The other week, Axel Alonso talked about the importance of licensed titles to Marvel’s current output:
The third party titles have been a solid addition to our publishing plan — they sell well and they allow us to communicate with a new audience — so of course we’re doing more.
Bearing that in mind, I have a small suggestion for whoever makes the licensing decisions at Marvel: Please try and get the Micronauts license again.
I’ll admit that a lot of this decision is powered by nostalgia; I loved the Micronauts series (both of them; yes, I am that rare New Voyages fan) way back when, and would love to see that material made available again as an Essentials series. Micronauts is a comics franchise unlike other toy tie-ins, because so much of what makes the original incarnation(s) work is owned by Marvel and so can’t transfer to whoever else attempts it, a la GI Joe or Transformers; without Bug or Marionette or Rann, it’s not the same book, and even “the Microverse” is pretty much a Marvel concept. It helps the connection when you consider the number of Marvel Universe characters who guest-starred in the Marvel runs, whether it’s Nick Fury, the Beyonder or the X-Men (There was even the X-Men/Micronauts mini in the 1980s), making the idea of someone other than Marvel reprinting the material almost impossible.
But it’s not just happy memories – or the chance of some sweet reprint royalties – that could and should make this appealing to Marvel; the Micronauts are reportedly being primed for a movie produced by JJ Abrams and written by the people behind Zombieland, which sounds as close to a recipe for ideal franchise revival as possible. Projects like John Carter show that Marvel is okay with movie tie-ins, and even if Micronauts isn’t a Disney property, it still feels like something that could very much appeal to the Marvel faithful if done properly.
It’d be nice to imagine that someone at Marvel has already done the math about this, and can see how it could work out. While Marvel continues to mine the archives for new material to collect in book format, Micronauts remains one of the company’s few sadly-untouched properties (Outside of this and Rom, it’s hard to think of a long-running series that hasn’t been revived in the last few years). Maybe if we all close our eyes and wish real hard…
January 20th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Micronauts is owned by Hasbro now. Given than every Hasbro property (GI Joe, Transformers, Magic the Gathering, D&D, etc) is at IDW, I wouldn’t be shocked to see it’s comic return there rather than Marvel.
Even without the Marvel created material, they do have the option on the original stories from it’s Japanese counterpart, Microman, which was also the source for many of the earliest Transformers toys.
January 20th, 2012 at 9:52 am
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January 20th, 2012 at 10:19 am
I LOVED the original series. Bill Mantlo is SO underrated as a writer. This and Rom were two of my favorites titles growing up. Both could be very dark at times. Nobody knew how to clear the deck of characters like Mantlo.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
As much as I’d love to replace my back issues with a nice new collection, the knowledge that Marvel would never think to kick any of the profits from the endeavor back to Bill Mantlo sours me on the thought of it.
January 20th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I’m still waiting for Marvel to come to terms with Sax Rohmar’s estate so we can get Essential collections and a revival of Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu (and yes, I know that they had a mini series several years ago, but that series REALLY needs all the supporting cast and the original son of the villain dynamic to make it work)
January 20th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
I think Marvel could easily bring back the Micronauts. Sort of. A decade or so back, PAD used them in a Captain Marvel story, establishing that they are based in the same universe as Jarella’s homeworld. And calling them the Microns. Same characters, same names, same clothes, different team name.
January 22nd, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Agreed. Actually, I wish we could visit that alternate reality where the Micronauts relaunch planned for 1998 did happen. The art by Cary Nord done for the first three issues was gorgeous. If Marvel could reacquire the rights to use all of the characters, maybe some of that art could finally see print.
January 22nd, 2012 at 3:07 pm
I would love to see the Micronauts back at Marvel…
January 22nd, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Marvel have (briefly) revived the Micronauts, first by featuring Bug in Annihilation Conquest: Starlord and then Guardians of the Galaxy, before giving Rann & Co. a role in the Realm of Kings: Son of Hulk mini. No sign of them since then though…
January 22nd, 2012 at 3:55 pm
With the reintroduction of the spaceknights, dire wraiths and bug I was hoping that Marvel would’ve tried to work Rom and the Micronauts back into the Marvel Universe…I shouldn’t think the rights would cost that much to own outright.
