The Micronauts Options

[G-Man]

I have been a hardcore Micronauts fan for a long time. Fan of the Micronauts comics produced by Marvel Comics that is. I'm talking being seriously addicted to this stuff since issue #2 of the first comic series done by Marvel....it would take me YEARS to get the complete series including issues #1, #4, and #6....had a very hard time finding them.

Thirty years ago. That's when I picked up Micronauts #2.



I don't know if I'll be able to explain what it was about that book that just struck a nerve. It could have been so many things...some people have mentioned that in many ways there were some similarities between the Micronauts and Stars Wars which was immensly popular back 1979. I can't deny that fact is true. But being a dirt poor kid with barely two dimes, a nickle, and twelve pennies to scrap together to purchase my first issue of the series (that included tax) on the way to school one morning at the neighborhood King Kwik store...I hadn't seen Star Wars yet.

Matter of fact I wouldn't see Stars Wars for several years later when it aired on C.B.S Monday Night Movies.

I think that even at the age of 12...and just your average 5th grader...I knew that there was something really, really good about this book. The story was epic. Perhaps the best the Bill Mantlo has ever penned. The art provided by Michael Golden was dark and moody...and amazingly smooth. Although it would be several more years before I could make such an anlogy...Golden's artwork on the Micronauts was like a comic book version of a double shot of brandy. (I didn't start drinking until I was in the 9th grade...but that's another story entirely)

But it was still more than story and art. True Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden would leave an impression on my imagination and creativity that would span decades...and that still inspires me to this very day... it was something more.

It was about friendship. Maybe. I would argue that it would be almost impossible to find two more true friends than Bug and Acroyear.



Or maybe it was the sense of rebellion....or the fact that when it came to super villains being just down right evil...Baron Karza was the man. And I loved being scared of that guy. I would read these comics under a shade tree in my grandmother's yard. And whenever Baron Karza stepped onto the page...I'm sure my heart would skip a beat.



Back in those days I would read a book over and over....sometimes four times in a row...which was the case with Micronauts #9-12. Most often then not it was because I couldn't afford to buy any more books, but in the case of the Micronauts....I didn't mind one bit.



To this day I find it hard to actually enjoy a comic book series as much as I enjoyed Micronauts #1-12. As a matter of fact when I judge a consecitive run of any 12 issues of any comic series...it is these 12 issues that I compare them to and more often than not the books being judged fall short in the comparision. Now even in my own writing there is no denying the amount of influence these twelve comic books has over me all these years...decades even....later.

Golden would leave the book after issue #12....



...and I must admit some of the magic was lost...for a few issues. Until my heart was broken when Bug's lady love "Jasmine" was killed in issue #17...yes Golden did the cover...he continued to do the art for the cover's for many issues after he stopped doing the interior work. Howard Chaykin...a comic legend I didn't really know much about at the time or for that really appreciated took over after Golden left the book.



Pat Broderick, who would eventually become another of my all time favorite comic artists due to his association with this book would take over as of issue #19.



Broderick and Mantlo would give us the second Karza War....a war that was only concluded by great sacrafice by all the Micronauts but none more than Prince Acroyear.



Not long after this Broderick would also leave and the Micronauts would start to shuffle through a series of artists although Mantlo remained there, there was something missing. But I wouldn't give up on the series (I had every issue from issue #7 up at this time...and eventually I would get rid of several in the thirties and forties...shortly after reading them...in time I would sell the entire collection...meaning all my comics....for beer money and band equipment...but years later I would go back and buy every issue of the series for a second time.....including those earlier issues that I had missed as a child.)

The Micronauts greatly improved just in time for the book to be cancelled with issue # 59. The last few issues drawn by talented new comer Butch Guice.



Bill Mantlo would write every issue except the very last one. I guess he just didn't want to say goodbye. At the time the book was cancelled the book was still quite popular, even spinning of into a successful four issue limited seris in which they starred with the X-Men. The book was cancelled in part due to Marvel's expermentation in direct marketing (to comic shops only) and would later be re-launched in a series called Micronauts: The New Voyages.....which lasted only 20 God Awful issues before being cancelled. The final issue of the series saw all the Micronauts sacrafice their lives in order to save the universe. Or some drivel like that. I own the series....won't give it up...but can't say anything good about it.

Bug would later pop up in a "cute" one shot written by Todd DeZago with no real explantion on how he survived. Commander Rann and Princess Mari would also later re-appear with no further explanation. It was almost like the New Voyages never really existed at all...and I'm sure that was alright with not only me but every other true blue Micronaut fan.

