Toxic Crusaders

Toxic Crusaders

The Toxic Crusaders: The Television Series, Vol. 1 DVD cover
Created by Lloyd Kaufman
Michael Herz
Based on The Toxic Avenger film series
Directed by Bill Huton
Tony Love
Starring Gregg Berger
Susan Blu
Rodger Bumpass
Paul Eiding
Ed Gilbert
John Mariano
Chuck McCann
Michael J. Pollard
Hal Rayle
Susan Silo
Kath Soucie
Patric Zimmerman
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 13
Production
Executive producer(s) Fred Wolf
Producer(s) Walt Kubiak
Running time 30 Minutes
Production company(s) Murakami-Wolf-Swenson
Troma Entertainment
Distributor Sachs Family Entertainment
Release
Original network Syndicated (USA)
The Children's Channel (UK)
YTV (Canada)
Original release 1990 – 1991

Toxic Crusaders is an animated series based on The Toxic Avenger films. It features Toxie, the lead character of the films leading a group of misfit superheroes who combat pollution. This followed a trend of environmentally considerate cartoons and comics of the time,[1] including Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Swamp Thing, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. As this incarnation was aimed at children, Toxic Crusaders is considerably tamer than the edgy films it was based on (although it nevertheless contain many adult-oriented jokes that would go over most children's heads). Thirteen episodes were produced and aired, with at least a few episodes airing as a "trial run" in Summer 1990[2] followed by the official debut on January 21, 1991.[3] It aired on YTV 1991 to 1997 in Canada. The US cable network G4 aired the first two episodes on July 25th, 2009.

Overview

Prior to Toxic Crusaders, cartoons based on R-rated (under-17s must be accompanied) films had indeed been attempted with programs like Rambo: The Force of Freedom. However, the content of the Toxic Avenger films was arguably more controversial than many such films, featuring strong sexual content in addition to intense violence. Created by New York-based Troma, Inc., a company famous for such low-budget classic films as Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, Class of Nuke 'Em High, and Sgt. Kabukiman, NYPD, the animated Toxic Crusaders departed significantly from its live-action source.

The Toxic Avenger film series starred Melvin Junko, a scrawny nerd who, through exposure to toxic waste, was mutated into a “hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength.” In the films, “Toxie” took his revenge on industrial America by means of gory violence and bloodbaths. True to Troma’s reputation, other R-rated material abounded as well.

Only thirteen syndicated episodes of Toxic Crusaders were produced, but like the feature films, the episodes became cult favorites, spawning a string of merchandising.

Plot

Toxic Crusaders cleaned up Toxie’s act considerably. Toxie was still a grotesque mutant endowed with superhuman powers, but underneath it all, he was a good-hearted, law-abiding citizen. Another change from the films was that the toxic waste also mutated his mop into a sentient being that would sometimes battle enemies by itself or motion to Toxie ideas on how to solve problems. The villains were still polluters, albeit polluters from a different world. Hailing from the planet Smogula, Czar Zosta, Dr. Killemoff, and Psycho wreaked ecological havoc with the help of Tromaville's corrupt Mayor Grody. Bonehead, a street punk who bullied Melvin, joins them in the first episode.

Dr. Killemoff and Czar Zosta were cockroach-like extraterrestrials from the planet Smogula, which is a world where pollution is natural as fresh air and water is natural to Earth. Natives of Smogula thrive on pollution and need it to survive. For unexplained reasons, Czar Zosta and other Smogulans were able to withstand Earth's atmosphere without problems while Dr. Killemoff wears an breathing apparatus to survive. Killemoff, like most bad guys, also had a seemingly endless army of identical poor marksmen called Radiation Rangers.

Other villains and heroes made their appearances on the show with equally ridiculous origins as the Crusaders. Few if any of these characters made more than one appearance.

