So, building on some recent discussions in a couple of other threads, I've been wondering lately about how exactly the Legion Academy is supposed to work.
I always imagined its origins in the fact that the Legionnaires themselves were required to continue their schooling while active members in the early days. As the early team completed their required education, they would've converted those facilities into what we normally think of as the Legion Academy.
One weird thing that has been noted is that the recent Academy Arc in Adventure Comics produced some strange graduating classes, such as Mandalla graduating with Shadow Kid and Comet Queen, and all three before longterm Academy students like Power Boy and Nightwind. One way this might be explained is if we think of the Academy primarily as a kind of exclusive Academic institution with the super-heroic training as an added function. So some students may transfer in, having already completed most of their education elsewhere. So, if education is compulsory to, say, 21, then Mandalla may have entered the Academy at 19, whereas Power Boy, et al., may have all entered at 14, thus explaining the disparities in their length of time at the Academy.
How do you guys see the Academy working?
Posted by Exnihil on :
It's interesting but, for something that's been part of the Legion backdrop for so long, I actually never gave it much thought (except to wonder, as often cited, why so many student were there for so long).
I guess, if I had to speculate, I would say that, from what I've seen, I imagine the "Legion" Academy isn't actually formally associated with the LSH at all, but rather just - as you say - an academic institution that specializes in super-heroing.
Perhaps the "Legion" designation is more part of an overall - no pun intended - "branding" effort. Perhaps, as part of his philanthropic nature, R.J. Brande - in addition to funding the Legion proper - also set up the academy to encourage other youngsters interested in pursuing a career in the super-heroic arts, attaching the "Legion" brand by way of association.
That would explain why graduation from the academy - while by no means a guaranteed path to LSH membership - still goes a long way toward beefing up the resume of folks who are interested in trying out.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
It could be that some students are on the 10-year plan or the Mommy plan, as a seminarian I know puts it. Such students take only a class or two per semester (or whatever breakdown the Legion Academy uses) while balancing other obligations and so take longer to graduate.
I agree with Ex: the Academy was part of the backdrop, meant to bolster the Legion's standing as an organization instead of being "just" a club (the Academy was introduced shortly after they received their huge, citadel-like headquarters), so little thought was given by writers as to who would actually attend the Academy, for how long, and what would happen when they graduated (assuming they ever did).
It was only later, during Levitz's first and second runs, that a cast of supporting characters started to crop up at the Academy. Even then, it was clear that some of them (Comet Queen) would never be serious Legion material. So the Academy's mission seems to have changed over the years from training potential Legionnaires to steering super-powered youths toward the heroic path.
Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
Re the Academy not being connected to the Legion, this was true for the Postboot Legion - the Academy was run by the UP with little input from Legionnaires aside from escorting prospective students.
I don't think this can hold true Preboot or in the current continuity though, given the roles of Luornu, Chuck and Lydda.
I think it makes the most sense that the Academy is primarily an academic institution. When you graduate, you can apply where you want but it's not a guarantee of making it in. Maybe education is compulsory up to a certain age, but I think past experience, education and training would play a role as well in determining how soon a student can graduate.
Posted by the Hermit on :
I see the academy as being originally intended as a way of getting characters that Jim Shooter had created for his "adult legion" stories introduced into the current storyline (Chemical King in particular). He also used it as a sort of remedial training ground for legionnaires whose skills needed honing.
This seemed to be the accepted role of the academy for several years, although nothing was really done with the concept other than to introduce a group of students (Nightwind, Lamprey, et. al.) to serve as classmates for regular legionnaires to interact with during their own academy tenures (Dawnstar, Invisible Kid II, Blok).
I believe that at some point it was decided that these "regular" students were not ever going to graduate to the Legion proper, and that they were permanently consigned to being little more than wallpaper. Thus, when it was time for an influx of new members (LSH Baxter #14), only two of the five chosen were from the academy, and both of those (Magnetic Kid and Tellus) were relatively new additions to the academy roster. In fact, it is likely that these two characters were put in the academy for the express purpose of having someone there that could be moved up to the big team.
I would truly like to see a Legion Academy that actually trains future members of the team, but such an idea is probably too organic for the current administration running DC Comics, who seem to think that change is just another marketing gimmick rather than an ongoing natural process.
Posted by Set on :
I'm cool with the idea that the average graduate of the 'Legion' Academy may be trained by Legionnaires (or ex-Legionnaires or Reservists), but not necessarily be headed for Legion membership, with at least *some* being groomed to return home and take up planetary champion / local hero status (like Grev, who never seemed to have any illusions about becoming a Legionnaire) and others headed for other types of law enforcement / heroing opportunities.
Wannabe heroes or non-powered law enforcement types who want to train to handle the bajillions of possible lawbreakers they could encounter with racial metahuman powers or just meta-powered types who want to refine their abilities and learn the legal ins and outs of their abilities (such as when it is and isn't lawful to mind-probe someone, or shapeshift into the likeness of someone!) could attend a course or two at the Academy to learn about the various ways that the legal system and metahuman abilities can intersect, and how to train to handle superhuman abilities (if you have them) or threats (if you are a law enforcement sort who does not).
Still, that sort of thing was never stated, and Power Boy, Lamprey, Nightwind and Crystal Kid very much seemed to be zeroed in on eventually becoming Legionnaires, which ends up making it seem that they somehow 'failed.'
(Or that Cosmic Boy was a colossal ass for denying them the chance to become Legionnaires, months before new leader Mon-El invites a bunch of kids who started classes like, ten minutes ago, and are on Luornu's 'flunk' list!)