Altough no explantion has yet to be given on how he shows up and why he is the size of a human now Bug (along with another Micronaut creation Captain Universe) appeared in the Annihilation limited series featuring Star-Lord and has since appeared regularly in the Guardians of the Galaxy. A high quality book...and one that I am very happy to collect.

There has been mention that director J.J. Abrams is very interested in producing a Micronauts feature film. How cool is that? Bug is in one of the best comics being produced...a live action movie with the endorsement of one of the best director's working in Hollywood.....whoa...it doesn't get much better than this.

Or does it?

Check out this picture.



That's right...there's no doubt that's Commander Rann and Princess Mari.....and with Bug already involved in the Realm of Kings storyline...looks like a possible reunion in the works. Who knows.....Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning has already revitalized Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy....who says they can't do a Micronauts ongoing series. I'm all for it. I say let them do it....but if they're all human sized...I think they will need a new name.

Hasbro still owns the rights to Acroyear and Baron Karza and any book that features the rest of the cast without these two (not to mention Biotron and Microtron) would definitely suffer. But if anybody could pull it off it would be DnA...and who knows...maybe Disney might have enough clout to secure those rights...especially with Abrams attached to a motion picture...could be one of the good things that come out of the Disney/Marvel buyout.

That's it for my "they came from inner space rant"...want more? Check out this link.

http://whencomicbooksruled.blogspot.com/20...my-brain-5.html

I've off to re-read Micronauts issues #1-12.....again. And I plan to enjoy every minute of it!

[G-Man]

I did indeed end the evening reading Micronauts #1-12....first time I've read them all back to back like that in one sitting in years.

What a blast! I'm a fan of the entire series but #1-12 are must haves and to be honest, I'm glad there were more issues after #12...but you could have ended it at #12 and it would have still been an epic.

A part of me wished they would have...the history of the characters become very tragic later and the series and some of the same ideas get re-hashed...it's a hard call to make. Just 12 great issues....or 59 issues that were pretty good with glimpses of what once made the series so great (#24-28 and #49-58).

[David O'Leary]

Did anyone else see Butch Guice in the creator credits above? Bloody hell.

[seamusoldfield]

Excellent post G-Man - very thorough and great reading!

I collected the first Micronauts series up to around issue 20, got bored and quit reading. After college, I sold my collection. Now, as an adult, I've gone back and re-purchased the first story arc - issues 1-12. I loved it then and still do.

So I have a couple of questions. It looks like the story in the first series got good again. Would you (or anyone on this forum) recommend going back and reading through issue 59? Also, it sounds like you (G-Man) didn't much care for "The New Voyages." I was thinking about purchasing the series; I take it you wouldn't recommend that? And one last question, anyone here have any experience with the brief Micronauts run that Image produced a few years ago? I was also thinking about purchasing them, but I can't seem to find anyone talking about it online.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions / recommendations!

[G-Man]

Micronauts (the first Marvel series) is really a good read for the entire run. Issues #1-12 are by far the best of the series, it slows down a little until issue#19 and picks up again and stays pretty good up to issue #28. The issues that follow suffer slightly but still remain enjoyable. Once again the series gets a breath of fresh air around issue #48 and has a real good 10 issue run ending with Mantlo's last issue on the book at issue #58. The series was cancelled at #59.

The New Voyages...not very good, but I do own them because because I'm a die-hard Micronauts geek.

I have never read any other Micronauts material produced by anybody other than Marvel, so I can not comment on them. Those versions did not include Bug, who was always my favorite character, and a Marvel property.

Other Micronauts stories by Marvel worth checking out include Micronauts Annual #1 and #2. Annual #1 gives you a more in depth look at the origins of the Micronauts.

X-Men/Micronauts limited series (4 isues)

There was a Bug one shot.

Bug, Commander Rann, and Princess Mari appeared in two issues of Peter David's first Captain Marvel run (now calling themselves the Microns)

Bug of course was in the Starlord Annhilation limited series and appears regularly in the new Guardians of the Galaxy book. Can't wait to see what they do with Commander Rann and Mari in the Son of the Hulk Realm of Kiongs limited series.

[doombug]

I need to read this and ROM, someone hook me up.

[Cary]

Micronauts. wow. Man what memories this brings back. I agree completely with you Bill, we were privy to comics greatness and at the time we had no clue. My favorite character by far was Acroyear. His whole tragedy just appealed to me on some deep level. Plus he was a complete and utter badass, and he had a hot warrior chick as well. You couldn't hardly beat that! I did enjoy Bug as well, but only as sidekick to Acroyear. I miss those little guys.

[G-Man]

Yeah, Acroyear was a badass. And he did have a hot chick...even though she didn't have a nose.

[Cary]

Hey man, who needs a nose! She was scary with a sword and smoking hot!