Hello again, fellow comic readers!

The recommendation this week will, with any luck, help you forget a certain big-budget live-action film that disappointed both fans of the series that inspired it and people who'd never seen the series.

I've been looking forward to the release of Dark Horse’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Promise Part 1” from the moment it was “advance-solicited” (a geeky comics-industry way of saying “announced”).

Our friend Daniel Dean from Titan Games and Comics in Smyrna, Georgia, is excited too. And apparently we’re not alone.

Dean said he’s been “fielding questions from kids who saw ads for it online and parents who earmarked the solicitation for purchase come January.”

As to his own excitement? “My wife and I are big fans of the series ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’ We were this close to naming our dog after one of the characters,” he said.

Young and old, a lot of very devoted fans have been attracted to the series, which ran on Nickelodeon from 2005 until 2008. That’s evident in events ranging from the AV Club's series of in-depth dissections of the show's themes and threads, to the electricity last week when advance previews of a follow-up series, “Avatar: Legend of Korra,” were leaked.

These books are a bit larger, and therefore more expensive, than what I usually recommend. But for fans - or anybody looking for a solid, all-ages title - I think it's worth it.

Dean notes that the book has an impressive pedigree, as well. Fan-favorite artist Gurihiru and the original producers from the Nickelodeon show are joined by Gene Yang, author of “American Born Chinese.” Gene's a huge fan who voiced his own objections to the “Last Airbender” movie in comic form.

“The book does an excellent job being accessible. Aside from a few in-jokes or a piece of jargon here and there, one could jump right into the world of these characters with just the prologue to brief them on the premises and indulgences they're about to encounter,” Dean said.

It commits to a view of the world that the best episodes of the show had - one in which the concepts of good and evil are not quite as black-and-white as they’re portrayed on many kids’ shows.

The second part of this story is coming in the spring, and I'm looking forward to an action-packed second act.

Is the book for everyone? I'd say no, only because “Avatar” isn't for everyone. But I found the series' mixture of kung fu, moral philosophy, superpowers, magic, dragons, steampunk war machines, slapstick, wordplay, characterization, graphic design, and chaste romance to be right up my alley. If you feel the same, pick up “Promise Part 1.”

So, until next week, go forth and read, my people. And the reading will be good!

Is there a comic out there that you really love? Let us know in the comments. We’re always looking for tips on good comics!

Here are some of the comics scheduled to hit the shelves on January 25, 2012. Your local retailers will probably have these and others, so make sure to check with them for more details.

ANGEL & FAITH #6 REBEKAH ISAACS VAR CVR $2.99

ANGEL & FAITH #6 STEVE MORRIS CVR $2.99

AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER TP VOL 01 PROMISE PART 1 $10.99

BPRD HELL ON EARTH RUSSIA #5 $3.50

CARDCAPTOR SAKURA DARK HORSE OMNIBUS ED TP VOL 03 $19.99

CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 12 $49.99

CREEPY COMICS #7 $4.99

KING CONAN PHOENIX ON THE SWORD #1 (OF 4) ROBINSON CVR $3.50

MANARA LIBRARY HC VOL 02 $59.99

SPACE FAMILY ROBINSON ARCHIVES HC VOL 03 $49.99

THE IMMORTAL DEMON I/T BLOOD #2 $3.50

USAGI YOJIMBO #143 $3.50

ALPHA FLIGHT #8 $2.99

ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE TP $19.99

ASTONISHING X-MEN #46 $3.99

AVENGERS SOLO #4 (OF 5) $3.99

AVENGERS SOLO AVENGERS CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #626 $2.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA BY ED BRUBAKER PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99

DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #20 $2.99

DAREDEVIL BY BRUBAKER AND LARK ULT COLL TP BOOK 01 $29.99

DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99

DEADPOOL #49.1 $2.99

FANTASTIC FOUR #602 $2.99

FF #14 $2.99

FF BY JONATHAN HICKMAN PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

MIGHTY THOR #10 $3.99

MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 04 $24.99

MMW UNCANNY X-MEN TP VOL 04 DM VAR ED $24.99

OFF HANDBOOK OF MARVEL UNIVERSE A TO Z TP VOL 03 $19.99

RED SKULL INCARNATE TP $15.99

SECRET AVENGERS #21.1 $2.99

SPIDER-MAN #22 $2.99

STRIKEFORCE MORITURI TP VOL 01 $34.99

ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #6 $3.99

WOLVERINE WOLVERINE VS X-MEN TP $15.99

X-MEN LEGACY #261 $2.99

X-MEN LEGACY AFTERMATH TP $15.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Mighty Thor #1

