Sci-Friday: "This Is the Way the World Ends" by Wein and Sparling

What if you made a comicbook to sell a line of toys but nobody bought 'em? Ol' Groove has had a copy of The Microbots #1-and-only since the fall of 1971, but I can't say I remember wanting--or even seeing--the Microbots toys that it was supposedly selling. I say "supposedly selling" 'cause for some reason there's nary a mention of the Kenner toys the mag is based on. Not an ad, blurb, or editorial in sight. Still, the story (by Len Wein) hit Young Groove where he lived, with it's environmentalist message, cool robots, and Vic and Jeffrey's friendship (my best friend at the time was named "Jeffery"). Dr. Micron's sacrifice was about as heavy as anything I'd ever read in a comicbook up to that point, so it really stuck with me. Another mystery behind the mag is the art. I can tell without a doubt that it's penciled by Jack Sparling, but many think the mag was inked by Jesse (Dr. Spektor, Dagar) Santos. It's possible, but it looks more Sparling that anything to Ol' Groove's bleary eyes. Check out the origin of the Microbots and decide for yourself, Groove-ophile!

And just 'cause you-know-who loves ya baby, here's the blazin' back-up tale!