| The Micronauts began as a toy line created by the Mego Company in 1976. These toys consisted of vehicles, sets, and figurines that could interchange parts. As a precursor to the Transformers, the Micronauts provided endless hours of creativity and fun for children, allowing them to mix-and-match toy permutations and develop a unique, private play universe of their very own. The Micronauts toys were so popular that Marvel Comics decided to adapt the toy line as a comic book series. Created by Peter Gillis and Bill Mantlo, this comic brought the popular Micronauts characters to life in a vivid universe called the Microverse. Printed on hard stock paper and more adult themed than Marvel initially intended, The Micronauts, garnered critical acclaim as well as attention from enthusiastic collectors. The characters who populated the Microverse were spectacular and original. The hero, Space Glider, AKA Commander Arcturus Rann, had spent a millennium in frozen animation before escaping to help protect the universe. Together with his trusty co-pilot Bio-Tron, a "roboid" with special futuristic powers, the commander battled the evil Baron Karza, who ran a formidable bio-engineering lab and kept the residents of Homeworld under his sway. Commander Arcturus found assistance from Microtron and Marionette. Microtron was the wag of this comic book family. His quirky, comedic takes lent an air of levity to otherwise dire situations. Marionette, the so-called love interest of the story, fought bravely against the evil Baron. The stories of these comic book heroes created indelible impressions on millions of American youth during the 1980s. |