Toxic Avenger's Unexpected Jesus Christ Team-Up

AHOY Comics is making a splash in 2024, reviving the cult classic, The Toxic Crusader, in comic book form. This year's "Toxic Mess Summer" event sees Toxie teaming up with an eclectic group of AHOY Universe heroes, including, yes, Jesus Christ.

The summer of Toxie kicks off in May with The Toxic Avenger Pinup Special, showcasing various artists' interpretations of Toxie and his world. Following this, AHOY will release the Toxie Team-Up miniseries, pairing Toxie with a diverse cast of characters: the Jersey Devil from Project: Cryptid, Acid Chimp from My Bad, Dragonflyman and Stinger from The Wrong Earth, Swamp Cop and Schitt from Justice Warriors, and, remarkably, Jesus Christ from Second Coming.

For the uninitiated, Second Coming depicts Jesus' return to Earth and his unlikely roommate situation with superhero Sunstar. The series has generated significant buzz, and this new collaboration promises more of the same.

Toxie Team-Up #1 is written and illustrated by Mark Russell and Richard Pace, the creative team behind Second Coming.

"Toxic Avenger and Jesus Christ is the team-up everyone's been clamoring for, and I'm not one to stand in the way," stated Russell in AHOY's press release. "As in Second Coming, Christ demonstrates that there are more tools in the box than just violence, and Tromaville, however strange, is still a place someone bullied in the Roman Empire would recognize."

"Having spawned five films, a cartoon, action figures, a musical, and a Marvel comic book series, the Toxic Avenger is a pop culture icon," added AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer. "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 will also be available April 1st. Pre-order The Toxic Avenger on Amazon.

Toxie's also returning to the big screen in 2025. In IGN's review of the 2023 Toxic Avenger film, Amelia Emberwing notes, "Troma and Legendary’s partnership delivers a mixed bag. While the creative team had more resources than the 1984 original, it struggles to match the schlocky charm of Troma's best work. However, what it lacks in 'so-bad-it's-good' silliness, it makes up for with heart and impressive practical effects. Kevin Bacon and Peter Dinklage's performances also elevate the film."