Micronauts [2016] #10 - IDW Publishing

MICRONAUTS No. 10, February 2017

Written by both Cullen Bunn and Jimmy Johnston, the narrative for Issue Ten of “Micronauts” must surely have struck many within the twenty-page periodical’s audience as being a decidedly disjointed affair, what with the book’s opening half featuring a lack-lustre, contrivance-riddled storyline based upon the titular characters’ realisation “that the [giant] scientist is in danger due to helping them escape the lab”, and its later stages depicting a pulse-pounding battle between Oziron Rael’s crew and “new Acroyears… outfitted with an endless supply of weaponry.” Indeed, it’s arguably rare to experience such jarringly contrasting writing styles within the self-same Max Dunbar pencilled cover, and debatably must have had some readers genuinely puzzling as to whether Editor, David Hedgecock, rather lackadaisically simply split the two authors’ responsibilities straight down the comic’s middle..?

Whatever the story behind the publication’s plot, its premise that the Pharoid can suddenly understand “the words the giants were speaking” from this story-arc’s previous instalment, alongside the Time Traveller’s face mask then coincidentally giving him all the information he needs so as to comprehend Commander Klain’s revenge, is frighteningly fortuitous, and only debatably superseded by Biotron Unit 556-01-17 amazingly developing an instantaneous ability to ‘enerchange’ with the planet’s internet; “I’m not arguing that we owe this woman our lives. But I’m worried about how you’re getting this information.” Such a carousel of lucky happenstances really do beggar belief and smack of sheer unimaginative laziness on behalf of this magazine’s creators, especially when they all essentially occur simultaneously in order to permit Microtron to receive the “transmitted co-ordinates of our new destination...”

Fortunately, once the Heliopolis lands outside the human scientist’s house, and the Micronauts waste a plethora of panels exploring the entirely empty abode, this comic finally starts to quicken its previously plodding pace, courtesy of Mister Mayhem’s military breaking into the building and fast finding themselves under attack by another race of tiny warriors “obviously from Microspace.” The resultant conflict, absolutely packed full of numerous laser beams and vicious hand-to-hand combat, is undoubtedly the highlight of this book, and provides the ongoing series with one particular stand out moment when a disarmed Acroyear utilises a toy Weeble to destroy a formidable-looking multi-armed robot; “This is a fine weapon! I’ll not leave it behind!”

Written by: Cullen Bunn & Jimmy Johnston, Art by: Max Dunbar, and Colors by: Ander Zarate

Micronauts [2016] #9 - IDW Publishing

MICRONAUTS No. 9, January 2017

“Stranded on a world full of giants” with “relics from Microspace… all around”, Cullen Bunn’s script for Issue Nine of “Micronauts” certainly must have shown its 5,022 readers the gusto with which the Bram Stoker Award-nominee had grasped his chance to “build my own version of the Micronauts strange microscopic cosmos.” For whilst Oziron Rael and his team-mates spend the entire twenty-page periodical’s narrative firmly rooted on modern-day Earth, the American author’s introduction of the Kronus and their time-travelling mechanical ruler, allows him to develop an intriguingly complicated backstory behind all of “these wild toys” which tells of a time where the Entropy Cloud “sweeps across Microspace consuming everything in its path” and disconcertingly strands its pitiful few survivors thousands of years in the future…  

Indeed, despite being significantly conversation-heavy and dialogue-driven, the opening third of this publication arguably conjures up all manner of exciting possibilities for its lead cast, following the Egyptian-influenced automaton’s revelation that the Pharoid momentarily has access to the entire recorded “history of doomed Microspace” and the possibility of creating a “different result” for it; “That string represents everything you know. But what if you could take a second string from the pot? You now have two different timelines. All of time and space is an infinite amount of strings in a pot larger than you can fathom. A different string can be chosen.”

Admittedly, the arrival of Commander Klain’s mercenary forces and willingness to “afford a little collateral damage” soon dispels any notion that Oz will actually be able to utilise any learning from the events inscribed upon the ancient civilisation’s buildings in hieroglyphics. But the seed of the titular characters having endless adventures exploring numerous prehistoric sites searching for “an inter-dimensional portal” back to their own universe is well and truly planted, even if it is then superseded by a high-octane battle between the likes of the time casket’s insectoid-like people and Mister Mayhem’s military team.

Packed full of grenade explosions, laser fire, tiny winged extra-terrestrials and the Heliopolis’ doomed evacuation of the surviving Kronus, this book’s final third is about as pulse-pounding as one could debatably hope for. In fact, its fast-paced, pulse-pounding panels show off artist Max Dunbar’s drawing ability at its dynamic best, especially when the genetically engineered super-warrior, Acroyear, is pencilled rescuing his hapless captain from the dastardly clutches of Klain by slicing the Earthman’s fingers right off with his power sword.

