MY REVIEW OF THE PROMISE PART 2 

I’m just gonna do the main points that really stuck out to me cause no one wants to read a long rambly essay. 

• Toph and Sokka’s storyline — I love these characters and yet I found their bit of the comic the most boring. They had a couple of moments of brilliance, mostly when Toph and Sokka were bantering (no seriously, i want you to call me that!) But their students, oh my word. Some of the flattest characters I’ve ever read. I actually found myself sighing at some points when I was reading the dialogue. They’re not even the stock characters that trick you into thinking they are flat and then subversively twist all your expectations. Nope, those 3 students are boring and say the same things over and over again. Please can we just have Toph and Sokka go off and have wacky adventures on their own in the future? 
• Zuko’s storyline — Erm, don’t have much to say about this. It’s easy to tell that Zuko is Gene Yang’s favourite character (well he has said as much in interviews, but it is painfully obvious in the comics) cause he gets the most morally nuanced story with interesting flashbacks. Ozai was pretty cool and I liked listening to his warped moral political philosophy. 
• Aang and Katara’s storyline — Oh lawd. This could have been really interesting and had the potential for some great development in their relationship. Aang having a fanclub was totally realistic considering he is so famous and credited with ending a horrific war. Him being in a committed relationship with Katara opened up the potential to have a really good story about how that would affect their relationship. Them dealing with the fact he is going to have to be so friendly and open to people while at the same time recognising Katara is his forever girl. Instead that bit of the storyline ends with Katara beating herself up over being jealous…and then we go off somewhere else. There’s no resolution or anything, it ends on a major downer and I really doubt it will be picked up again. 
• That bit with Sneers and Kori kissing was so random. It was an obvious plot device to reitirate how ~multicultural~ Kori was and set up the impeding conflict. The fact Gene Yang originally wanted Jet to be in this (before people reminded him Jet was in fact very dead) I think emphasises the fact this was a rather contrived romance because Jet probably would have been used instead of Sneers. 
• Mai — Oh god. I was doing fine with the comic until these panels. It is so clear that Gene Yang has no idea what to do with her. So he makes her leave. Never mind the fact this completely contradicts established characterization. Seriously, 3x09 she is there comforting Zuko and helping him deal with his frustration of his family’s politics. 3x15 Zuko breaks her heart and yet she still sets out to find him and eventually is willing to sacrifice herself for his safety. But in The Promise she decides to just bail. I feel sorry for Maiko fans, cause I feel slightly peeved by how Kataang is being handled, but you guys have got it x1000 worse. 
• Review is getting a bit negative so I will add that the artwork is still really nice. The character designs are great, especially Aang and Toph. Part 3 also looks like something interesting is actually gonna happen. Although we already know how it ends so it’s not like there’s much tension. 

Overall I would say it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be based on early reviews. But it’s kinda mediocre bordering on tedious. A few moments of brilliance scattered between endless pages of meandering plot.