I suffered a lot of trauma when I was a kid.
Wait…no. That may well be true, but I was thinking something else. When I was a kid, I suffered through a lot of Troma. cue rimshot I love b-movies. I love horror. I love weird schlock. So it would make sense that The Toxic Avenger would too be on my radar early on, though I think the first Troma films I saw were like Surf Ninjas Must Die or The Class of Nuke ‘Em High. It was only later that I made the connection of Toxie and Troma.
I first came to the Toxic Avenger through the cartoons. And Swamp Thing, oddly enough. I was a fan of the short-lived Swamp Thing animated series in the early ’90s. When I came across Toxic Crusaders part way through an episode, I thought I was watching a very strange episode of that series. I kept wondering when Swamp Thing himself would show up. I was wrong, but I was still hooked.
“Nothing was ever going back to normal. That is about all we knew for sure.”
There’s been a recent resurgence in interest around The Toxic Avenger, with an entertaining reboot of the film series, starring Peter Dinklage in the role. Though you could argue that a renewed push emerged as a new comic beat the movie to release. A limited series from Ahoy, five issues of The Toxic Avenger by Matt Bors, Fred Harper, Lee Loughridge, and Rob Steen. Introducing us to a teen Melvin Junko and his motley crew of friends and enemies as Tromaville experiences an “adverse discharge event”.
The story takes its cues from the original Toxic Crusaders cartoon more than the other incarnations, but updates them in what feels like modern and fresh ways. Using social media to hit bullying and manipulation routes, adding a PR flack to the villain’s arsenal, and new wrinkles on how character arcs play out. Simplifying and streamlining the catalyst for Melvin’s transformation and those of his initial antagonists. There’s also a distinctly more adult approach that the cartoon and some wonderful biting humour.
I’m very glad that Ahoy brought Fred Harper back to regular comic work. He has a style that mixes exaggerated characters and odd angles with hyper-detailed textures and shadowing. It’s kind of like if you mixed the styles of someone like John Totleben or John Ridgway and that of Simon Bisley. It worked wonderfully for the alien nature of the end of the first volume of Animal Man years ago and it fits well with the weirdness and humour of The Toxic Avenger. Alien but familiar. Enhanced by Loughridge’s colours and Steen’s letters.
“If you ever want to tell someone you love them…don’t wait until your skin melts off in a large industrial accident.”
The Toxic Avenger limited series from Bors, Harper, Loughridge, and Steen was successful enough to launch an ongoing The Toxic Avenger Comics series, as well as a couple other spin-offs in Toxie Team-Up and Toxic Crusaders. It very nicely scratches that itch of the late ’80s and early ’90s environmental superhero.
There’s an offbeat humour and scathing social commentary to it that perfectly fits within the established ethos of the broader Toxic Avenger franchise. It feels directly inspired by the original Toxic Crusaders cartoon, incorporating some of the characters and broad strokes of the plot, but puts its own spin on it.
Classic Comic Compendium: THE TOXIC AVENGER
The Toxic Avenger
Writer: Matt Bors
Artist: Fred Harper
Colourist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Rob Steen
Publisher: Ahoy Comics
Release Date: October 9 2024 – February 26 2025
Available collected in The Toxic Avenger – Volume 1
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