{"id":4060,"date":"2010-08-26T06:45:58","date_gmt":"2010-08-26T10:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/?p=4060"},"modified":"2010-08-26T01:42:12","modified_gmt":"2010-08-26T05:42:12","slug":"reading-micronauts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/onceuponageek.com\/wordpress\/2010\/08\/26\/reading-micronauts\/","title":{"rendered":"READING: Micronauts"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you grew up in the early 1980s, chances are you’ve heard of The Micronauts<\/em>.\u00a0 Perhaps you played with some of the toys, read some of the comics, or were just aware of their existence.\u00a0 I fell into that last category.\u00a0 I was aware there was a toyline and comic for Micronauts, but that was about it.\u00a0 Recently I decided to learn more about these interesting characters.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

The Micronauts<\/em> was a successful toyline and comic book property in the late 1970s and early 1980s.\u00a0 In fact, the Marvel comic series outlasted the toyline.\u00a0 The first volume started in 1979 and went 59 issues, while the second volume went another 20 issues ending in 1986.\u00a0 I’d heard many people sing the praises of the Micronauts <\/em>comic, specifically the work of Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden.\u00a0 I found this surprising as typically comics based upon toylines were pretty forgettable.\u00a0 For every successful toyline-related series like Micronauts <\/em>or G.I. Joe<\/em>, there were tons of flops like Robotix <\/em><\/a>and Sectaurs<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 I recall running across the Micronauts in the occasional guest appearance or team-up book, however, I was never able to really connect with the characters from those brief meetings.<\/p>\n

On a whim, I recently decided to check out these early Micronauts <\/em>adventures.\u00a0 I looked for an Essential <\/em>or collection, but found none.\u00a0 So I ordered the first 20 issues from Mile High Comics<\/a> for about $20.\u00a0 Not a bad deal in my opinion.\u00a0 So far I’ve read through issue #7 and I’m really enjoying this science-fantasy epic.\u00a0 It’s definitely a product of the bronze age, but that doesn’t prevent me from appreciating the work.\u00a0 It’s also interesting to note that both Captain Universe<\/a> and Bug (currently of Guardians of the Galaxy<\/em>)<\/a> got their start in this toy tie-in comic.<\/p>\n

One of the stand-out features of this series is the breathtaking artwork by Michael Golden and Joe Rubinstein.\u00a0 These guys really knew how to draw!\u00a0 To demonstrate their phenomenal artwork, Marvel ran several house ads and pin-ups for the Micronauts <\/em>series.\u00a0 You just don’t see cool bonus features like these anymore.\u00a0 Check these out!<\/p>\n

Below is an ad that ran prior to the release of Micronauts <\/em>#1.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

Below is a house ad that ran in Micronauts <\/em>#2.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

This one-page explanation of each character was invaluable to me.\u00a0 This appeared in issue #1 in lieu of a letters page.<\/p>\n

\"Meet<\/a><\/p>\n

Below is a bonus poster that appeared in issue #2 in lieu of a letters page featuring the mysterious Time Traveller.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

Below is a bonus poster that appeared in issue #3 in lieu of a letters page featuring the villainous Baron Karza.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

Below is a bonus pin-up page featuring the Microship Endeavor.\u00a0 This map and history appeared is issue #4 in lieu of a letters page.\u00a0 Click the image to enlarge.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/a><\/p>\n

On the letters page of issue #6, it was revealed that a secret code had been used through out the series.\u00a0 Many people noticed the weird symbols in the artwork but didn’t possess a key to decipher it.\u00a0 Below the alphabetic key was shared with the fans.<\/p>\n

\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

Below is the house ad that ran in issue #7 promoting the Man-Thing guest appearance.<\/p>\n

\"Man-Thing<\/p>\n

I’m really enjoying the comic series so far and plan to continue reading as long as it holds my interest.\u00a0 If you’d like to check out the series, you could possibly find issues in your local 50 cent bins or can order online for very reasonable prices.\u00a0 For further information on the Micronauts <\/em>comic, check out the Wikipedia page dedicated to the four-color adventures of these heroes from Inner Space<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Micronauts<\/p>\n

If you are interested in learning about the toyline, there are several references:<\/p>\n