Micronauts #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Breakdowns: David Baldeon
Finishes: Max Dunbar, Jack Lawrence, David Baldeon
Colourists: David Garcia Cruz, Joana Lafuente, Thomas Deer,John-Paul Bove
Letterer: Tom B. Long
Review by Gregory Brothers
The Micronauts started as a toy line in the late 1970s. From there, Marvel comics was able to land the licensing deal and released two different series until 1986. Other companies including Image and Devil’s Due have run limited series before IDW gained the rights to both Micronauts and ROM, whose own series will launch on Free Comic Book Day. IDW has said that they will feature many of the old characters from those series while also introducing many new characters. Although the series will feature many of the existing characters, the stories will be completely original with no ties to the original series so that people new to the series will be able to easily enjoy the series from the beginning.
From the first page, the reader is thrown into the action as a scientist was sent to a corner of the universe to observe as an entropic wave destroys a planet and its inhabitants. As he wrestles with the idea that he’s there to observe or to help the people of this planet, he quickly learns that the wave is not what it seems and his mission will end much differently than he expected. A quick jump to the near future and we start to meet our main cast of characters. First, we meet Oziron Rael, a member of the Pharoids race, who seems to have a history of causing problems for the rest of his crew. We find out soon enough that Oz is not by himself, as Phenolo-Phi and Acroyear make their first appearance as the team makes their delivery and gets their next assignment, which of course has many more layers than expected and begins to open up the whole universe that writer wants to create. We also get a quick look at the new version of classic baddie Baron Karza, as we find out his own personal goals and possible future conflicts without giving away everything at once.
The art is brilliant throughout. The details make you feel as if you are reading some sort of epic space adventure that you may have watched one Saturday morning. Each character has a unique look that helps them stand out from one another and give them a life of their own. The colors are bright and detailed with great use of shadows and angles to give the drawings an almost 3D feeling. Much like the first time that Darth Vader walks onto the screen in the Star Wars, the first look at Baron Karza is drawn so that you know immediately who the bad guy is.
The Verdict:
Buy It! Bunn has a history of working on some rather well known franchises and has had mostly positive reviews on his runs with them. With this issue, you get the feeling that Bunn knows he is going to have the chance to build this universe from the ground up and create some unique. Bunn does an excellent job of introducing the characters in a way that keeps you interested without revealing everything about them at once. He also drops enough information throughout this issue that you know he has thought out at least some of the plans for that expansive universe.
