA was released (same goes for Korra). A huge part of my childhood was impacted by Avatar and now I am in my adult years and I still find myself gushing and thinking about Avatar constantly. Guess I´ll be Avatar trash for the entirety of my whole life and honestly I am not complaining about that.
Whoohoo so much Mai already. I also really want Mai and Zuko to get back together.
OLD MAN, ZUKO IS A GREAT FIRE LORD AND THAT'S THE END OF THIS DISCUSSION.
It's kind of sad how Kiyi is treating Ursa, but it's also understandable since suddenly her mum got a whole new face and that must be confusing to her.
Lol, fire lord Zuko visits us fire sages often BUT NEVER FOR MY MEDITATION CLASSES. Nawww poor fire sage dude.
*Kei Lo calls Mai babe*
Aang: babe???
Zuko: lol, look whose talking, you little shit. You and your girlfriend call each other sweetie, which is way worse. You have no right to complain😂😂
I knew it, I knew that they weren't real spirits, after all, just people who dress up like those spirits.
I also knew Mai's dad was behind the kidnapping.
WOW PLOT TWIST! I wasn't expecting Azula to be one of those fake dark spirits. I knew she was going to pop up again after Kiyi kept calling zuko zuzu, but I honestly didn't expect her to work together with Mai's dad.
ONTO THE NEXT VOLUME I SAY, cause there's no way I can just stop at this volume and not read the concluding part.
March 8, 2016
I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT! I read this in under 30 minutes, I was sitting in suspense until the last page and that CLIFFHANGER?! I really want Maiko to be together again, I don't really like Kei lo. He seems a little to perfect for my tastes and I still think he's hiding something.
January 22, 2016
Avatar just gives me so much nostalgia. I love it. So five stars.
October 18, 2020
Azula 😲
June 7, 2020
I really love it when these dive into history and lore.
July 25, 2020
THAT CLIFFHANGER AHDKSKAKSK
June 18, 2019
I love it! Avatar gives me so much nostalgia.. we are never too old for Avatar! Five stars because of the art and beautiful story.
September 6, 2020
Düsterer als erwartet, aber wie gewohnt politisch, genial gezeichnet und sehr lesenswert!
October 29, 2023
These kinds of situations, as the one in the book, make me very uneasy and uncomfortable. It always feels like a giant miscommunication, and people acting on impulses rather than rational thinking. In that sense, it is very realistic with how I see our own society. Poor Zuko.
January 27, 2016
AWWW SNAP, SON
December 26, 2016
4/5 stars.
Oh maaaaaaan.
Oh maaaaaaan.
July 13, 2020
How can you not give these volumes 5 stars? I really liked seeing both sides of the fire nation that support and also want Zuko off the throne. Plus these secret people stealing kids is very interesting. I'm so happy that this story has been continuing through these comics. Time for the final volume now!
June 9, 2023
I was not expecting that plot twist at all!
July 20, 2017
A solid continuation. The Avatar joins up and tries to break the tension between Mai and Zuko. I am loving Mai's new boyfriend by the way. He's a keeper.
Children are being kidnapped all around the Fire Nation and a new movement is placing the blame on Zuko. And while Zuko and Aang work together to investigate as to why the spirits are interfering in the mortal world, an old "friend" whose allegiance is never known, pops up. What an ending!
Children are being kidnapped all around the Fire Nation and a new movement is placing the blame on Zuko. And while Zuko and Aang work together to investigate as to why the spirits are interfering in the mortal world, an old "friend" whose allegiance is never known, pops up. What an ending!
December 31, 2015
So on the one hand this is a sort of a mess of a book--the pacing is wonky, with the beginning stretched and the end rushed, and the scene to scene transitions are sometimes super abrupt--and on the other hand it gave me all. the. feels. I love Yang's Mai so much. And that ending. THAT ENDING. Definitely looking forward to seeing where Part Three takes things.
January 30, 2016
3.25 stars
December 28, 2015
Just when you think you know where a story's going, it throws you through a loop with the final page that puts you right on the back foot again. God damn it.
February 25, 2023
it’s 1:28 in the morning i can’t be asked with this kiyi bullshit
March 5, 2018
This review will cover all three volumes of Smoke and Shadow.
