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, 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 followed by the official debut on January 21, 1991. It aired on YTV 1991 to 1997 in Canada. The US cable network G4 aired the first two episodes on July 25th, 2009. The series is set in the fictional town of Tromaville, New Jersey.

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.