“I know, General, but your sons buzzing the proceedings with their RC planes isn’t helping make a good impression on our first day.”
Robotech: Academy Blues #0
Academy Comics LTD (May, 1995)
WRITER: Robert W. Gibson
ARTIST/LETTERER: Sean Bishop
Spinning off from Return To Macross, Academy Blues focuses on the cadet years of characters we know from the Robotech saga as they deal with their personal lives while learning to do their part in the Robotech Defense Force. Unlike its parent title the focus here is on character more than action and mystery, but as we go on there will be crossovers between the two.
It’s orientation day for the freshmen of the Robotech Academy. And the guest lecturer is Roy Fokker himself. Roy is surprised how excited all the students are about the Veritech fighters and model Battloids. Claudia gets the wrong idea about Roy showing off for some of the lady cadets, as she’s prone to do (I don’t think Roy ever helps his case though) when she comes in to introduce a late-arriving recruit, her friend Rolf Emerson. Of course Vanessa and Kim swoon immediately. They and Lisa meet up with Sammie at Lori’s diner, Flyer Diner, where they learn Sammie’s dad will be done early with his work and they may leave before she’s done with her studies and able to join them, while Lori lost her roommate back in Return To Macross when Lisa left and lost one of her employees who ran off to get married. I’m calling the solution to both their problems coming soon. Roy’s…is another story.
What they got right: The whole scene with the cadets eager to learn about the mecha is very fun, with a few easter egg gags if you pay attention to all their questions. Bishop does a good job capturing the look of the characters from the show in their early years. They’re easily recognizable.
What they got wrong: Except for Rolf, who for some reason is black now. Also he seems to be the shy quiet type, which I suppose he could grow out of but it doesn’t quite mesh up with his personality in the show. I guess if they can shove Leonard into Return To Macross they can fit him here. At least Rolf’s where he’s supposed to be.
Recommendation: If you liked the character and romantic aspects of Robotech (we also get Lisa writing letters to Karl), this is a series you should check out. It links up nicely with its counterpart in the early days time frame.
Is this comic in color or in black and white?
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The Academy Comics are all black and white, like the Eternity Comics. Only the cover’s in color.
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Thanks for that info. Now that I think of it, I should have known that when I saw that no colorist’s name was listed in the credits at the beginning of this article.
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