AHOY Comics' 2024 revival of cult hero Toxie, the Toxic Crusader, continues this year with "Toxic Mess Summer," a crossover event uniting Toxie with AHOY's diverse roster of heroes, including a surprising teammate: Jesus Christ.
The summer extravaganza begins in May with The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special, showcasing various artists' interpretations of Toxie and his cohorts. Following this, the Toxie Team-Up miniseries will launch, featuring Toxie's collaborations with a range of characters: the Jersey Devil (from Project: Cryptid), Acid Chimp (My Bad), Dragonflyman and Stinger (The Wrong Earth), Swamp Cop and Schitt (Justice Warriors), and, remarkably, Jesus Christ (Second Coming).
Toxie Team-Up #1 is penned and illustrated by Mark Russell and Richard Pace, the creative duo behind Second Coming. Russell commented in AHOY's press release: “Toxic Avenger and Jesus Christ is the team-up everyone's been demanding, and I'm not one to obstruct.” He further elaborated on the thematic resonance between the unlikely duo.
AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer highlighted Toxie's enduring pop culture impact: “Having spawned five films, a cartoon, action figures, a musical, and a Marvel comic book series, the Toxic Avenger is a pop culture icon. The only question is: why doesn't he have his own church?”
Toxie's cinematic return is also slated for 2025. IGN's Amelia Emberwing described the 2023 film as a "mixed bag," noting its budgetary advantages over the original but acknowledging a shortfall in the "so-bad-it's-good" charm of Troma's earlier work. However, she praised the film's emotional core and practical effects, along with the performances of Kevin Bacon and Peter Dinklage.
