Micronauts Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years, Vol. 1: They Came From Inner Space

Micronauts Epic Collection

by Bill Mantlo, Michael Golden (Penciler), Howard Chaykin (Penciler)

One of the most beloved Marvel comics of the 1970s, in paperback for the first time! Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden made THE MICRONAUTS a Marvel Comics hit defined by a cosmic scope, high-stakes drama and a hearty helping of fun. At the heart of the Micronauts saga was a world torn asunder: Baron Karza has taken over Homeworld, a microscopic planet in the throes of rebellion. Those who don't die at Karza's hands wind up in his Body Banks, their limbs and organs plundered as a horrifying new currency for planetary elites. Society's only hope is a randomly formed group of freedom fighters - or was the formation of the Micronauts random? The enigmatic Time Traveler holds a secret that might just be Homeworld's salvation! Collecting MICRONAUTS #1-20 and ANNUAL #1.

Genres: Comics

456 pages, Paperback

Published July 8, 2025

About the author

William Timothy Mantlo is an American comic book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics.
(source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't remember which came first the toys or the comics. I really enjoyed this series when it was first published. Very nice art and a good story. Great collection. Very recommended

[Brian Ingram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lot of fun to finally read this series. I only read one issue from this collection during my childhood, and had a lot of the toys. Great to see the toys in the stories, some of them looked absolutely ridiculous and nonfunctional while others looked very cool. The story was well-written throughout, as I would expect from my previous experiences with Mantlo on the Hulk and Alpha Flight in the mid-80s. Bug and Acroyear are especially well-developed. Marionette, while portrayed as a strong character, is not yet the force I recall her being in later issues but that could be my childhood memories.

The art had wild ups and downs, starting off strong with Golden, though this was not his best work. Then there is a painful stretch of Milgrom finishes over Chaykin layouts and to say they don’t mesh is an understatement. When Broderick comes on near the end it is a revelation, beautiful work that has me really looking forward to the next volume.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This TPB collects the first 20 issues of the Marvel comics tie-in with the Micronauts toys from the late 70's. The backstory created by Bill Mantlo for the characters is some classic space-opera stuff.

The issues that take place on Homeworld and in the Microverse are entertaining-- very reminiscent of the basic set-up of Flash Gordon. (Evil overlord keeping a diverse cast of aliens under his tyrannical rule). However, the issues featuring the Micronauts' repeated misadventures on the Earth of the Marvel universe tend to be dull and repetitive. An essay by Mantlo reprinted in this volume indicates he was well aware of this problem, and chafed under the restrictions that Mego placed on the stories, namely that they should emphasize the Micronauts' toy-like size.

The writing and art is very much 1970's style. Panels tend to be overcrowded with narration, and the art looks rushed at times. I basically enjoyed it for the chance to read a series I missed as a child (I was all about Star Wars then). The nostalgia is strong, but I'm not under the impression that this is a towering work of genius. I'm okay with that, it was cool and fun to see the toys I remember running around and punching each other.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always wanted to read these because I thought the toys were cool when I was a kid. Due to rights issues though, they weren't available for decades until Marvel finally reprinted them in these Epic Collections. I like how the Micronauts are the size of action figures when they come to Earth. It just adds another layer when the toys themselves had zero backstory. The first year of stories focuses on the Micronauts fights with Baron Karza as they try and take back their world. After that, it's just random adventures. I did think it was interesting that this was the origin of Captain Universe. I remember it from big stories in Amazing Spider-Man in the 80s and Hickman's Avengers. You also see appearances by the Man-Thing and the Fantastic Four in these first 20 issues.