January 22nd, 2012 at 4:15 pm
@Simon – I’m pretty sure CABLE established the Microns (Rann, Mari, Bug) were still around in the MU and Microverse. not their first (re)use, I don’t think? I heard Bug was hanging around the Guardians of the Galaxy a few years back? not sure what happened there.
How long did the series last at Devil’s Due Press? I know they planned for an ongoing, but I don’t think they made more than 6 issues. Most of the feedback I heard was it didn’t click with longtime readers due to the lack of the Marvel characters.
January 22nd, 2012 at 4:16 pm
oh, and Rann, Mari, and Bug should be shoo-ins for the Marvel Universe toy line. they’re practically in 1:1 scale to start! LOL
January 22nd, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Hasbro released an exclusive free comic at ComicCon 2011 just last year featuring a new take on the Micronauts (and a bunch of other Marvel comics).
It stared the Son of Acroyear looking for allies against Karza.
January 22nd, 2012 at 4:38 pm
“bunch of other Hasbro properties” I meant.
Anyway Hasbro is still selling their Comicon Micronauts staring comic Here:
http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/exclusives-unit-e-special-edition-comic-book?CD=96&ST=SO&PG=1
January 22nd, 2012 at 4:57 pm
The Enigma Force which continued from the Son of Hulk mini featured Rann, Mari and Bug along with some new members including Princess Janella.
@Brian The Devil’s Due series was pretty good, it lasted a year I believe then launched a volume two which didn’t continue long. They even managed to tie it into the Marvel series. Worth picking up in a bargain bin.
January 22nd, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Great Idea! The 1st issues of Micronauts by michael Golden were epic!
January 22nd, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Any MICRONAUTS movie should use the Marvel Golden run as it’s basis. Absolutely no question.
The CARY NORD MICRONAUTS (1998) artwork is all still together, and is on display in my ComicArtFans Gallery:
Issue 1:
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=83995
Issue 2:
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=87687
Issue 3:
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryRoom.asp?GSub=87688
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:53 am
I loved the series and had the entire series, however I also collected the toys in which there was no Bugg or Marrionet (story needed a token female). Rann was a Space Glider. I believe the Micronauts could be done with a whole new story line without the Marvel extra characters. It can take an Egyptian/Stargateish motiff, due to Time Traveller coming with an Egyptian type sarcophagus. Karza could be so evil he is trying to conquer time and space.
January 23rd, 2012 at 5:19 pm
I still remember picking up issue #27 on the newstand as a kid (69th street in Queens) and it blowing my 11 year old mind and turning me into a Micronauts fanatic till number 58.
January 24th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
if nothing else maybe marvel could try and publish the micro nauts characters they own or try and work something out with idw to share the license though Marvel would wind up finaly getting the rights to reprint rom before sadly even the micronauts see print again at marvel. plus the fact marvel will if they did get the micronauts back would not think to give some of any money made to Bill Matleo to maybe help pay for his care.
January 25th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
I would also love to see the characters back at Marvel. I still have my Force Commander toy packed away. I was always disappointed as a kid that force Commander always got punked in the series.
March 8th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Nice article – I have fond memories of reading these original Micronauts comics back in the day – the early Mike Golden-drawn issues were especially impressive & memorable, though the later issues were great as well. Too bad licensing is keeping these comics from being reprinted – a dream come true would be a series of 3 COLOR Omnibuses reprinting the original 59 issue Micronauts series & 2 Annuals.
It seems this franchise can’t catch a break – back in the mid?!2000′s the toy company NECA was getting ready to release a series of great new Micronauts figures – these were based on the old ones, but with IMHO far superior sculpts. However, for some reason plans fell through and these toys never came out…
May 14th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
i love the micronauts so much still collecting the toys ,got all the comics ,read em every year on cd rom ,saves wear n tear ,also decided to make the characters that never made it to toy line ,from microman and lady figures same size as our beloved time traveller ,.made bug ,pharoid ,celia, jasmine,and redid comander rann wearing time travelers time belt and made a new visor for helmet made marrionette also tweaked acroyear so got boots on stead of rollor blades ,next gonna do karza shatian force commander sulg and phariods mate forget his name got big moustashe,,was also gonna animate em ,as a comedy trapped on earth living in that strange dolls house from issue oh i ferget ,just aint got the time ,bring back the micronauts , before i make 100 dog soliders ,good times
July 31st, 2012 at 9:33 am
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