Baron Karza

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Baron Karza
Micronauts character
Baronkarza-box.jpg
Baron Karza toy box
First appearance

Micronauts volume 1 number 1, January 1979 by Marvel Comics
Created by

Mego
Release number

71005
Information
Aliases Hraal Karza (IDW Publishing)
Orbiza Karza (Protectors of Inner Space)
Species Homeworlder (Marvel Comics)
Micorn (Protectors of Inner Space)
Occupation Scientist, dictator
Title Master of Evil
Family Shazrella (wife), Larissa (daughter)
Abilities

Affiliation

Acroyear
Partner

Andromeda
Quote

"Why, when I'm done with you, you won't even know yourself!!"

Baron Karza is a fictional character from the Micronauts series introduced in 1977. He was the main villain in the series.

Micronauts

Baron Karza is an evil character from the Micronauts series. He is usually portrayed as the central villain of the series. He can combine with Andromeda to form a centaur.

The instructions for Baron Karza mention the Baron teaming up with Acroyear against Biotron.

Development

The Baron Karza toy was designed by Iwakichi Ogawa and was filed for US patent in 1976.[1]

Baron Karza was released in 1977 by Mego.

Concept art for a new version of Baron Karza was done by Dave Waugh as part pf Palisades wave 3, although the figure was never produced.[2]

Concept art for a new version of Baron Karza was done by Will Jones as part of Palisades wave 3, although the figure was never produced.[3]

Concept art for a new version of Baron Karza was done by Mike Bazzell as part of Palisades wave 3, although the figure was never produced.[4]

In late 2004 Micronauts was licensed to SOTA Toys. They planned to produce a line of stylized 6 inch figures under the name Micronauts Evolution, including a Baron Karza. A hand painted prototype of Baron Karza was displayed at Toy Fair New York City 2005, but because of legal issues with Takara the toys were delayed and never released.[5]

In 2013 ATR Hobby released a custom figure called Sultan which was inspire by Baron Karza.[6]

In 2018 several Baron Karza parts were released on Shapeways by Mathew Robert Ignash.

Reception

Fictional biography

Once Honeworld's Chief Scientist and overseer of the Body Banks, Karza offered the Microverse immortality... for a price - total and complete subservience to his wishes! And he gets it!
The leader of the evil Acroyear and enemy of the Micronauts, Baron Karza's armored limbs and spring loaded weaponry are fully interchangeable via a groundbreaking design of magnetic attachments called "Magno Power". He towers over most citizens of the Microverse, and over most Sci-Fi action figures of the 70's. Karza's star stallion, Andromeda, is fully interchangeable with Baron Karza and hosts it's own arsenal of combat add-ons. Armored wheels can replace Andromeda's legs, or it's entire head can be replaced with Karza's battle-ready body to create a massive Evil Centaur!

Animated series

Baron Karza was featured in the 2005 Micronauts Revolution DVD digital comic by Eagle One Media which was based on the first 5 issues of the Image Comics Micronauts comic series.

Comics

1979 Marvel Comics

Baron Karza was a reoccurring villain in the Micronauts series by Marvel Comics. He hales from the Homeworld, a planet in the Microverse. He was the former chief scientist was a genius in biological engineering. He bribed Homeworld's citizens with the promise of eternal life via his Body Banks. Not everyone was unhappy with Karza's new reign in the beginning, but Karza's defacto rule of Homeworld was enforced by his Dog Soldiers and bio engineered creatures. Many former Karza supporters eventually lent their aid to the rebellion against him.

In Iron Man issue 131 a young boy was able to calm the Hulk down by offering to let him play with his Acroyear and Baron Karza action figures.

Baron Karza in Micronauts volume 1 number 56 by Marvel Comics

In his own communion with the Time Travelers, Baron Karza realized that what he sought was more than mere power. Though his science had effectively made him immortal, his essence and emotions were still that of a man. Although Karza transcended his organic body and became a being of pure energy, Karza refused the Time Travelers' offer of godhood.

Karza re-evaluated his philosophy and concluded that true godhood could not be obtained without understanding what one needed to experience in order for one's soul (as opposed to one's mere body) to transcend physicality. Thus, Karza, in committing one unspeakably inhuman act after another, believed he would become indifferent to the concept of wielding power over the living. Thus, he accepted the choice to return to a mortal body so that he could relish conquest.

In issue 49 Prince Argon's body was torn apart as Baron Karza returned, reborn from within Argon.

When Marvel lost the license to Micronauts it included losing the rights to Baron Karza, and he has not appeared again the Marvel Universe. A similar character named Baron Zebek was created as a villain for a story with the former Micronauts.

