Cover gallery–Micronauts to return from the Microverse this Spring

Derived from a licensed Japanese line of toys called the Micromen, which themselves were small-sized versions of a 12-inch action figure called Henshin Cyborg, Micronauts toys took America by storm in the late 1970s. A Microverse of humanoids, borgs, and robotoids, a civilization of 3.75-inch retro-Kenner sized action figures, ships, and accessories from the Mego toy company before there were Kenner action figures, were loved by a generation of kids. That is, before Kenner drove Mego out of the market.

But not before Micronauts became two classic Marvel comic book series. Featuring stories by Bill Mantlo and art by Michael Golden, over time the series would include art by the likes of plenty of comic book greats: Howard Chaykin, Steve Ditko, Rich Buckler, Pat Broderick, Val Mayerik, Keith Giffen, Greg LaRocque, Gil Kane, Luke McDonnell, Mike Vosburg, Jackson Butch Guice and Kelley Jones. Micronauts and their characters would be woven into the rest of the Marvel Universe in other series, interacting with Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy, the Wasp, Doctor Doom and the Fantastic Four, Nightcrawler, Alpha Flight, Cable, the X-Men, and Thanos. As recently as last year its Microverse concept was included in the screenplay for the Ant-Man movie, renamed the Quantum Realm for the final cut of the film.

Uncanny X-Men writer Cullen Bunn will be scripting the series with artwork by David Baldeón. Check out six covers offered for issue #1 (above and below) drawn by Baldéon, J.H. Williams III, Butch Guice, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Michael Golden. The sixth cover features the classic action figure of Baron Karza. If you think he looks like a copy of Darth Vader, think again. Karza was created before Star Wars was released.

The new series appears to be coming straight from the original stories:

THEY CAME FROM A DYING UNIVERSE! ACROYEAR, SPACE GLIDER, BIOTRON and their allies are back, on the run from the evil BARON KARZA, and blasting through a universe where magic and science vie for control! With resources dwindling, the long-lost TIME TRAVELERS may hold the key to salvation… but will it mean armageddon for our world?