Posted by Faraway Lad on :
Is the Legion Academy something like Sandhurst or West Point? In other words training them for a career in the army but not necessarily for only one regiment?. Or if you like training them to be the best, but perhaps some go to the Legion, some to other planets as hero’s
So in the case of Sandhurst, officer recruits are selected from within the Army and also direct from University’s etc. They are given all the basic skills to become officers and leaders. Then at the end they have to apply to the individual regiments and it is the actual regiment that selects them. But not just on the academic skills they have or the graduation results. They also have to “fit in”
So an officer cadet may want to be in an engineer, logistics regiment or maybe a tank regiment. They might want to be in the guards or the para’s, but the regiments themselves might not want them.
So we might see a very good powerful hero in the academy but he/she may not be deemed as “legion” material no matter how skilled he is.
And to have some "fail" the academy might be an interesting story.
Posted by Conjure Lass on :
I like the idea of the Legion Academy as a springboard for lots of different careers in "superheroing". Like, the best of the best move onto the Ivy League (the Legion) while the rest wind up in the SPs and become their home world's heroes.
Doesn't explain why some students are there SO LONG though. I always just assumed that the writers had no interest in moving them to the Legion and there really WAS no real reason. XD
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
The military academy analogy is a good one for what I have in mind, and especially apt considering the fact that the Legion Academy evolved into the "U.P. Militia Academy" 5YL.
It *is* interesting that we've never seen anyone fail. I can actually only think of one real drop out, Mentalla, and she actually left in an ill-conceived attempt to prove herself worthy of Legion membership.
It might be interesting if someone flunked out of the Academy, only to prove themselves worthy of Legion membership in another way.
An interesting fact:
Of members that joined from the introduction of the Academy to the end of the Baxter era:
5 were Academy students: Timber Wolf, Chemical King, Dawnstar, Magnetic Kid, and Tellus
7 were non-Academy students: Wildfire, Tyroc, Blok, White Witch, Invisible Kid II, Polar Boy, Quislet
Of those, White Witch and Polar Boy were longtime Legion associates who actually predate the Academy, so they're kind of in a different category.
Posted by Power Boy on :
I thought Quis was in the Academy ... but in a different space ship.
Call me crazy. This is maybe.
Posted by the Hermit on :
quote:Originally posted by Power Boy: I thought Quis was in the Academy ... but in a different space ship.
Call me crazy. This is maybe.
Nope. Quislet literally popped into the action while other candidates were being shepherded through "tryout missions" (for lack of a better term), intriguing even Brainy in the process.
And for the record, Timber Wolf also predates the Academy. After his introduction he just sort of dropped off the map until the story where he and Chemical King participated in a covert mission as Academy students and were inducted to the main team following the mission's successful conclusion.
Posted by Fat Cramer on :
The number of students seems too limited. It may be done just for simplicity of story-telling, but something like the Academy should have a bigger student population.
Westpoint/Sandhurst is a good comparison, but those graduates have to serve in the military afterwards, don't they? I figure the Legion Academy could provide graduates to private business as well as to the Legion, the military and the police. An Academy graduate would be a great asset to a corporate security team.
We don't get many details about their courses (a lot of emphasis on teamwork), but there should be specialist teachers in addition to ex-Legionnaires. Someone like Hadru should learn all about chemistry and bio-chemistry of the life forms he's likely to encounter - less important a subject for Dragonwing.
Like a lot of exclusive schools, it looks like it helps to have connections - a family member, a Legionnaire referral. They should have try-outs for the Legion Academy.
Posted by Faraway Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by Fat Cramer:
Westpoint/Sandhurst is a good comparison, but those graduates have to serve in the military afterwards, don't they? I figure the Legion Academy could provide graduates to private business as well as to the Legion, the military and the police. An Academy graduate would be a great asset to a corporate security team.
Not sure about Westpoint but am pretty sure that people can leave Sandhurst at the end of the course without having to serve any time in the regulars.
Posted by Eryk Davis Ester on :
quote:Originally posted by the Hermit:
And for the record, Timber Wolf also predates the Academy. After his introduction he just sort of dropped off the map until the story where he and Chemical King participated in a covert mission as Academy students and were inducted to the main team following the mission's successful conclusion.
Yeah, Brin also shares with Mysa and Brek the distinction of being a pre-existing character whose eventual membership was revealed in the Adult Legion stories before it took place in the "current" timeline.
It brings up the interesting question of when exactly the Academy was founded, though. Presumably, it must have been around awhile before it's actual introduction in the series, since Brin and Condo "graduate" in that story. Did Brin immediately enter the Academy after his first appearance? If not, what was he doing in between his first appearance and whenever the Academy is founded?
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
Legion Academy students graduated whenever the leader of the moment decided they were ready to become Legionnaires. It's one of the fiats of being leader. Posted by the Hermit on :
quote:Originally posted by Eryk Davis Ester: [QUOTE]Originally posted by the Hermit: [qb]
It brings up the interesting question of when exactly the Academy was founded, though. Presumably, it must have been around awhile before it's actual introduction in the series, since Brin and Condo "graduate" in that story. Did Brin immediately enter the Academy after his first appearance? If not, what was he doing in between his first appearance and whenever the Academy is founded?
Which would have, imo, been a much more interesting story than the atrocious revised origin we got in LL #0.
Posted by Set on :
I, somewhat heretically, like the cartoon version's origin story. Dr. Londo as a monster-making bad-guy who experimented on his own son was kind of fun!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)