2002 Image Comics

Baron Karza was the main villain in the 2002 reboot of the Micronauts by Image Comics. Lear Sethis (Red Falcon) was promoted to lead the Harrowers after Azula Nova failed Baron Karza.

2016 IDW Publishing

Hraal Karza was born on Aegis-6, to the desert planet's Sandmen mercenary society. As a young warrior, Karza fought on behalf of the Sagitarrion for several years. He was later among the Sandmen hired to defend the Emperor of Microspace from a Kronos revolt, and was recruited as one of the ruler's elite guardsmen in the aftermath of the conflict. He rapidly rose through the ranks, and within a matter of years was installed as Minister of Defense. Accordingly granted the title of Baron, Karza conscripted his fellow Sandmen into the military, putting them through genetic and behavioral modification to create the Acroyears.

Part of the Emperor's inner circle, Karza developed a hatred for the Red Falcon, the son of Microspace's ruler; not only did the arrogant warrior ignorantly meddle in diplomacy, but he was betrothed to Shazraella – the Mistress of Spies and object of Karza's affections. When a Pharoid temple was occupied by militants, Karza and the Falcon led a battalion of Acroyears on a rescue mission. At the battle's conclusion, Karza received a cryptic warning from one of the dying militants, before discovering Red Falcon inside the heart of the temple, communing with five Time Travelers. The Emperor's son returned home with claims that the Travelers, part of a Pharoid sect said to have transcended time itself, had shown him the future, and that by seeking their counsel he alone could guide the empire on the right path.

Concerned that the Falcon was withholding something, Karza attempted to convince Baron Daegon, his counterpart in the Ministry of Science, to help act against the heir to the empire, but was turned away. Before long, however, Shazraella sought out Karza, sharing his concerns about Red Falcon, and the pair embraced in a kiss for the first time. The Mistress of Spies revealed that the Time Travelers were showing her betrothed his own bloody ascent to the throne, and resolved to work with the Baron to avoid this. Together they prepared an arcane poison which Karza slipped into the Red Falcon's goblet, killing the heir and ending the threat he posed to Microspace's future.

2018 Micronauts Protectors of Inner Space

Baron Karza appears as the main villain in the Micronauts Protectors of Inner Space art series by Brian Vox. Baron Karza is depicted as a Grey Galactic Commander who wears a large custom armor.

He appears on the cover art of issues 12, annual 1, 14 and 23.

Commercials

Baron Karza shared a 1977 commercial with Acroyear, Acroyear II, Andromeda, Force Commander, Galactic Defender, Oberon, Pharoid and Space Glider.[7]

Force Commander, Oberon, Baron Karza and Andromeda appeared together in a 1980 Italian Micronauti commercial by Gig.[8]

Toys

  • Mego Micronauts Baron Karza (1977)
A remold and recolor of Steel Jeeg. This toy shares most of his molding with Force Commander, Emperor, King Atlas and Green Baron.
This figure was recolored into The Inter-Changeables Count Magno.
  • Airfix Micronauti Baron Karza (1978)
A release of the toy in Europe by Airfix.
  • Gig Micronauti Baron Karza
A release of the Mego toy in Italy by Gig.
  • Grand Toys Micronauts Baron Karza
A release of the Mego toy in Canada in English/French packaging by Grand Toys.
  • Pin Pin Toys Micronauts Baron Karza
A release of the Mego toy in France by Pin Pin Toys.
  • Palisades Micronauts Baron Karza with Andromeda (2002)
Released as a set in a variety of colors including black/red, clear/black and translucent red/black. The black version also featured silver chrome colored hooves, hubcaps, neck and tail on Andromeda.
Palisades also produced a rare gold Baron Karza and Andromeda set as a gift to say "thank you" to certain members of the Yahoo! Groups Micropolis Embassy mailing list for all their help in the series 1 production.
  • SOTA Toys Micronauts Evolution Baron Karza (unreleased)
  • ATR Hobby Sultan (2013)
A small run of custom made figures by ATR hobby. This figure uses the glider pack from Space Glider and the basic body design from Micro Steel Jeeg.
  • Hasbro Revolution (2017)
A box set of figures appearing in the Hasbro stories by IDW Publishing comics.
Includes tiny figurines of classic characters of Acroyear, Baron Karza and Biotron. There is an Antron called Xant, a female Space Glider named Phenelo-Phi, a Time Traveler named Quin-Tillus and new characters using the classic Micronauts names Oberon, Betatron and Gammatron.
  • Baron Karza inspired the Microborgs character Karza Kommando.

Gallery

References

External links

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