Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFor the main comic continuation after the animated series, read The Promise, The Search, The Rift, Smoke and Shadow, North and South, then Imbalance. The phrase “13 books” can refer to different combinations of collected story arcs, individual installments, and supplemental collections; Dark Horse’s catalog does not define one official chronological list of exactly 13 books.
What order should I read the main Avatar comics in?
Use this order for the major story arcs that continue the animated series. Each title below is an arc, not a count of every separate paperback or edition. Dark Horse’s catalog lists these arcs and their available collected or installment formats.
- The Promise — The comic continuation after the animated series. Its omnibus collects parts 1–3. Dark Horse: The Promise Omnibus.
- The Search — Follows The Promise and centers on Zuko’s search for his mother. The omnibus collects parts 1–3. Dark Horse: The Search Omnibus.
- The Rift — An Air Nomad holiday brings Team Avatar to a spirit connected to sacred Airbender land. The omnibus collects parts 1–3. Dark Horse: The Rift Omnibus.
- Smoke and Shadow — A later main arc, listed by Dark Horse in omnibus, library, and individual-part formats.
- North and South — Katara and Sokka return to the Southern Water Tribe. The omnibus collects parts 1–3. Dark Horse: North and South Omnibus.
- Imbalance — A later main arc, listed by Dark Horse in omnibus, library, and individual-part formats.
Dark Horse explicitly describes The Search as following The Promise. The publisher’s catalog presents the remaining arcs as part of the continuing comic line, but does not define a separate official list of 13 chronological story entries.
Why “13 books” is not one definitive reading list
The total depends on what is being counted. A three-part arc can be bought as three individual trade paperbacks or as one omnibus; library editions are another collected format. Short-story collections and standalone story volumes add more books without necessarily adding a single continuous arc to the post-series chronology. Counting each physical edition as a separate story would also count the same material more than once.
#1 Best Overall
For a straightforward reading order, count each of the six main arcs once and treat alternate editions as ways to read them—not additional chronological entries. That is a practical rule, not a publisher-certified “13-book” total.
Where supplemental stories fit
The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales
This collection brings together short stories from The Lost Adventures and Team Avatar Tales. Dark Horse’s listing describes the contents as short stories, but does not establish a precise place for every story within the main arc chronology. Read it as supplemental material rather than inserting it at a particular point in the six-arc sequence. Dark Horse: Library Edition.
Team Avatar Treasury
This volume collects three standalone stories. The publisher does not assign each one a precise position in the main chronology, so it is best approached as a companion collection. Dark Horse: Library Edition.
Which edition should you buy?
| Format | What it offers | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Omnibus | Collects the three parts of an arc in one volume, where the publisher lists an omnibus. | Readers who want a complete arc in a single book. |
| Individual trade paperbacks | Separate the arc into its individual parts. | Readers who prefer to buy or read installments separately. |
| Library Edition | Oversized hardcover format; Dark Horse lists sketchbook sections and behind-the-scenes material for these editions. | Readers who want a larger-format collection and supplementary art material. |
Check Dark Horse’s current catalog for edition listings and availability; formats can differ by arc, and catalog prices should not be treated as current retail prices.
Rank #3
Is The Art of the Animated Series part of the story order?
No. Avatar: The Last Airbender—The Art of the Animated Series (Second Edition) is a behind-the-scenes companion about concept, design, and production art, not a chronological story volume. It can be read independently of the comics. Dark Horse: Second Edition.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
