The Toxic Avenger Is Back, and He's Teaming Up With... Jesus Christ?

AHOY Comics is making waves in 2024, reviving the cult hero The Toxic Crusader in comic book form and celebrating with "Toxic Mess Summer," a crossover event uniting Toxie with AHOY's universe of heroes—including Jesus Christ.

The summer kicks off in May with The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special, showcasing various artists' interpretations of Toxie and his crew. Following this, the Toxie Team-Up miniseries will launch, pairing Toxie with diverse 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 from Second Coming.

For the uninitiated, Second Coming satirically portrays Jesus' return to Earth and his roommate relationship with superhero Sunstar. Its blend of acclaim and controversy is expected to continue with this unlikely team-up.

Toxie Team-Up #1 is written and illustrated by Mark Russell and Richard Pace, the creative minds behind Second Coming. Russell commented in AHOY's press release, “Toxic Avenger and Jesus Christ is the team-up everyone's been clamoring for, and I'm not one to stand in the way. Just as in Second Coming, Christ shows there are more tools than just violence, and Tromaville, however strange, is still recognizable to someone bullied in the Roman Empire.”

AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer added, “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 a church of his own?”

The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special releases May 14th, followed by Toxie Team-Up #1 on June 11th. A trade paperback collecting Matt Bors and Fred Harper's The Toxic Avenger miniseries arrives April 1st. Pre-order The Toxic Avenger on Amazon.

Toxie's also returning to the big screen in 2025. IGN's Amelia Emberwing reviewed the 2023 Toxic Avenger, stating, "Troma and Legendary’s partnership delivers a mixed bag. Director Macon Blair and the team may have more money than the 1984 original, but it struggles with the schlocky goodness of Troma’s stronger films. However, it compensates with heart and practical effects. Kevin Bacon and Peter Dinklage having a blast doesn't hurt either."