The Micronauts??

[Clint Barton]

What's the deal? Were they a licensed product? I do recall a "Bug" issue or three in the recent past....Anyone??

[Jessica Drew]

What's the deal? Were they a licensed product? I do recall a "Bug" issue or three in the recent past....Anyone??

Licensed product...but I believe Bug was an original creation.

[Babylon23]

The Micronauts were a line of toys created by Mego in the late 70's. Marvel got the licence to produce the comics. At the time, they were doing a lot of this, based most probably on the success of their Star Wars comic. Aside from the Micronauts and Star Wars, they also had Godzilla, the Shogun Warriors, and Rom.

Bug was an original character. He was originally called Galactic Warrior, which was the name of one of the Micronauts figures, but he looked nothing like the toy.

The series was pretty cool. It featured solid writing from Bill Mantlo, and excellent artwork by Michael Golden, Pat Broderick, Jackson Guice, and Kelly Jones.

[ednemo]

When Micronauts was re-released a couple years ago, my buddy, Eric Wolfe Hanson did the artwork. Good looking stuff!

[fireball87o]

When Micronauts was re-released a couple years ago, my buddy, Eric Wolfe Hanson did the artwork. Good looking stuff!
cool.

So what's the status of the Team now? Do they operate in the MU or an alternate universe?

[GreatLakesAvengers]

The Micronauts still operate within the Marvel Universe. They're now known as the Microns and consist mainly of the original characters.

Marvel can't utilize the licensed characters such as Baron Karza.

[fireball87o]

The Micronauts still operate within the Marvel Universe. They're now known as the Microns and consist mainly of the original characters.

Marvel can't utilize the licensed characters such as Baron Karza.

sorta like the power pack...they operate but no one really sees them in comics much anymore

[GreatLakesAvengers]

Not quite. Power Pack is owned by Marvel and can be used anywhere/anytime without having to worry about licensing fees. They've actually been featured prominently in their own mini series recently published under the Marvel Age imprint.

[riotgear]

Not quite. Power Pack is owned by Marvel and can be used anywhere/anytime without having to worry about licensing fees. They've actually been featured prominently in their own mini series recently published under the Marvel Age imprint.

Unfortunately, it's out-of-continuity. Sumerak referred to it as Marvel's equivalent to Batman: The Animated Series.

[Zero Hunter]

Of the original Micronauts marvel owns Commander Rahn, Marionette, Bug, Hunter, Devil, and all other characters not based on toys. They can use them as they want. They have appeared in Alpha Flight vol II, Cable, Captain Marvel vol II, and the Bug oneshots since the lisence was let go.

They can not use Acroyear, Baron Karza, Microtron, Biotron, Force Commander and all other too closely tied to the toys.

[david r]

I'll just add that the first 12 issues of Micronauts is fantastic sci-fi adventure, and I recommend it.

[Ivan Isaacs]

The Micronauts still operate within the Marvel Universe. They're now known as the Microns and consist mainly of the original characters.

Marvel can't utilize the licensed characters such as Baron Karza.

And the licensed characters had their series at Devil's Due. Volume 1 lasted 11 issues. Volume 2 lasted only 3 issues because Pat Broderick left the book for personal reasons and DDP didn't bother to at least publish another issue to give the series some sort of ending. It was just discontinued with a cliffhanger (they did the same with "Voltron") and it pissed me off.
There was also a 4-issue Karza limited series. All of them were good reads (and I didn't read any Marvel issue).

There were also plans for a Micronauts/Microns crossover but Marvel just wasn't interested it seems.

Unfortunately, it's out-of-continuity.

And? Doesn't change the fact that the three miniseries have been highly entertaining so far.

[Clint Barton]

I'll just add that the first 12 issues of Micronauts is fantastic sci-fi adventure, and I recommend it.


You made me do it. I purchased them all and am reading them now. Great recommendation!

[JulianPerez]

I'll just add that the first 12 issues of Micronauts is fantastic sci-fi adventure, and I recommend it.

You're so right.

Bill Mantlo's MICRONAUTS is an incredible achievement, it's FLASH GORDON for a new generation. As if its, uh, shall we say, idiosyncratic concept wasn't ENOUGH: It has trippy idea after trippy idea: serpent tanks, a bad guy that could transform into a robot centaur, the Enigma Force, prisons with Zoot Suit uniforms, the idea of a bad guy winning the loyalty of his followers by granting them access to clone parts, and thus assure immortality, answers one of the biggest questions in space opera: where do these evil overlords get their black-clad, helmeted henchmen?

The BEST issues, I would argue, are #50-55 or thereabouts, covering the fall of Baron Karza, especially the "World of Never-Summer" double-length issue.

[Zero Hunter]

For me besides the first 12 issues the ones I loved the most are when Pat Broderick took over on art. He had such crisp style that just made the book look so great. He drew the best Bug ever in my opinion. I highly recomend issues 19-35 which is Brodericks run. Plus you get alot of guest stars in that run including:
Nick Fury and SHIELD, Hydra, Nightmare, Ant Man, Doctor Strange, Fixer, Mento, Molecule Man. It is a great run.

Hell I would recomend all the issues between 1-35 really.

[david r]

@Clint Barton, I hope you enjoy it. I thought the team of Mantlo and Michael Golden really created a great saga with those first 12 issues. The Micronauts were a personal favorite team of mine growing up. I kind of wish they could ALL reunite together and go on some more cool stories. (Tell us what you think of it!)

@JulianPerez, funny you should mention Flash Gordon. It does resemble that a bit. But I always thought it was definitely inspired by Star Wars. Marvel launched the Micronauts just a year after George Lucas' 1977 space epic, and it's reach touched the Micronauts, I'm sure.

@Zero Hunter, I kind of agree about Pat Broderick and #1-35. There were still a lot of good stories that came after the Baron Karza saga ends. Broderick was a good replacement for Michael Golden. And I love some of those covers!!