The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender may be facing leaks, cancellations, aging actors, and more on the film and television side; however, on the comics side, they’re still running at full speed. Not only do we currently have The Last Airbender: The Kyoshi Warriors at Dark Horserunning as a 3-issue mini before being collected as a trade paperback, but we have something I’m even more excited for. At times it can seem like the Korra side of fandom only receives crumbs while the ATLA fandom is feasting on a buffet, but we finally do have our fourth Legend of Korra graphic novel installment, and this time with a highlight on Kya.
We can, of course, discuss the many debates and talking points that arise whenever you mention the legacy sequel to ATLA; however, I think it’s a series and an extension of the world that is well worth further exploration and love. Especially since the new animated series Avatar: Seven Havens will directly follow Korra’s time as an Avatar, and from what we can tell so far, it will not be setting the Korra generation in the best light. Which is why I am personally invested in the new graphic novel, The Legend of Korra: Kya and the Secret of the Sand, coming July 28, 2026: written by Eisner-nominated Kiki Hughes, with art by Alex Monik, colors by Diana Sousa, and lettering by Comicraft.
In Korra, something I love is that we have a vast and diverse cast of ages. The adults, teens, and kids all get to have important character growth, moments, and story plots throughout the show, and I’d say it’s split pretty evenly. Three of the aforementioned adults we have in this installment are Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya, who are all children of both Avatar Aang and Katara. Tenzin is our main entry point within the family, as we spend most of our time with him among these three. In the very last episode of season 1, we get a tease of Bumi coming to town, but it’s not until season 2 that we are truly introduced to Kya and Bumi as Tenzin’s siblings.
While Kya plays an important supporting role in seasons 2-3, she is pretty much completely absent from season 4. Among the siblings, Kya gets the least screen time and story development. Perhaps this is fitting as we know she is free-spirited, nomadic, and rebellious. We could argue that not knowing much about her past and current personal life could be very on-brand with the air of mystery she brings. We also, however, know that Kya is confirmed to be a lesbian from the graphic novel Turf Wars. We know that Korrasami is a verified sapphic relationship from that same comic. Turf Wars was the first Korra-related graphic novel to spin off from the series finale, which leads me to believe that Kya could have been underutilized in the show because Nickelodeon might not have been down with her being more fully represented and fleshed out. This is, of course, just a theory, but I do believe queer coding and subtext are stitched throughout the fabric of Korra, Asami, and Kya all from the beginning.
So far from the solicitations, it seems this new comic entry will take place in both the three-year time jump between seasons 3-4 of Korra, as well as in Kya’s past. These are the most beloved seasons of the show, and I believe situating part of this story during that time period is a strong choice to help excite readers. While in the Southern Water Tribe helping Korra recover from her battle with Zaheer and the Red Lotus, Kya will start to reminisce and share stories of her time in the Si Wong Desert of the Earth Kingdom.
Back to a time when she wasn’t the masterful healer and waterbender she is today, youthful and untested. When she left her family and home to explore the world and discover her true self. On this Eat, Pray Love trip, she winds up in the community of Liyuan. Here, she will defend the people from bandits while also helping the community heal from decades-old trauma that still lingers. She learns along the way that old conflicts and wounds run deep within both Liyuan and herself.
More world of Avatar, more queer representation, more comics, and answers to Kya’s mysterious past all sound like an amazing reading time for me. Will we finally find out the truth behind her aura reading? Is it all a hoax like her brother’s claim? We probably won’t find that out, but I’m sure whatever we do discover will be so worth it.
You can put your pre-orders in wherever books or comics are sold, and once more, The Legend of Korra: Kya and the Secret of the Sand will arrive in stores July 28, 2026.