Micronauts #10
Published and © by Marvel and © Mego, October 1979
Title: “Defeat!”
Synopsis: The Micronauts appear to take heavy losses as they clash with Baron Karza’s Dog Soldiers over the Acroyear homeworld, Spartak.
Writer: Bill Mantlo
Penciler: Michael Golden
Inker: Al Milgrom
Review: It took awhile to find its pace, but Micronauts is now moving at break-neck speed. This strong outing from writer Bill Mantlo showcases the brutal extremes of war, with both sides committing atrocities. Throw in some heavy-handed racial elements (i.e., Shaitan feeling ostracized because of his albino skin), and this comic is thick with the type of social relevance made popular earlier in the Bronze Age. Mantlo continues to get strong support from Michael Golden, though Al Milgrom’s inks aren’t the best match. Still, Micronauts is in fine form as the series hurtles toward the completion of its first arc.
Grade: A-
Second opinion: “The climax approaches of what ought to be 1979’’s best continued story.” – Martin Lock, BEM #25, September 1979 … “The Micronauts was excellent space opera, and the chance discovery of this back issue has whetted my appetite to reread my entire collection of the series.” – Kevin Moreau, Comic Effect #9, Spring 1995 … Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003.
Cool factor: Destroy! Destroy! DESTROY!!
Not-so-cool factor: The Worldmind plot is a little deus ex machina (but not enough to undermine suspension of disbelief).
Notable: The “Micromails” letter column includes an LOC from future comic-book and gaming artist Jeff Dee.
Collector’s note: According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “DESTROY!!” – Acroyear, pretty much summing up the tone of this issue
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Sequential Reaction (v1) on Sept. 19, 2016.
