The Micronauts: They Came From Inner Space

Micronauts was a North American science fiction toyline manufactured and marketed by Mego from 1976 to 1980. The Micronauts toyline was based on and licensed from the Microman toyline created by Japanese-based toy company Takara in 1974. 

 Mego discontinued the Micronauts line in 1980 prior to the company’s bankruptcy and dissolution in 1982. Years after Mego’s demise other toy companies, such as Palisades Toys and SOTA (State of the Art) Toys, have attempted to revive the toyline over the years. 

 Takara first released Microman toys in Japan in 1974 as a smaller version their popular 8-inch-tall (20 cm) and 12-inch-tall (30 cm) 1972 Henshin Cyborg (Transforming Cyborg) line. Henshin Cyborg figures were based on Combat Joe figures — which themselves were based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe figures — with their bodies molded in clear plastic, exposing their inner workings and supposed cybernetic parts. 

 By downscaling their size, Takara sought to create a toyline that would offset the sheer cost of producing a full line of plastic-based figures and related playsets as well as acknowledging that basic living space is limited for most Japanese households. Smaller Microman figures would not only cost less to produce during the energy crisis of the 1970s, the line’s smaller scale would also take up less physical space in a household and thus be more attractive to space conscious consumers in the Japanese market. 

 In Japan, the Microman figures themselves were marketed as actually being 3.75-inch-tall (9.5 cm) cyborg entities that hailed from a fictional planet known as "Micro Earth" and disguised themselves as action figures while on Earth.

In 1976, Mego licensed several Microman toys from Takara and marketed the toyline in North America and other countries as Micronauts. During their initial series 1 and series 2 release, Takara produced small quantities of products in Japan before production was officially moved to Mego’s facilities in Hong Kong. 

 While much of the initial Micronaut toyline offerings were simply repackaged versions of Takara Microman equivalents, some items in the Micronaut toyline were original Mego creations that used, modified and reconfigured parts from existing Takara toys. For example, the larger, 6.5-inch (17 cm) magnetic action figures Baron Karza and Force Commander were re-colorings of the Magnemo Kotetsu Jeeg action figures with newly designed heads. In addition, as the Micronaut line grew in popularity, Mego expanded the line by creating whole new figures from scratch such as the "Aliens" line which included Antron, Repto, Membros, Lobros, Kronos and Centaurus.

The Micronaut toyline sold extremely well for Mego, which at one point—according to Mego’s Executive VP of Marketing/Vice President of Mego Research and Development (1972-1980), Neal Kublan—generated more than $32 million in sales for the $110 million company during one period.

 After Mego’s 1982 bankruptcy and dissolution, the original molds for many of the toys were sold to Hourtoys/M and D Toys for their Interchangables discount toyline, other original molds were sold to PAC Toys for use in their Lords of Light toyline and even Takara produced several series 5 toys for Italian licensee/distributor Gig’s i Micronauti line. Additionally, leftover Micronaut toyline stock from Mego’s production run was eventually sold for sale/clearance in North America by Lion Rock Limited under the Micronauts name. - From Wikipedia

The Micronauts comic books featuring a group of characters based on the Mego Micronauts toy line. The first title was published by Marvel Comics in 1979, with both original characters and characters based on the toys. Marvel published two Micronauts series, mostly written by Bill Mantlo, until 1986, well after the toy line was cancelled in 1980. In the 2000s, Image Comics and Devil's Due Publishing each briefly published their own Micronauts series. Byron Preiss Visual Publications also published three paperback novels based on the Micronauts. In July 2015, IDW Publishing announced that they would publish a new comic book series. In December 2015, it was announced that a live-action film version of the Micronauts was currently in development by Hasbro Studios and Paramount. 

 The Micronauts began life as comic book characters thanks to a fortuitous accident on Christmas 1977. Marvel Comics writer Bill Mantlo's son Adam opened a new present, a line of the Mego Corporation's Micronauts action figures. Seeing the toys, Mantlo was instantly struck by inspiration to write their adventures. Convincing then Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter to get the comics license for these toys, Mantlo was hired to script their series. 

 The first series of the Micronauts ran from January 1979 to August 1984 and included 59 issues and two Annuals. The series was written by Bill Mantlo and featured art by Michael Golden. Other artists on the series included Howard Chaykin, Steve Ditko, Rich Buckler, Pat Broderick, Val Mayerik, Keith Giffen, Greg LaRocque, Gil Kane, Luke McDonnell, Mike Vosburg, Butch Guice, and Kelley Jones. Micronauts, along with Moon Knight and Ka-Zar the Savage, became one of Marvel's first ongoing series to be distributed exclusively to comic book stores beginning with issue #38 (Feb. 1982). 

 In the United Kingdom, The Micronauts was first included as a supporting strip in Marvel UK's Star Wars Weekly comic in January 1979 for several months and then in the first nine issues of Star Heroes Pocketbook, alongside Battlestar Galactica, before joining the new Future Tense reprint anthology. Unlike the U.S. version, these strips were printed in black and white. 

 The Micronauts Special Edition five-issue limited series (December 1983-April 1984) reprinted issues #1–12 and a back-up feature from #25. The X-Men and the Micronauts four-issue limited series (January 1984–April 1984) was co-written by Mantlo and Chris Claremont and drawn by Butch Guice.

 The second volume of Micronauts, subtitled The New Voyages, was published from October 1984 to May 1986 and ran 20 issues. The series was written by Peter B. Gillis and featured early-career artwork by Kelley Jones. After this series the Marvel-owned license lapsed.

 From the late 1990s the characters Marionette, Arcturus Rann and Bug (all Marvel properties) have appeared in various Marvel titles (without referencing the Micronauts label). Bug has appeared in a solo one-shot and together with cosmic hero Star-Lord, as part of a new incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy. - From Wikipedia

Marionette

 Princess Mari is an adventurer and living legend within the Microverse. On the day Arcturus Rann, son of the revered Lord Dallan and Lady Sepsis Rann, returned home from his 1,000 year journey exploring the far reaches of the Microverse, Mari's parents, the acting king and queen, were slain by the true authority of Homeworld, the tyrant Baron Karza. Mari disguised herself as a puppet while fleeing to join the rebellion, and adopted the name Marionette. Joining Rann, the rogue Insectivorid, Bug, the mighty crown-prince of planet Spartak, Acroyear, and Rann's roboid, Biotron, Mari and her roboid, Microtron became the team called the Micronauts. Under Rann's leadership, they shared many adventures both in the Microverse and traveling across the Spacewall barrier to Earth. Marionette fell in love with Arcturus Rann. Marionette and the Micronauts team ultimately defeated Baron Karza, but not until the Baron enacted a complete genocide across all of Homeworld. Mari and the Micronauts ultimately sacrificed their lives becoming Prime Beings, seeding life across Homeworld and restoring the planet to its natural state. 

 Through unrevealed means, Marionette, Rann, and Bug have been reborn, and continue to share adventures together as the Microns. - From Marvel Comics

Micronauts #34 October 1981 Marvel Comics Grade NM

 $5.99 - On Sale Now! 

 Cover by Bob Layton and Klaus Janson. Written by Bill Mantlo and Pat Broderick, with art by Pat Broderick and Danny Bulanadi. 

 "Betrayal!" The Micronauts and all who befriend them are declared outlaws and traitors of the Microverse in Characters: Rann; Microtron; Marionette; Bug; Acroyear; Pharoid; Devil; Fireflyte; Dr. Strange; Argon.

 1st printing. Comic Book will be shipped bagged and boarded. This comic book is in new condition complete with cover and all pages attached it has flaws that warrant a NM grade.