45 years ago, George Lucas' space opera Star Wars captured my childhood imagination. As such, I devoured everything related. From Kenner action figures to Marvel Comics. It was in the pages of Marvel UK’s making of Star Wars magazine that I saw an advertisement for a new toy line distributed by Airfix.
The interchangeable world of the Micronauts.
The Micronauts, Mego’s rebranded name for Microman in the US, was a storied interchangeable toy line from Takara (the Japanese toy company that would go on to create Transformers).
The 3½ inch action figures and accessories scaled perfectly with Kenner’s Star Wars toys, so they inhabited a shared universe in my bedroom. Ironic, as Mego infamously passed on Star Wars. Incidentally, Mego reused Microman tooling for Disney’s The Black Hole and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century toys, which I also collected.
Marvel Comics released a tie-in comic (reprinted in Star Wars Weekly and Future Tense) following the adventures of Commander Rann (my Xbox Gamertag) and his battle with the evil Baron Karza. The latter, a Darth Vader lookalike, was a cherished holiday gift in 1978.
The original comic book series based on the beloved toy line is being reprinted in partnership between Marvel Comics and Hasbro, which owns the Micronauts brand. The Disney-owned publisher will release an omnibus edition of the original comics in April 2024.
In related news. Rom the Space Knight is also returning to Marvel Comics after four decades.
Could this pave the way for the Microverse to officially appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is more fun than I anticipated on Disney+! Jentorra (Katy O'Brian) is a Micronauts alumnus. And it left me wanting a Micronauts movie in the vein of the classic comic book series I grew up reading! That's another step closer following this surprise announcement.
Will the Micronauts toy line be rereleased on Hasbro Pulse?
In June 2016, Hasbro announced a limited edition Micronauts Classic Collection toy set. The San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) exclusive included three Micronauts: Galactic Warrior, Pharoid and Orbital Defender, and featured packaging artwork by artist Ken Kelly.
What are your memories of the Micronauts? Let me know in the comments below.
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