Characters

Crusaders

Villains

Other characters

Episode list

Title Air date
1"The Making of Toxie"March 1, 1991 (1991-03-01)
This episode details the origin of Toxie as he becomes a superhero to fight the forces of Dr. Killemoff. He is soon joined by two more freaks named No-Zone and Major Disaster.
2"This Spud's for You"March 8, 1991 (1991-03-08)
Dr. Killemoff plots to place his chemicals in the food of a local fast food restaurant that No-Zone starts to work for. At the same time, Dr. Killemoff's mad scientist Dr. Bender is accidentally merged with a telegram boy named Fender which transforms them into Headbanger.
3"Club Fred"March 15, 1991 (1991-03-15)
To prepare for the arrival of aliens from Smogula, Dr. Killemoff has his Radiation Rangers clear out every elderly person out of their retirement homes in order to make room for their landing. The Toxic Crusaders find out about this plot and end up being joined in their battles by a humanoid dog named Junkyard.
4"Tree Trouble"March 22, 1991 (1991-03-22)
Dr. Killemoff plots to distribute "Smog in a Can." Meanwhile, Major Disaster falls in love with a tree surgeon named Emma Oakley, but loses his confidence both as a member of the team and a suitor for Emma when his powers fail.
5"Pollution Solution"March 29, 1991 (1991-03-29)
Dr. Killemoff sends his Radiation Rangers to infiltrate the Tromaville Toxic Dump in order to prepare for a Smogulan Invasion that is headed by his superior Czar Zosta.
6"A Sight for Sore Eyes"April 6, 1991 (1991-04-06)
Czar Zosta discovers a surplus of smog over the Tromaville Toxic Dump. When Dr. Killemoff's attempts to get the Toxic Crusaders out of the Tromaville Toxic Dump fails, Mayor Grody ends up moving them into his penthouse.
7"Mr. Earth: Superhero"April 13, 1991 (1991-04-13)
Dr. Killemoff makes plans to destroy the Tromaville Shopping Mall in order to sell remote-activated Smog Inducers to the people of Tromaville. A new superhero called Mr. Earth tries to help the Toxic Crusaders, but causes more harm than help.
8"Toxie Ties the Knot"April 20, 1991 (1991-04-20)
Czar Zosta's daughter Princess Gerba of Smogula arrives in Tromaville where she ends up falling in love with Toxie. Dr. Killemoff ends up playing the matchmaker for them.
9"Invasion of the Biddy Snatchers"April 27, 1991 (1991-04-27)
Czar Zosta has gotten tired of Dr. Killemoff's repeated failures that he ends up replacing him with General GarBage. General GarBage plans to replace the elderly citizens of Tromaville with evil clones.
10"The Snail Must Go Through"May 6, 1991 (1991-05-06)
The Toxic Crusaders prepare for Yvonne's concert as Dr. Killemoff and Czar Zosta prepare to pollute Tromaville. The Toxic Crusaders gain help from a new superhero called Snail Man.
11"Nab That Toxie Cab"May 6, 1991 (1991-05-06)
The Toxic Crusaders start a cab company where Toxie falls in love with his cab enough to make Yvonne jealous. Meanwhile, Dr. Killemoff and Mayor Grody plot to get rid of the Toxic Crusaders with a monster truck.
12"Still Crazy After All These Shears"May 13, 1991 (1991-05-13)
Mayor Grody's "Just Say Grow" campaign is actually a cover-up for Dr. Killemoff's latest plans to pollute Tromaville. Alien Seeds sprout into a Weed Monster and the Toxic Crusaders fight it alongside a new mutant named Mower Man.
13"That's No Villain, That's My Mom!"May 20, 1991 (1991-05-20)
Czar Zosta attempts to invade Tromaville by hot air balloon filled with toxic fumes. To keep the Toxic Crusaders busy, Dr. Killemoff organizes a convention for hideously deformed creatures of superhuman size and strength. Meanwhile, Mrs. Junko ends up working as Dr. Killemoff's "Girl Friday" when Mayor Grody raises the rent of her house, but a mishap causes Toxie's mom to switch minds with Dr. Killemoff.

Voice cast

Crew

Other media

Marvel Comics released an eight-issue comic book series. It had no regular writer. Each issue was written by such notables as Steve Gerber (issues #3 and #5), Ann Nocenti (issue #7), David Leach & Jeremy Banx (lead strip script & artwork) and David Michelinie (back up strip) (issue #8), Hilary Barta (issue #2), and Simon Furman (issues #1, 4, 6). A four book mini series was written and drawn by David Leach & Jeremy Banx. The series was solicited and the first issue written and drawn before being canceled along with all of Marvel TV tie-in titles. One issue was a direct parody of Captain Planet and the Planeteers. Issue #8 was the only mainstream US comic book ever published to carry an 'Approved by the Comic Code Authority' stamp while at the same time featuring a man sat on the toilet defecating.

In the UK, Fleetway published their own Toxic Crusaders comic book which would last for ten issues.[4]

Playmates, the same company responsible for Ninja Turtles action figures, released a line of similarly styled Toxic Crusader figures in 1991. The majority of characters featured bright neon colors and glow-in-the-dark accessories. TV commercials for the figures used the tag line "They're gross, but they still get girls!" A total of nine characters as well as some rather unorthodox vehicles saw toy shelves. Similar to the Ninja Turtles' Retromutagen Ooze, Playmates also marketed a canister of slime labeled Toxie's Toxic Waste. A toy line principally conceived by Aaronian and the design team at Troma and Pangea Corporation, it saw a spike in initial sales due to its unusual and brash aesthetic. Some of the toys came packed with "Toxic Tips," which instructed kids how to make messes in their homes and otherwise muck up the environment.

Other tie-in products included coloring books, junior novels, Halloween costumes, Colorforms, Topps trading cards, a board game, a card game, and puzzles. Video games were also produced by Bandai and Sega, which were released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, and Sega Genesis.[5] A Super NES version was planned by Bandai around at the same time with the NES and Game Boy versions but it was cancelled for unknown reasons.[6]

Several years later, Troma released two Toxic Crusaders DVDs. The first was Toxic Crusaders: The Movie which consisted of the first three episodes of the series spliced together to form one story. The second release, Toxic Crusaders: Volume 1, is a collection of the first four episodes. A box set, featuring all 13 episodes and all four Toxic Avenger movies, was released on April 29, 2008.

Troma was in talks to make a live action version of Toxic Crusaders at New Line Cinema. In Lloyd Kaufman's first book, "All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger", he claims that New Line did not live up to their end of the contract and the film was not made. Kaufman has speculated that New Line bought the rights because they were in negotiations to make the sequels to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and wanted to use the Toxic Crusaders movie as leverage against the owners of the rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Troma sued New Line and was awarded an undisclosed amount in damages.

See also

References

  1. Eve M. Kahn (3 March 1991). "Television; Cartoons for a Small Planet". New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  2. Kahn, Eve M. "Television; Cartoons for a Small Planet" The New York Times (March 3, 1991).
  3. Toxic Avenger Issue #1, Marvel Comics, "Toxic Times" letters page; photo here.
  4. http://www.dandare.info/history/fleet_index.htm. Retrieved 14 June 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. Amazon.com: Toxic Crusaders Amazon.com.
  6. "Toxic Crusaders [SNES – Cancelled] - Unseen64". Unseen64: Beta, Cancelled & Unseen Videogames!. 2009-09-28. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
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