The Micronauts were a comic series produced by Marvel Comics which featured the Micronauts toy figures created by Mego. Volume 1 of the series was 59 issues, with 2 annuals, 5 reprint issues (reprinting issues 1-12), and a 4-issue miniseries with the X-Men. Vol. 2 of the series (Micronauts: The New Voyages) lasted for 20 issues. ************************************************************ **********************************************************SP ACE GLIDER: ~ Commander Arcturus Rann spent 1,000 years in suspended animation exploring the Microverse with his co-pilot, the roboid Biotron on the HMS (Homeworld Micro Ship) Endeavor. He returned to his native planet Homeworld and found his former mentor, Baron Karza, had staged a coup and slain the royal family a thousand years earlier -- his parents, Dallan and Sepsis Rann. Karza fears what Rann may have discovered in his travels through the Microverse. Indeed, the telepathic Rann, because of his travels and partly because of his bloodline (he is a descendant of Wayfinder of Ithaka, the discoverer of the Microverse), became the template for the embodiment of the Enigma Force and its awesome emissaries, the Time Travellers. The Enigma Force enabled Rann to eventually defeat Karza. Commander Rann was usually confident and focused but not above kidding around with his comrades. He felt responsible for all the Micronauts and would have rather admitted his insecurity about a course of action rather than risk their lives. Rann was sometimes unsure of himself when it came to fighting Baron Karza whom Rann said was once like a second father. He agonized over what went wrong while he was away exploring the Microverse, wondering whether Karza's former friendship with his star pupil was just a front. The loss of any friend who fell in battle upset him and he went into reclusive meditation after a major defeat by Karza that resulted in the deaths of many friends. BARON KARZA: ~ Homeworld's former chief scientist was a genius in biological engineering. He bribed Homeworld's citizens with the promise of eternal life via his Body Banks. Not everyone was unhappy with Karza's new reign in the beginning, but Karza's de facto rule of Homeworld is enforced by his Dog Soldiers and bioengineered creatures. Many former Karza supporters eventually lent their aid to the rebellion against him. In his own communion with the Time Travellers, Baron Karza realized that what he sought was more than mere power. Though his science had effectively made him immortal, his essence and emotions were still that of a man. Although Karza transcended his organic body and became a being of pure energy, Karza refused the Time Travellers' offer of godhood. Karza re-evaluated his philosophy and concluded that true godhood cannot be obtained without understanding what one needs to experience in order for one's soul (as opposed to one's mere body) to transcend physicality. Thus, Karza, in committing one unspeakably inhuman act after another, believes he will become indifferent to the concept of wielding power over the living. Thus, he accepted the choice to return to a mortal body so that he could relish conquest. NOTE: Although the late-70s timing of the original Baron Karza toy figure appeared as something of a Darth Vader knockoff, it was based on the mold of the anime super robot, Steel Jeeg (not part of the original Microman toy line, but the toys for the show were manufactured by Takara, which made the Microman toys). ACROYEAR: ~ Crown prince of the ebony-skinned race whose name he bears. For a time, Acroyear's people served Karza under the mind control of Shaitan, Acroyear's traitorous, albino brother. To help defeat Baron Karza, Acroyear sacrificed the Worldmind of his home planet Spartak, thus rendering it incapable of supporting life. For this, he was branded a traitor and cast out by his people while his bonded mate Cilicia ruled as regent. Acroyear vowed to redeem himself and traveled with the Micronauts, most of whom are also outcasts. Stoic in battle yet hospitable to his comrades, Acroyear does not believe it weakness for a warrior to express his feelings to those he loves. He confides in the Micronauts and his complex warrior philosophy often serves as spiritual nourishment to his fellow Micronauts. Acroyear hoped to make his people understand that a warrior need not become as cold as the steel they wield in battle. But Acroyear fought alone as his race chose neutrality in the war against Karza. MARIONETTE: ~ Princess Mari of Homeworld, along with her brother, Prince Argon, were the only survivors of the slaughtered figurehead royal family just before Rann's return. They have the hapless job of initiating rebellion against Baron Karza. Argon, who becomes Force Commander after his alteration in Karza's Body Banks, eventually died after being temporary host for a resurrected Karza. Marionette called the Micronauts family and Commander Rann her love. She served as nominal leader of the Micronauts during