It’s pretty much undeniable that Toph Beifong is the greatest earthbender of all time. At only twelve years old, she discovered how to bend metal - something that was previously thought to be impossible - and in the comics that follow the Avatar: The Last Airbender show, she even started her own school to teach metalbending to others. Now, Toph and her academy will be getting their own graphic novel, titled Toph Beifong's Metalbending Academy.
The first comic book sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender is a trilogy of graphic novels called The Promise. While the main plot centers around a conflict between Aang and Zuko regarding the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom, there’s also a subplot about the new Beifong Metalbending Academy, where Toph has taken on three students - Ho Tun, Penga, and another who goes by "The Dark One."
Sokka visits Toph’s school with her in part 2, only to discover that firebenders who originally used the school have returned. Sokka - ever the man with a plan - comes up with a solution that involves a competition between the students. Problem is, none of Toph’s students can actually metalbend - that is, until the end of the issue. Toph’s students then assisted Team Avatar in the final battle at Yu Dao in part 3 using their newfound abilities.
While Toph is notably absent from the next trilogy, The Search, it is revealed that more people have become interested in learning metalbending, including Yu Dao’s chief of police. As we learn in Legend of Korra, Toph herself became the police chief for Republic City years later, and many in the police force as a whole are metalbenders, including her daughter Lin, who took over as chief after Toph retired. Toph’s other daughter, Suyin, even started her own metal clan in the city of Zaofu.
Not much is known yet about Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy. The project was only recently revealed on the Penguin Random House website and is likely one of the unannounced projects referred to in yesterday's Comic-Con@Home Avatar panel. The story will take place after the show, likely during the timeline of one of the other comics where Toph was absent, such as The Search. This will be the second standalone graphic novel set in the Avatar universe after Katara and the Pirate’s Silver, which is set to be released later this year. Faith Erin Hicks, author of Katara and the Pirate’s Silver and the Imbalance trilogy, is also behind Toph’s standalone, which will be published by Dark Horse Comics.
Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy is scheduled for release on February 16, 2021.