Comic fans, mark your calendars (and no, this is no prank) – this April Fool's Day, and ahead of Macon Blair's long-awaited reboot, the trade paperback of the red-hot reinvention of The Toxic Avenger hits bookstores via Ahoy Comics, and we've got an exclusive reveal of the first issue in all its goopy glory.
Written by Pulitzer finalist and founder of The Nib Matt Bors, with art by acclaimed artist Fred Harper, the hit revival was previously released in 5 single issues, but is now collated together for full non-stop Toxie chaos.
Featuring the satirical hero of the Troma Films cult classic films, The Toxic Avenger stars Melvin Junko, a teenager on the run from bullies who lands straight into a massive chemical waste spill that transforms him into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength —the Toxic Avenger!
Originally released in 2024, The Toxic Avenger comic series has been praised for its violent action, gross mutations, bursting pustules, and plenty of trenchant satire. Troma's very own Lloyd Kaufman is a fan, calling it “fantoxic and unbelievable”, and assuring that “the art, action and laughs in this edition are the best yet!”
The Toxic Avenger comes as part of Ahoy Comic's Toxic Mess Summer, which includes the following rollout:
- In May THE TOXIC AVENGER PINUP SPECIAL drops, a special issue featuring a slew of as-of-yet-unnamed incredible artists and writers putting their own spin on the legendary hero from the Troma Films cult classic films
- In June THE TOXIE TEAM-UP series launches with a debut issue by written by Mark Russell, drawn by Richard Pace, featuring the Toxic Avenger and the Son of God. The ambitious mini-series will find Toxie rubbing elbows with characters from a number of other fan-favorite AHOY titles — including Jesus Christ (from the pages of Russell and Pace’s controversial SECOND COMING), the Jersey Devil (from the creature-packed anthology PROJECT: CRYPTID), Acid Chimp (from Russell, Bryce Ingman and Peter Krause’s absurdly hilarious MY BAD), Dragonflyman and Stinger (from Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle’s multiversal saga THE WRONG EARTH), and Swamp Cop and Schitt (from Bors’ and Ben Clarkson’s satirical smash hit JUSTICE WARRIORS).
- In July, timed to Comic-Con international and ahead of the release of the highly anticipated Toxic Crusaders beat 'em up game from Retroware, AHOY will launch its first ever ongoing series in July, featuring the Toxic Avenger.
- This fall, AHOY will launch a spin-off Toxic Avenger series, timed to the Cineverse theatrical release of The Toxic Avenger film starring Peter Dinklage as Toxie, kicking off Labor Day weekend. Directed by Macon Blair (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore) it stars Emmy and Golden Globe winner Dinklage (Game of Thrones) with Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Julia Davis and Taylour Paige also starring. Cineverse has massive success with the Terrifier films and this theatrical run will intro The Toxic Avenger to a new generation of fans.
The Toxic Avenger lands in bookstores on April 1, 2025 and in comic shops on April 2, 2025. Read on for our full exclusive reveal of Issue #1 (plus an exclusive reveal of Matt Bors' pin-up for The Toxie Team-Up), and keep your eyes on the official Ahoy Comics site for more information.
