Legend of Korra: Ruins of the Empire, Part One is the beginning of the new three-part comic series following Avatar Korra and her friends, allies and enemies. Many thanks to Okazu Superhero Eric P. for sponsorship of today’s review!
This time, the story begins just before the Earth Kingdom holds a democratic election, as a new general seeks to re-establish martial law and with it, the Empire. General Guan has the martial might and probably the force of personality needed to make him a real threat, but he’s also secretly brainwashing people, which will clearly give him an unfair advantage in the election.
Korra decides to vist former Earth Empire general Kuvira and gain her insight on this situation. The team is uncomfortable with this decision, but when Korra allows Kuvira to leave her prison to help fight Guan, tensions run pretty high. Asami is not quiet about her lack of trust and unwillingness to be anywhere near the woman who killed her father.
Vivian Ng’s and Michelle Wong’s illustrations are solid, and the writing is now much like stepping into comfortable shoes. We know the people, we don’t need any of the “oh, hey, let’s deal with this thing over here” that we had to in Turf Wars. Korra and Aasmi’s relationship is stable, even if their perspectives are in opposition. That said, there is care taken to remind the reader that they are a couple. Just in case you didn’t get the memo. So while I would not say that this is a “LGBTQ” comic, it is a solid adventure comic (as well as a equally solid “Politics 101: Why People Suck” for tweens ^_^) comic that includes a stable lesbian couple.
Like the previous series, things move pretty fast in this short graphic novel. Whether, ultimately, Kuvira can be trusted is still up in the air. I’m hoping that she will be written as nuanced and complex as she was in the cartoon. For my money, one of the things LoK did best was the portrayal of the adult women as fully developed humans. I’m hoping we’ll see Kuvira in that light, once again. Some of her history is briefly surfaced, so that’s good.
If you’re looking for a YA graphic novel for a kid who likes to think, one that checks multiple boxes on diversity (although there is still room to expand in this regard), has male and female characters who are given the space they need to be seen as whole, and is an good entree into understanding politics and human society as we experience it in real-time, this is a great bet.
Ratings:
Art – 8
Story – 9
Characters – 9
Service – 0
Yuri – 10 In this case, because Asami and Korra just are, together, not because of any grand coming out.
Overall – A very solid 9
The book itself has no ratings or age limits of any kind, which puts it by default into All-Ages. And it’s currently #1 in Amazon’s LGBT Graphic Novels category, to which I say, “Happy Pride Month, Korra and Asami, welcome to the family.”
