Before Toxic Crusaders hit the airwaves, its hero, Toxie, was wreaking havoc (and justice) in a much darker world—the cult-classic Toxic Avenger films from Troma Entertainment. Created by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, The Toxic Avenger (1984) was a low-budget, over-the-top blend of horror, comedy, and action that became a surprise underground hit. With its mix of gory slapstick and anti-pollution themes, the film spawned several sequels and turned Toxie into an unlikely pop-culture icon.
Fast forward to the early '90s, when mutant superheroes were all the rage—Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had exploded in popularity, and networks were hungry for the next big thing. Enter Toxic Crusaders, a radical reimagining of Toxie's story that traded R-rated mayhem for kid-friendly chaos. Instead of being a lone, disfigured vigilante, Toxie now had a team of similarly mutated misfits, battling pollution-spewing aliens from the planet Smogula. It was weird, wacky, and totally '90s!
Although Toxic Crusaders had a short run, its legacy lived on through action figures, video games, comics, and a dedicated fan base that still remembers the show as one of the most unique and offbeat cartoons of the '90s.
Overview
To create Toxic Crusaders, Troma enlisted the animation powerhouse of Murakami-Wolf-Swensen, or MWS (now Fred Wolf Films), an animation studio founded by industry veterans Fred Wolf and Jimmy Murakami. The studio had produced a number of successful cartoon series, including that other mutant team. The bulk of the 13 episodes were written by Jack Mendelsohn, who in addition to a slew of animation credits, had also written for Abbott and Costello, Laugh-In, and The Carol Burnett Show. Combined with Troma's slapstick nature, this gave each episode offbeat stories and humor that felt right at home in Tromaville. The show constantly broke the fourth wall with the heroes acknowledging that they were characters in a TV show. Troma president Lloyd Kaufman even appeared as himself in a few episodes, giving Troma fans an extra treat.
Rather than airing on a nationwide cable network, Toxic Crusaders was broadcast in syndication, meaning that individual stations across the country would acquire the rights to the show and program it to air at different times. Toxic Crusaders aired in over 90% of the US households. Combined with a multimillion dollar advertising campaign for the accompanying toy line and appearances at events such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade meant that Toxie and his pals had hit the big time!
The show aired in test markets during the week of January 21, 1991 before debuting nationwide throughout the Spring and Summer of 1991.
Good Guys Were Never This Gross!
MELVIN, AKA TOXIE
Voiced by Rodger Bumpass
Toxie's my name; grimefighting's my game. I used to be Melvin Junko - a normal nerd of sub-human size and strength. But that's all changed now. Just when my skin was clearing up, I fell headlong into Toxic Waste. And now look at me. I'm a hideously deformed hero of superhuman size and strength. But hey, don't get me wrong - it's not all that bad. I'm just you average creature-boy next door. Now that I've got the radioactive touch, I'm just oozing to clean-up this town - that's why everyone likes me. But grimefighting doesn't pay too well. So I do odd jobs from time to time. I once worked as a microwave oven. But when a customer threw trash under the table, my Tromatons went crazy, and I mopped up the floor with his head. But enough about me; let's talk about you…
MAJOR DISASTER
Voiced by Ed Gilbert
If you're looking for trouble, you found it. The name's Disaster -- Major Disaster. You can call me sir. While working on a top secret military project near a bombed-out bayou, I fell into a radioactive swamp. Ever since that unfortunate accident, I've been growing varicose vines. When the army couldn't find a place to plant me, I joined up with Toxie. A military mind like mine only comes in one size -- hiedously deformed and super! With all my radiocactive foliage, I'm the best Earth soldier on the planet. I even have power over plants. I can make tulips tiptoe and daisies dance.
The body of my bulk is bark, so I"m ready for battle. And every time I encounter Dr. Killemoff, I wanna tear him limb from limb. That's right -- I'm the brawniest Toxic Crusader. And what's more -- I exude chlorophyll, so you know I'm good and clean. In fact, I'm someone to root for. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
NOZONE
Voiced by Paul Eiding
No, I'm not eating a banana. This huge honker is the result of an environmental accident. It all started when I flew through a hole in the ozone layer and crash landed in a silo of radioactive pepper. Now I'm a hideously deformed creature of superhuman sneeze and strength. My super-sonic sneezin' is my best weapon against the wicked ways of Dr. Killemoff. Toxie says I'm a good fighter, even though I get real nervous whenever the dirty doc is around. But I'm no geek - no matter what those kindergarten kids call me. And I got this really cool Uni-leg to zoom around on. But it doesn't get much traction if my nose is running. So if you're ever in trouble, try and sniff me out. I aim to sneeze.
