A few years into Mego's successful Micronauts toy career, Marvel Comics was able to secure the license to create a comic book series based on the toy line. The first issue; written by Bill mantlo and drawn by Michael Golden gave us the incredible Microverse, a sub atomic universe existing close to ours containing many different creatures and planets, all embroiled in a war against the evil rule of baron Karza.
How Marvel got the license is a great story! Christmas 1977, Mantlo's son Adam received a gift...Micronaut toys. Being so overcome with story ideas and possibilities, mantlo convinced then Editor In Chief Jim Shooter to get the license and from there... a legend was born.
MICRONAUTS ran for two series; the first running for 59 issues and two annuals and ranks among one of my five favorite runs of comics ever!
The series launched a flurry of toy related comics for Marvel including ROM, SHOGUN WARRIORS and G.I. JOE... but for me none were as memorable as the little heroes from inner space.
A few months later the comic would return as MICRONAUTS - THE NEW VOYAGES and would last 20 issues before fading away.
Since Marvel only owned the rights to the characters they created like 'Bug' or 'Arcturus Rann', we wouldn't see any of the other characters in any other comics. Sad because Acroyear, Baron Karza and Biotron were amazing characters... toys come to life.
Only Bug would make any sort of return or impact, fighting alongside the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
For one of the best comic stories ever, the first twelve issues of the original series is simply the best!