Exciting news for fans of classic comics: Micronauts is returning to Marvel after almost 40 years. The publisher will be releasing an omnibus edition of the original comics in April 2024, according to the latest episode of the Near Mint Condition YouTube show.
Based on toys produced by the Mego Corporation, Micronauts was a much-loved series created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Michael Golden. The new edition collects the first 29 issues of the series, as well as The Micronauts Annual #1-2, and material from The Micronauts Special Edition #1-5. It will also include letters pages, house ads, and other bonus materials.
The news comes just days after it was revealed that omnibus editions of the adventures of Rom: Space Knight will also soon be published. Like that title, The Micronauts are owned by toy giant Hasbro, but the license for the series was most recently held by IDW Publishing.
The story goes that some time in the late '70s, Bill Mantlo saw his son opening up a Christmas present of Micronauts toys and and was so inspired that he decided to write comic book adventures for the characters.
Marvel's rights to The Micronauts lapsed some time after the conclusion of the series' second run in 1986. After sitting out the '90s, The Micronauts returned, this time at Image Comics, for a run of 11-issues and a Baron Karza spinoff. Devil's Due Publishing followed this up with a three-issue miniseries in 2004. Another long gap followed.
IDW picked up the license in 2015, publishing an 11-issue run, and a pair of spinoff miniseries. The Micronauts also featured in the company's Revolution crossover, which brought together characters from the numerous toy lines that IDW then held the license to, including Transformers and G.I. Joe. With IDW recently having undergone significant layoffs and restructuring, it's unclear whether it retains any licensing rights to the characters following this announcement.
The Micronauts: The Original Marvel Universe Omnibus Vol. 1 will be published by Marvel Comics in April 2024.
