The ’80s were fond of giving kids cartoons and toys based on R-rated movies they shouldn’t have been watching. Rambo and RoboCop stand out in particular, with RoboCop also appearing at a pro-wrestling pay-per-view show in character. The ’90s topped that, however, by making toys and cartoons based on The Toxic Avenger, an unrated, ultra-violent, nudity-laden superhero spoof from Troma Entertainment. Perhaps because it was similar to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in its satirical roots and use of toxic waste and mutation as a plot device, Playmates saw the potential and made Toxic Crusaders action figures, redubbing the title monster simply as Toxie, and giving him brighter colors rather than Troma’s gore and grime.
Troma Unit
Super7 updated the Toxie figure for their Ultimates style, and after doing several variants based on Toxic Crusaders toys and cartoons, they’ve now come back around to the source, and painted him in the classic colors of the 1984 movie. He’s brown instead of green, covered in dirt and bloodstains, and his mop has actual blood on it rather than ooze. He still includes the clip-on American flag from the toy, but losing the other accessories makes it clearer that he’s been wearing a tutu underneath — part of the nasty, homophobic prank played on hapless janitor Melvin to make him attempt suicide by radioactive waste. To give Toxie a lot of credit, he proudly kept wearing the outfit that had so embarrassed Melvin, once he became big and buff.
In addition to some extra hands, this Toxic Avenger also includes a bonus cartoon-styled head with a happier face.
This isn’t the first time a Toxic Crusaders figure has been repainted as a movie variant, as Super7 did the same with their 3-34 inch Reaction figure. It might be the first 7-inch Toxic Avenger movie figure since SOTA made one decades ago, though, barring any obscurities that don’t come to mind right now. There are no bonus items to ordering from Super7, so pick him up anywhere you’d like. See if the official pics grab your fancy.
