Dark Horse Wants to Give You More Aang for Your Buck

?Short version: Dark Horse is creating a new Avatar: The Last Airbender comic. Titled The Lost Years, it’ll begin post-Fire Lord ass-kicking and follow Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph as they rebuild the Avatar world. Furthermore, it’ll be released in graphic novel form, not individual issues, and series co-creator Michael DiMartino says he’ll be “working closely” with Dark Horse on the comics. I doubt that means he’ll write them or anything, but he’ll probably check to make sure nothing inappropriately stupid happens.

So if you’re excited about the Avatar cartoon sequel but sad that it’s going to be set 100 years in an Aang-less future, you’re in luck. I know I should be saying something clever or snarky about this news, but I’m so pleased with myself for the article title I’m drawing a blank. Here’s the rest of the details from the press release:

Following the breakout success of last year’s Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Art of the Animated Series,
Dark Horse is proud to collaborate with Nickelodeon on a comprehensive
publishing program built around this beloved and exciting Emmy-winning
animated series!

The first installment of this new series will be released on Free
Comic Book Day, May 7, with two introductory short stories — including
the unpublished tale “Relics” and the iconic Dirty Is Only Skin Deep... This free comic will be packaged with Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars in a special flip-book comic, available only at your local comic book shop.

Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Lost Adventures will be
released TK. This all-new 240-page comic book contains over 70 pages of
never-before-seen material in addition to long-out-of-print comics
previously published in Nickelodeon Magazine. With 26 stories set in Airbender
continuity and created by a host of top-notch talent, many of whom
worked on the original animated series, this is an essential addition to
any fan’s bookshelf.

Additionally, Dark Horse will create all-new Airbender
stories that will be published as digest-style original graphic
novels–conveniently sized paperback collections–in early 2012. Picking
up where the season three finale left off, this new series will follow
the further adventures of Aang and his friends, as they help to rebuild a
world torn apart by 100 years of war.

“Aang for your buck.” Hee hee! Thanks to Brian C. for the tip. (Via Wired)