Troma Entertainment releases a digitally restored and remastered blu-ray edition of Toxic Crusaders: The Series on December 10, 2024.

In the early 1990s, Troma Entertainment and Toxic Crusaders adapted cult classic monster comedy The Toxic Avenger into a Saturday morning cartoon. Because the series was aimed at children, elements of The Toxic Avenger had to be toned down, including giving the lead character the title of the Toxic Crusader since “Avenger” was too violent of a word for children.

The origin story of Toxic Crusaders was the same: Melvin was still a nerdy kid working the mop cleaning up a gym in Tromaville, New Jersey, when cruel bullies caused him to fall into an open barrel of toxic waste. The illegally dumped chemicals transformed Melvin into Toxie, a being with super strength and a powerful mop.

Toxie uses his new powers to clean up the evil and greedy forces that are willing to poison the environment. Dr. Killemoff wants to destroy the Earth with toxic chemicals and radioactive waste, so it resembles his polluted planet Smogula.

Toxie isn’t alone in his battle against Dr. Killemoff. Other hideously deformed creatures with superhuman size and strength join up with Toxie to form the Toxic Crusaders. Nozone flew through a hole in the ozone layer and now has powerful sneezes. Major Disaster emerged from a radioactive swamp with the ability to control plants. Headbanger has the heads of the mad scientist Dr. Bender and a singing telegram boy named Fender from an atom smasher accident. Junkyard is a man-dog that merged when lightning hit their toxic sludge covered shelter. Toxie also has the help of his girlfriend Yvonne, who is practically blind without her glasses. Together, the Toxic Crusaders battle against Dr. Killemoff and his evil cohorts to preserve Tromaville.

Toxie and a second character named Dr. Killemoff, were voiced by Rodger Bumpass, who also voiced the character Squidward Tentacles on SpongeBob SquarePants. Other notable voices in the series belong to Paul Eiding (Ben 10), Ed Gilbert (Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills), Hal Rayle (SWAT Kats: The Radical Squad), John Mariano (The Sewer Czar on The Tick), Kath Soucie (Lola Bunny in Space Jam), Susan Silo (Biker Mice From Mars), and Gregg Berger (Cornfed Pig on Duckman).

Guest voices include Michael J. Pollard (Bonnie and Clyde) and Chuck McCann (Far Out Space Nuts and Pac-Man). The first episode was written by Chuck Lorre, who went on to create Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory and HBO’s Bookie. Troma’s co-founders, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, also co-wrote for the series.

Bonus features on the blu-ray edition include an introduction from Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman, commercials for Toxic Crusaders toys, TV spots, lost archival footage, and a documentary on the video game. Toxic Crusaders: The Series includes all 13 episodes on 2 Blu-ray discs.

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