a brief, trying period when a demoralized Commander Rann removed himself from active duty following a major defeat. Strong-willed and independent while still warm and generous, she showed no mercy to those who willingly served Karza's evil. But she would risk her life to persuade any who serve Karza because they saw no other hope that there was an alternative. Her hand of friendship brought one of Karza's former creatures, Huntarr, into the fold. BUG: ~ A green skinned, red & black eyed master thief from the Insectivorid homeworld Kaliklak, Bug was a jokester and rogue by nature but always a professional. He and Acroyear shared a unique friendship as the two are diametrical in personality. Bug's friendship with Acroyear may be responsible for Acroyear's decision to question the sometimes overly cold warrior ethic that rules his people. The love of his life, a beautiful Insectivorid warrioress Jasmine, was brutally murdered by ravaging Reptos (and Antrons) under the command of Psycho-Man while engaging in a conflict against him alongside the Macroverse's Fantastic Four. This loss wounded him deeply for a long time. Much later on, during the period that Commander Rann became a recluse following a defeat by Karza, Bug appears to act as a surrogate lover for Mari. Bug's inexhaustible humor and optimism is one of the things that Mari credits with preventing her from losing all hope in herself as well. Despite his jovial exterior, Bug readily admitted to feelings of inadequacy, homesickness, and sometimes loneliness. By the end of the Karza war, Bug is the only Micronaut not left homeless. In their succeeding voyages, he occasionally gave in to deep depression about the home he left behind. HUNTARR: ~ A late addition to the Micronauts, Huntarr, the Living Weapon, was originally charged with guarding the body banks of Force Commander (who was then serving as the host for Karza). Huntarr was once a young man named Iann 27, subjected to Karza's experiments which made his body incredibly metamorphic. He almost killed Princess Mari in her attempt to reach Force Commander, but Mari sensed Huntarr's confusion and sadness and convinced him he could find peace of mind by joining the Micronauts. Huntarr travelled with them for a short time, unsure of himself as he had family on Homeworld. But after a side trip to Homeworld, and witnessing the tragic suicide of both his mother and sister, he returned to the Micronauts' welcome. Huntarr was probably the youngest of the Micronauts but he spoke with a maturity that belied his age. BIOTRON: ~ Commander Rann's roboid copilot during his 1,000 year sojourn through the Microverse, Biotron served as Rann's telepathic eyes and ears while his physical body was kept in stasis. Biotron continued to serve as Rann's copilot aboard the HMS Endeavor in their war against Baron Karza. Biotron was an unflappable foil for Commander Rann. Biotron's model series had long since become obsolete and, of course, he takes this in stride with his trademark dry, erudite wit. Tragically, Biotron was the first major casualty among the Micronauts in the Karza War. Biotron was somewhat reborn as the Micronaut's second ship, the Bioship. This Bioship's personality was based on Microtron, Nanotron, and Commander Rann's memories of the original Biotron. MICROTRON: ~ Princess Mari's childhood roboid tutor, Microtron and Biotron became somewhat of the Micronauts' comedy relief in the tradition of Abbott and Costello and Laurel and Hardy. Microtron could be serious, especially when Princess Mari or later his love Nanotron were in danger. Microtron and Nanotron sacrificed themselves so that their memories could be incorporated into a giant duplicate of the late Biotron, which would serve as the Micronauts' ship after Endeavor was destroyed. FORCE COMMANDER ~ (Prince Argon): The toy had the same body as Baron Karza but a different head. He was also white in color. In the comic book the hybrid centaur was explained as the result of Karza's experiments on a captured Argon. Being Marionette's brother, he took on the leadership of Homeworld after the first time Karza was defeated but later was corrupted by absolute power and became a villain as evil as Karza (but not as powerful). It was eventually revealed that Argon himself never turned evil but was actually an unwilling host body for Karza's life essence until Karza had built up enough energy to resurrect himself, killing the helpless Argon in the process. SHAITAN: ~ Shaitan was Acroyear's brother, and sold his people into slavery to Baron Karza. Shaitan was accidentally killed in combat with his brother. Cilicia: Female Acroyear warrior and betrothed to Acroyear.Jasmine: Strong female insectravoid and beloved to BugSlug: Leader of the rebels to oust Baron Karza and love interest to prince Argon The Time Travelers: Disguised as monk preists they are the embodiment of the Enigma force, the all powerful force in the Microverse and Karza's eventual undoing through Commander Rann.