Why I liked this story: It shows how blatantly people dislike Zuko because he isn't the tyrannical, power-hungry Fire Lord that Ozai was. This book also shows the consequences of Ursa's choice to have her face changed not once, but twice, from herself to a new person and from a new person back to her original face. Also we get to see some stuff about how the world was BEFORE the Fire Lords existed and legends about the first Fire Lord. That was awesome. OH and the Fire Nation Priest from the show who helped Team Avatar when he had to talk to Roku was there! I love that guy. He has meditation classes now.
Why I didn't like this story: Azula was back. Joking, I actually don't mind her despotic, insane mind. I have no complaints about this book at all. It was pretty freaking awesome. Since everything else will be spoilers for books two and three of this series, cover thine eyes or leave because below will be spoilers....
SPOILERS STARTING NOW
Okay, so I loved the idea of the New Ozai Society people. Of COURSE there would be Fire Nation citizens who would still want to kill and conquer the whole world. What made it even better was that Mai's father was their leader. Holy. Crap. It was perfect because not only was he related to a secondary character we know pretty well, but he was Fire Nation gentry! So it makes sense why a noble from the Fire Nation who did well under Ozai would not like Zuko at all. I was kinda turned off by the fact that his wife abandoned him, though. Even though Aang saved Tom Tom way back when, she never seemed like she cared about the other people in the world. I feel like they made her leave her husband just so Mai wouldn't be the only one in the family who was on Zuko's side. So that's my only complaint.
Watching Zuko's little sister have to adjust to Ursa's face was fascinating. The Search made it seem like everything was OK with that, but it wasn't! And it makes sense why Kiyi wouldn't feel comfortable with her mom. Her mom lied to her (Ursa didn't remember her past, but she still "lied"), and then her mom suddenly looks completely different than the mom she's had all her life.
The Fire Lord catacombs! Can we please have more on that? I want to know more about the ancient nations, especially that the Fire Nation was a feudal place. That's so cool!
I needed more info on Azula. She vanished in The Search and was insane, and suddenly she's back and mentally stable. Didn't make a lot of sense, but OK. Also who were all the people she had broken out of jail?
Kiyi can firebend; that was adorable.
OZAI AND URSA'S SHOWDOWN YAS. This scene was something that needed to happen for so long because it shows what Ozai is: a bully. Strip him of his power, and all he is is a giant boogey man from the past who screams. I love that Ursa had PTSD about the palace, and I wish they had shown more of that. I loved her reunion with Iroh because it showed just how freaking awesome Iroh is. He was born in a horrible family and came out 100% perfect.
I feel like instead of Korra, it would have been cooler for them to do all of these comics as mini series or something, and then have the next show be the lives of Team Avatar when they're in their 40s, but that's just me.
Why I liked this story: It shows how blatantly people dislike Zuko because he isn't the tyrannical, power-hungry Fire Lord that Ozai was. This book also shows the consequences of Ursa's choice to have her face changed not once, but twice, from herself to a new person and from a new person back to her original face. Also we get to see some stuff about how the world was BEFORE the Fire Lords existed and legends about the first Fire Lord. That was awesome. OH and the Fire Nation Priest from the show who helped Team Avatar when he had to talk to Roku was there! I love that guy. He has meditation classes now.
Why I didn't like this story: Azula was back. Joking, I actually don't mind her despotic, insane mind. I have no complaints about this book at all. It was pretty freaking awesome. Since everything else will be spoilers for books two and three of this series, cover thine eyes or leave because below will be spoilers....
SPOILERS STARTING NOW
Okay, so I loved the idea of the New Ozai Society people. Of COURSE there would be Fire Nation citizens who would still want to kill and conquer the whole world. What made it even better was that Mai's father was their leader. Holy. Crap. It was perfect because not only was he related to a secondary character we know pretty well, but he was Fire Nation gentry! So it makes sense why a noble from the Fire Nation who did well under Ozai would not like Zuko at all. I was kinda turned off by the fact that his wife abandoned him, though. Even though Aang saved Tom Tom way back when, she never seemed like she cared about the other people in the world. I feel like they made her leave her husband just so Mai wouldn't be the only one in the family who was on Zuko's side. So that's my only complaint.