Written by: Cullen Bunn & Jimmy Johnston, Art by: Max Dunbar, and Colors by: Ander Zarate

Micronauts [2016] #8 - IDW Publishing

MICRONAUTS No. 8, December 2016

There’s a palpable sense of fun to Cullen Bunn’s narrative for Issue Eight of “Micronauts” which clearly shows just how much of “a dream come true” this book must have been for the three-time Bram Stoker Award-nominee to pen. Indeed, this twenty-page periodical’s storyline, packed full of headlong car chases and bullet-laden helicopter assaults, validates just how sincere the American author was in his desire “to do everything in my power to make sure readers have the time of their lives reading this series!”

For starters, having previously “been rendered unconscious” and “sent off to be subjected to some ghastly experimentation”, this comic’s opening ably demonstrates just how difficult it is going to be for Oziron Rael’s team to escape their captors, even with the help of a sympathetic laboratory scientist. This sense-shattering sequence, which depicts the Heliopolis’ crew being literally thrown around a speeding vehicle whilst Acroyear and Space Glider attack their military pursuers, is tremendously well-paced and genuinely provides a few ‘laugh out loud’ moments as the pair of rebels ‘banter’ as to how many of “those giant vehicles” each took out.

Bullen’s aforementioned “love” for the Micronauts is equally as plain to see in the next stage of the heroes’ frantically-paced pursuit, with Microtron and his “ungrateful captain” taking to the skies in their toy-sized spaceship in order to take down two rotarcraft which in their astonished eyes are “larger than the Avon Federation Space Port.” Oz’s sarcastic first mate proves particularly amusing during these panels, criticising his team-mate’s lack of gratitude for all the robot's speedy, last-minute repairs despite the imminent danger they’re all in; “Biotron and I did a wonderful job of repairing her. Seems like the kind of thing one should be thanked for. Right, Captain?”

Of course, none of this enthusiasm would be quite so infectious for this publication’s 5,590 readers if it wasn’t for Max Dunbar’s dynamic artwork. In fact, a lot of this comic’s exhilarating entertainment is due to the Canadian’s ability to imbue his well-pencilled figures with a humorous look here or a straight faced rebuke there, such as when Orbital Defender slyly points out to Phenolo-Phi that the Pharoid is still vainly speaking to their would-be rescuer despite having just said that “the giants lacked intelligence because they kept talking even though we couldn’t understand”.

Written by: Cullen Bunn, Art by: Max Dunbar, and Colors by: Ander Zarate

Micronauts [2016] #7 - IDW Publishing

MICRONAUTS No. 7, November 2016

Disconcertingly set “in the aftermath of Revolution”, “one of the biggest events in IDW’s history”, Cullen Bunn’s opening three-page summary as to just how this comic’s titular characters have somehow become “trapped in a world inhabited by giants” following their recent flight from Karza’s forces in Microspace, must have proved a bewilderingly essential read for any non “IDW Faithful” who happened to ‘have been living under a rock’ in November 2016. In fact, even then, the rationale behind the GLAAD Media Award-nominee’s narrative for Issue Seven of “Micronauts” probably didn’t make a great deal of sense to some of its 5,918 bibliophiles until they perused Editor-in-Chief David Hedgecock’s “Welcome To The Hasbro Universe” exposition at the back of the book, within which he explains that “thanks to the storylines created in Revolution, some of Hasbro’s most popular franchises are now tied into one universe of epic proportions.”

Luckily however, understanding just how the tiny team have come to be trapped within a reinforced glass tank awaiting lethal experimentation at the hands of Mankind’s modern-day scientists isn’t essential to enjoying a thoroughly entertaining re-imagining of “Land Of The Giants”, as Acroyear lays down a seriously impressive smackdown upon a group of armed guards which results in at least one of the armour-clad goons losing a few teeth. This action-packed scene is tremendously well-paced, packed full of sense-shattering gun-play, and helps define just how formidably powerful the genetically engineered super-warrior still is despite his sudden diminutive size.

Indeed, the entire sequence imbues the American novelist’s storyline with some arguably much-needed energy, which then adds extra urgency to the subsequent exploits of Biotron and Microtron as they unsuccessfully attempt to outrun a pair of slavering sentry-dogs who seem intent on chomping up Acroyear as a tasty snack; “I really do wish everyone was conscious to witness this… Back! Back, you slobbering beast!” Such well-handled interplay between this comic’s non-human cast provides all three individuals with an opportunity to demonstrate their unique personality traits, with the “self-deprecating wit and biting sarcasm” of Oz’s first mate proving particularly humorous.

Max Dunbar’s beautiful illustrations also help to endow this twenty-page periodical with a palpable positive vibe, courtesy of some pulse-pounding storyboarding. The frantic nature of the heroes’ headlong flight to freedom is easily-captured by the Canadian’s pencilling throughout, and even gives the group’s meeting with a well-meaning, sympathetic biologist some noteworthy punch when Acroyear wrongly decides that “the giant who sent us to our condemnation! Now… stands in our way” and roughly brings her tumbling to the ground with a whack’ to the ankle.

Written by: Cullen Bunn, Art by: Max Dunbar, and Colors by: Ander Zarate