Thursday, March 10, 2016

Nostalgia Time: Microbots

Anyone remember this comic? I remember this particular comic from way back in 1971. I don't recall where I got it, but I really enjoyed the comic. The whole post-apocalyptic vibe was probably one of my first influences into that genre of science fiction. I suppose Planet of the Apes may have been my first.

The story revolved around a scientist father and his son putting themselves into suspended animation to ride out the devastation caused by a hyper-polluted Earth. They've also put into storage the Microbots that the dad had built.

Centuries (maybe longer) have passed and the Earth has somewhat cleaned itself up. Mutant animals and regressed primitive humans have survived.

A young boy stumbles upon the barely functioning ruined lab and awakens the dad and his son. Their names escape me right now. I've got scans of the pages and will do another post in the future specifically about the comic. 

Back to the story. At some point, the dad gets killed and the son and his new-found friend survive with the help of the reactivated Microbots. The Microbots are tough little suckers and very protective of both kids. Odd, kinda' silly names. Hooktor, Liftor, Krushor, and Griptor were just a few of the eight Microbots.

At some point, way back then, my mom took me to Lionel Playworld and there on the shelves were Microbot toys! So cool!

But did I get any? Nope. I don't know why I didn't. I suppose I was into something else at the time. I seem to recall that they were a bit too expensive at the time. They had metal bodies with plastic parts. The colorful lenses on their "heads" served as lenses for lasers which could be used as a tool or as a defensive weapon.




I would love to have at least one of the Microbots. I enjoyed the comic so much. I read and reread it over and over again.The cover was long gone, well before the comic itself finally disappeared, probably lost or trashed during a childhood move.

I've seen them listed on eBay for quite a tidy sum - $70.00-$90.00 for each Microbot. Too expensive back then, too expensive now. Maybe one day, I'll take a chance and buy one. 

Anything out there in your nostalgia list? I know the Mattel Space:1999 Eagle is still high on my nostalgia list, but that's a post for another day.

1 comment:

Big Tone said...

Mostly everything on my list is sitting on my shelf as we speak.None of it was very expensive and very attainable .Mostly early 80s stuff/figures.I do still hope to find a GI Joe rolling thunder,cheap.Adventure people space sets are also on my radar.