Watching Zuko's little sister have to adjust to Ursa's face was fascinating. The Search made it seem like everything was OK with that, but it wasn't! And it makes sense why Kiyi wouldn't feel comfortable with her mom. Her mom lied to her (Ursa didn't remember her past, but she still "lied"), and then her mom suddenly looks completely different than the mom she's had all her life.
The Fire Lord catacombs! Can we please have more on that? I want to know more about the ancient nations, especially that the Fire Nation was a feudal place. That's so cool!
I needed more info on Azula. She vanished in The Search and was insane, and suddenly she's back and mentally stable. Didn't make a lot of sense, but OK. Also who were all the people she had broken out of jail?
Kiyi can firebend; that was adorable.
OZAI AND URSA'S SHOWDOWN YAS. This scene was something that needed to happen for so long because it shows what Ozai is: a bully. Strip him of his power, and all he is is a giant boogey man from the past who screams. I love that Ursa had PTSD about the palace, and I wish they had shown more of that. I loved her reunion with Iroh because it showed just how freaking awesome Iroh is. He was born in a horrible family and came out 100% perfect.
I feel like instead of Korra, it would have been cooler for them to do all of these comics as mini series or something, and then have the next show be the lives of Team Avatar when they're in their 40s, but that's just me.
August 1, 2018
I guess the surprises keep coming lol I also really enjoyed this one! I had a feeling that there was something fishy about the Kemurikage and when Tom-Tom mentioned something I was like nah it can't be! But oh boy am I excited for the next installment because that cliffhanger of an ending, ahh! I also did like seeing Zuko a bit jealous I still miss Toph, Momo, and Appa but I'm excited for this story!
January 4, 2022
Zuko glaubt, sie hätten es bei den Feinden des neuen Feuerlords mit Geistern zu tun. Mai glaubt die Kemurikage gesehen zu haben. Aang ist als Avatar die Verbindung zur Geisterwelt und wird deshalb zur Unterstützung zur Feuernation gerufen. Ob er zur Entspannung der Situation beitragen kann?
Um hinter das Geheimnis dieser ominösen Geister zu kommen, müssen Zuko und Aang die Geschichte des ersten Feuerlords erfahren. Während sie auf Geschichtsstunden lauschen, bahnt sich im Hintergrund eine Revolte gegen Zuko an... Die Situation spitzt sich zu. Wer steckt hinter den Kemurikage?
Übrigens knistert es wieder zwischen Mai und Zuko. Ich mochte sie als Paar in der Serie und war echt traurig, dass sie nicht zusammen geblieben sind. Meine Hoffnung steigt, dass die beiden vielleicht wieder zueinander finden 🥰
Um hinter das Geheimnis dieser ominösen Geister zu kommen, müssen Zuko und Aang die Geschichte des ersten Feuerlords erfahren. Während sie auf Geschichtsstunden lauschen, bahnt sich im Hintergrund eine Revolte gegen Zuko an... Die Situation spitzt sich zu. Wer steckt hinter den Kemurikage?
Übrigens knistert es wieder zwischen Mai und Zuko. Ich mochte sie als Paar in der Serie und war echt traurig, dass sie nicht zusammen geblieben sind. Meine Hoffnung steigt, dass die beiden vielleicht wieder zueinander finden 🥰
April 10, 2018
This was all kinds of intense!!!
I have many questions and I have guesses about what's happening, this is fun!
Poor Zuko...
istg these Make Fire Nation Great Again dudes remind me of somebodies... who could they be?...
I have many questions and I have guesses about what's happening, this is fun!
Poor Zuko...
istg these Make Fire Nation Great Again dudes remind me of somebodies... who could they be?...
December 31, 2017
I really don't like mai
April 30, 2018
Dayummm! So good!
July 17, 2018
3.75/5
April 15, 2020
IT MAKES SENSE NOW
OH MY GOD
IM SCREAMING
LITERALLY
IM WOW
OH MY GOD
IM SCREAMING
LITERALLY
IM WOW
Displaying 1 - 30 of 287 reviews