Toxic Avenger's Unexpected Jesus Christ Team-Up

AHOY Comics is making waves in 2024, bringing back cult favorite The Toxic Crusader in comic book form. This year's "Toxic Mess Summer" event sees Toxie teaming up with AHOY's universe of heroes—including, yes, 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, AHOY will release the Toxie Team-Up miniseries, pairing Toxie with an eclectic group: Project: Cryptid's Jersey Devil and Acid Chimp, The Wrong Earth's Dragonflyman and Stinger, Justice Warriors' Swamp Cop and Schitt, and, finally, Second Coming's Jesus Christ.

For the uninitiated, Second Coming depicts Jesus' return to Earth and his unlikely roommate, superhero Sunstar. The series has generated considerable acclaim and controversy, a trend likely to continue with this unlikely pairing of Jesus and Toxie.

Toxie Team-Up #1 is written and illustrated by Second Coming's Mark Russell and Richard Pace.

"Toxic Avenger and Jesus Christ is the team-up everyone's been clamoring for, and I'm not one to stand in the way," Russell stated in AHOY's press release. "Like in Second Coming, Christ demonstrates there are tools beyond violence, and Tromaville, however bizarre, resonates with someone bullied in the Roman Empire."

"Having spawned five films, a cartoon, action figures, a musical, and a Marvel comic, the Toxic Avenger is a pop culture icon," commented AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer. "The only question is: why doesn't he have his own church?"

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

Toxie returns to the big screen in 2025. In IGN's review of the 2023 Toxic Avenger, Amelia Emberwing notes, "Troma and Legendary's partnership on The Toxic Avenger's 2023 'not remake' delivers a mixed bag. Director Macon Blair and the creative team may have more resources than Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman's 1984 original, but it struggles to match the schlocky charm of Troma's stronger films. However, what it lacks in so-bad-it's-good silliness, it compensates for with heart and mostly practical effects. Kevin Bacon and Peter Dinklage having a blast in their roles certainly helps."