FF #14

Deadpool #49

X-Men: Legacy #261

Ultimates Comics Ultimates #6

Captain America and Bucky # 626

Astonishing X-Men #46

Fantastic Four #602

Daken: Dark Wolverine #20

ADD HC (MR) $24.99

ALL STAR WESTERN #5 $3.99

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #23 (MR) $2.99

AQUAMAN #5 $2.99

BATMAN AND ROBIN WHITE KNIGHT DARK KNIGHT HC $22.99

BATMAN BEYOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TP $16.99

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #5 $2.99

BLACKHAWKS #5 $2.99

CATWOMAN TP VOL 01 $29.99

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #22 $2.99

FLASH #5 $2.99

FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #5 $2.99

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #5 $2.99

HAWKMAN BY GEOFF JOHNS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 $75.00

I VAMPIRE #5 $2.99

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 $3.99

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5 COMBO PACK $4.99

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #5 $2.99

LEGION SECRET ORIGIN #4 (OF 6) $2.99

RESURRECTION MAN TP VOL 01 $29.99

SAVAGE HAWKMAN #5 $2.99

SUPERMAN #5 $2.99

SWEET TOOTH TP VOL 04 ENDANGERED SPECIES (MR) $16.99

TEEN TITANS #5 $2.99

UNCHARTED #3 (OF 6) $2.99

UNWRITTEN #33.5 (MR) $2.99

VOODOO #5 $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

All Star Western #5

American Vampire #23

Aquaman #5

Batman: The Dark Knight #5

Batman: Arkham Unhinged #15

Blackhawks #5

DC Universe Online Legends #22

Flash#5

Green Lantern: New Guardians #5

I, Vampire #5

Justice League #5

Justice League Dark #5

Legion: Secret Origin #4

Superman #5

Teen Titans #5

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men #5

The Savage Hawkman #5

The Unwritten #34

Voodoo #5

DC Digital Comics Sneak Peeks 1/25/12

30 DAYS OF NIGHT ONGOING #4 $3.99

DEAD RISING ROAD TO FORTUNE #3 (OF 4) $3.99

GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #11 $3.99

INFESTATION 2 #1 (OF 2) $3.99

LIL ABNER HC VOL 04 $49.99

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ONGOING #6 $3.99

TRANSFORMERS ROBOTS IN DISGUISE ONGOING #1 $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

30 Days of Night Ongoing #4

Dead Rising: Road to Fortune #3

Infestation 2 #1

Transformers: Robots in Disguise #1

ARTIFACTS ORIGINS ONE SHOT $3.99

BULLETPROOF COFFIN DISINTERRED #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99

DARKNESS #98 (MR) $2.99

ELEPHANTMEN #37 (MR) $3.99

EPOCH #4 (OF 5) $3.99

GREEN WAKE #9 (MR) $3.50

MARKSMEN #5 (OF 6) $2.99

MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #7 MICHAEL AVON OEMING CVR $2.99

MICE TEMPLAR VOL 3 #7 SANTOS & GANDINI CVR $2.99

NANCY IN HELL ON EARTH #1 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

SAM & TWITCH COMPLETE COLLECTION HC VOL 02 $29.99

WALKING DEAD #93 (MR) $2.99

WITCHBLADE #152 CVR A CHRISTOPHER $2.99

WITCHBLADE #152 CVR B BERNARD & BENES $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Bulletproof Coffin Disinterred #1

Elephantmen #37

Epoch #4

Green Wake #9

Marksmen #5

Nancy in Hell on Earth #1

Walking Dead #93

DARK SHADOWS #3 $3.99

GREEN HORNET ANNUAL #2 $4.99

KIRBY GENESIS #5 $3.99

LAST PHANTOM #11 $3.99

QUEEN SONJA #26 $3.99

ROBOCOP ROAD TRIP #2 (MR) $3.99

VAMPIRELLA #13 $3.99

WARLORD OF MARS FALL OF BARSOOM #5 $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Dark Shadows #3

Green Hornet Annual #2

Kirby: Genesis #5

Last Phantom #11

Queen Sonja #26

Robo Cop Road Trip #2

Vampirella #13

Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom #5

KEY OF Z #4 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Key of Z #4

ARCHIE #629 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 3 ) $2.99

ARCHIE #629 (ARCHIE MEETS KISS PT 3 ) VAR CVR $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Archie #629

Comic list is via Previews World

Digital list is via ComiXology