TT S3 E5: Four-Color Mutants with Matt Bors, Writer of The Toxic Avenger and Toxic Crusaders Comics

Update: 2025-09-12

Description

Throughout history, we've seen some truly iconic team-ups: peanut butter and jelly, Ren and Stimpy, Batman and Robin. But one partnership you might not immediately think of—yet one that's just as important—is the bond between Troma and comic books.

Troma co-founder and Toxie's cinematic dad, Lloyd Kaufman, was close friends with Marvel's legendary Stan Lee—the father of Spider-Man himself. So it only made sense that in the 1990s, Marvel Comics brought Tromaville into the four-color world, publishing eleven issues of The Toxic Avenger and eight issues of The Toxic Crusaders. Both titles were canceled around the same time as the Toxic Crusaders animated series was not picked up for a second season.

Which brings us to today's special guest: Matt Bors. Matt is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, the founder of the comics site The Nib, and an award-winning writer and cartoonist known for his sharp wit and social commentary. Now, he's turned his talents toward Tromaville, writing The Toxic Avenger and Toxic Crusaders for AHOY Comics, which are both out now in comic shops and bookstores everywhere.

Enjoy our exclusive interview with Matt Bors, recorded live at San Diego Comic-Con!

Mentioned in this episode:

Hosted by Zack Beins. Produced by Chris Lanphear for Loudspeaker Studios. Talkin' Troma Theme Music by J57 and Bald Halfwit. Special thanks to Matt Bors and AHOY Comics.

Featured Music:

"Marching Crusaders" by Dennis C. Brown and Larry Brown, from Toxic Crusaders: Original Television Soundtrack

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Talkin' Troma is a listener-supported production of Loudspeaker Studios. Hear more great shows and commercial-free independent public radio at https://www.loudspeaker.org.