HEADBANGER
Voiced by Hal Rayle and John Mariano
My name is Fender. And my name is Bender. He's a scientist of sorts. And he's an idiot who won't stop talking! Would you prefer I sing our little bio? No, shut up. Not that insidious singing of yours. I'll tell them what they need to know. Okey-dokey, Doc. As you can tell, if you have any modicum of intellignece, we two are one. Two, two good guys in one. Hey, Doc, tell 'em about when you were working for that crazy Killemoff. I was just follwoing orders. Ah, Doc tell 'em about how we got fused together by that weird-gone-wacko Atom Smasher. Forget about that. It doesn't matter now that we've made friends with Toxie. Yeah, we're superheroes deformed hideously . Idiot, we're hideously deformed superheroes -- and since we're do-gooders, we can get real cool chicks, like Yvonne! And fight crime, too! Right, Doc? Yes, my stupid sidekick. Now scratch my bald head. Okey-dokey, Doc, you're the brains. But you'll still have to pick my nose.
JUNKYARD
Voiced by Gregg Berger
It was a dark and stormy night. There I was, watch dog of the junkyard. A hobo crawled into my dog house for shelter. I licked his face. A lightening bolt sizzled the side of a Toxic Waste drum. When the Toxic Waste washed away from my house, the hobo and I were fused together! But since I'm accustomed to living the life of a dog, I seized the opportunity to walk upright. I thought that I must surely be able to find work - not only can I fetch the morning paper, but now I can read it, too! That's how I found out about the Toxic Crusaders. I read that they fight chemical criminals in Tromaville. Since I'm a victim of pollution, I decided to join forces with the Crusaders - and use my Toxic Tongue and my Dog Bone Brainer to bring law and order back to this world of ours. And now things couldn't be better - I'm a merry mongrel. Besides it beats chasing cars.
Bad Guys Were Never This Good!
DR. KILLEMOFF
Voiced by Rodger Bumpass
I am Dr. Killemoff -- evil genius. For years I have built my fantastic factories (with my own four hands, I might add) on your planet, under the guise of my company Apocalypse, Inc. Using the finest in Toxic technology, I have successfully scoured the sky with smog. Why? Because I'm part cockroach -- and I love to breathe fetid fumes through my Smog-sucking Back Pack. And so will you -- when I complete my poisonous pollution plan. First, I'll destroy that clean klutz Toxie and his clownish Crusaders -- then Tromaville will fall. Soon after, the entire world will look like my home planet, Smogula. And every day you help me get a little further by throwing litter on the streets! Keep up the good work, kids! The waste of the world is mine! A-ha-ha-ha-ha!
BONEHEAD
Voiced by Hal Rayle
I got fizzin' fisticuffs. I got acid spit that'll sizzle your skin. I'm Bonehead -- and I've got the I.Q. to prove it. I'm a bad-to-the-bone biker -- a streetwise guy. That means I'll punch you out. Or run you over with my souped-up Smog cycle. I work for Dr. Killemoff -- and we hate the Toxic Crusaders. They're weird-lookin' wimps -- all of 'em. Their leader, Toxie, really makes me puke. It's all his fault that I'm a bubblin' bully. But I'll get even. You see, the doc and me -- we're takin' over. So say so long to sunshine and swimmin' in the river -- 'cause I'm here to rain on your parade -- acid rain, that is.
PSYCHO
Voiced by Michael J. Pollard
I know what you're thinking: should I collect an action fiugre that looks this gross? Well, I'm really not much different than those hideously deformed creatures of superhuman size and strength -- the Toxic Crusaders. Except I'm part machine, part human -- and all bad. My mom always said you shoud do what your'e good at -- and I'm good at bein' bad. Why, I'm so bad I'll even work for a cockroach like Dr. Killemoff. I'm his sarcastically sinister soothsayer. He never believes me, but I'm always right. I predict that you're gonna really like me, take me home -- and use me to thwart the goodness of the Toxic Crusaders. See, I told you so!
RADIATION RANGERS
The Nuclearized Sinister Stormtrooping Soldier!
Don't think of us as strange. Think of us as your future: humorless, radioactive and cold. Some day, when Dr. Killemoff's corporate goal has been completed, all humans will wear out atomic armour and become humanoid Radiation Rangers. It is useless to resist us: we are great in number. We breathe the pollution you create -- and grow stronger every day. Nothing can destroy us -- as long as the air vents to our loogey-filled lungs stay unclogged.
We may be mindless, and we may not be able to speak, but we are many. Our only task is to destroy all Toxic Crusaders, so the world will wallow in its own waste -- all in the name of Dr. Killemoff -- our master.