Fanmode interview: Bryan Wilkinson (part 1)
Long-time Micronauts and Microman fan, Bryan “MicroBry” Wilkinson, is one of the select few who’ve made the transition from toy fan to toy designer. His website was one of the earliest to draw attention to Transformers’ (then) little-known origins, and he was given the opportunity to work on Palisades’ Micronauts revival in 2002. As Transformers celebrates its 25th. anniversary and Microman celebrates its 35th., we thought it only appropriate to ask him about Micronauts, Microman, Transformers, fandom, and making the transition from consumer to creator.
(Due to its length, the interview will be presented in several parts.)
Who is MicroBry?
I’m a toy collector (and occasional toy designer) in love with 10 cm, 3¾ inch or 1/18th scale toys using sci-fi themes, focused mostly on Microman and Micronauts.
I grew up in the 70’s with the Micronauts toyline and comics. Living in the culturally diverse San Francisco Bay Area allowed me to meet Japanese-American kids who knew the “secret origins” of the toyline (along with the shows I enjoyed such as Battle of the Planets and Starblazers) and they piqued my interest in Japanese toys and anime. As I grew older, Mego Corporation went bankrupt and the Micronauts toyline evaporated, so I began to seek out the original Japanese Microman series along with more Japanese anime.
Later the first Micronauts and Microman websites started to appear and a small internet community of fans began to connect together. I found one circle of Japanese collectors and artists (“MicroGeneration“) that were starting to make their own Microman-inspired garage kits. Since I knew a little bit of Japanese by then, I took a gamble and introduced myself to them and became involved tangentially. When I did so, I called myself “MicroBry” to introduce myself, as I wanted to express that I was a foreign Microman fan. The nickname has stuck with me ever since.
Photo copyright © Bryan Wilkinson. Used with permission.
(T-shirt design by Eric Wilkinson.)
How did you discover Micronauts?
It was the commercials in Mego’s first advertising blitz that caught my attention, probably before I even saw Star Wars. I would have been about seven at the time.
Micronauts debuted at Toy Fair in late 1976. In fact it was because Mego was negotiating with Takara for the series (which Takara had been producing since 1974 as Microman in Japan) that the representative from Fox assumed that Mego would not be interested in a second space-themed toyline and went to Kenner with the Star Wars property instead.
Mego, learning about this state of affairs later, pushed the Micronauts commercials out around the same time as Star Wars’ release–well before Kenner had any product ready themselves–to ride the new wave of sci-fi enthusiasm. They even did a commercial aimed at parents that promoted Micronauts as more an “educational toy” (like a mix of Capsela and Lego).
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Toy links
Toa of Earth.
“Onua always reminded me of a mole. So I remade him into a more mole like robot.”
The Jarknoids have landed.
Ryu-Oh has two more digirama starring Jarknoid XO in his review of the figure. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
I have the power.
The true Master of the Universe.
Dude, get a room.
A photo by Roderique. (View large.)
This enmity will outlast death.
Skeleflex in action courtesy of Luke Walton.
Toy review roundup
Michael Crawford reviews the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Militaries of Star Wars Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau version) Sideshow exclusive 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “… this is easily the lamest exclusive ever produced by Sideshow.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection Battle-Damaged Darth Vader figure from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Excerpt: “The attachable armor isn’t the greatest example ever, but the toy is still fun, and there’s never been a Vader like it before.” (See also.)
Corey Tincher reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Parademon (green and yellow version) figure. Excerpt: “… a surprisingly great figure …”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Dr. Fate figure. Excerpt: “… one of the best examples so far of a DCUC update to a Super Powers figure.”
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Scout class Knock Out figure. Excerpt: “A great scout …”
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Scout class Dead End figure. Excerpt: “The colour scheme provides a weak but deliberate tribute to his G1 namesake while his poseability is impressive.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Marvel Universe Transformers Crossovers Thor figure. Excerpt: “Thor isn’t just a good Marvel TF, he’s a good Transformer, period.” (See also.)
Brent Johnston reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe Classic Deluxe class Ironhide figure. Excerpt: “… a great update of the figure that had little-to-no features in the 1980s.” (See also.)
Shocka reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics Skeletor Mattycollector exclusive figure. Excerpt: “Matty Collector is a horrible failure, a complete mess that is catering more to scalpers than to actual fans who want to buy these toys.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro Marvel Legends Red Hulk Series Union Jack Target exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… an excellent figure in a superb format.” (See also.)
Artemis reviews the Playmates Toys Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise toy. Excerpt: “… bright and loud, but from a collector’s point of view, it’s a bit lacking.” (See also.)
Toy links
D.E.R.S.U.
A very cool custom by CNK01. (Be sure to see the Deep Bullet submarine as well.)
Cobra-a-a-a!
Chad Ghost’s custom puts Cobra Commander’s standard Battle Armor to shame.
Kuja.
somakun used a Kingdom Hearts 2 Axel figure as the base for this Final Fantasy Dissidia-inspired custom.
The man who beat the man.
“My version of Manny ‘Pac-Man’ Pacquiao. The Filipino boxing ring icon, pound for pound king, champion of different weight divisions and recently, an ambassador of peace in the Philippines.”
Man-E-Faces.
“I did a cross between the 80’s and 2000 versions of him.”
Space, the Final Frontier.
“I went and saw the film again, and realized just how many details were missing from the toy. So I went and added some more lighting. Still not movie accurate, but a bit closer.”
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
It’s a bot, it’s a Prime …
Refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach.
The refreshing beer robots cannot reach.
“Welcome back, Laserbeak.”
A fine photo by frog DNA. (See also.)
Alt mode, Second Life.
Asriel Aquino’s Optimus Prime avatar.