1 00:00:13,679 --> 00:00:16,860 Zack Beins: >> Good morning Tromaville and welcome to 2 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,320 Zack Beins: another thrilling episode of Talkin' Troma. 3 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:21,420 Zack Beins: I'm your host, Zach Bynes. 4 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,240 Zack Beins: Now, throughout history, we've seen some truly iconic team-ups. 5 00:00:26,620 --> 00:00:27,480 Zack Beins: Peanut butter and jelly, 6 00:00:27,940 --> 00:00:33,480 Zack Beins: Ren and Stimpy, Batman and Robin. But one partnership you might not immediately think of, 7 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:39,040 Zack Beins: yet one that's just as important, is the bond between Troma and comic books. 8 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:46,160 Zack Beins: Troma co-founder and Toxie's cinematic dad Lloyd Kaufman was close friends with Marvel's legendary 9 00:00:46,340 --> 00:00:52,019 Zack Beins: Stan Lee, the father of Spider-Man himself. So it only made sense that in the 90s Marvel 10 00:00:52,020 --> 00:00:58,300 Zack Beins: comics brought Tromaville into the four-color world, publishing 11 issues of The Toxic Avenger 11 00:00:58,540 --> 00:01:04,280 Zack Beins: and 8 issues of Toxic Crusaders. Both titles were cancelled around the same times as the 12 00:01:04,320 --> 00:01:08,180 Zack Beins: Toxic Crusaders as the animated series was not picked up for a second season. 13 00:01:09,260 --> 00:01:16,019 Zack Beins: Fast forward to the 2000s, Troma launched its very own line of comics based on cult favorites like 14 00:01:16,020 --> 00:01:21,920 Zack Beins: The Chosen One, Legend of the Raven, Sucker the Vampire, Terror, Farmer, Tromeo and Juliet, 15 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:27,080 Zack Beins: and of course, more adventures starring Toxie. Even Spain joined in the fun with 16 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,080 Zack Beins: Fester Comics releasing titles like Sergeant Kabukiman and Mother's Day. 17 00:01:31,730 --> 00:01:36,600 Zack Beins: In 2007, fans were treated to The Toxic Avenger and Other Tromatic Tales, 18 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:41,640 Zack Beins: a collected anthology featuring Toxie, Poultrygeist, and more Troma madness. 19 00:01:42,340 --> 00:01:48,540 Zack Beins: Over the years, Lloyd Kaufman and Toxie themselves have popped up in cameos across the comic book world, 20 00:01:48,860 --> 00:01:52,840 Zack Beins: while indie publishers license properties like Frostbiter and Chillers. 21 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,940 Zack Beins: Most recently, even the new legendary Toxic Avenger film has inspired a brand new graphic novel. 22 00:01:59,740 --> 00:02:00,540 Zack Beins: But here's the thing. 23 00:02:01,020 --> 00:02:05,280 Zack Beins: It's been a while since fans had a regular, ongoing Toxie book to dive into. 24 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,880 Zack Beins: That's where Ahoy Comics steps in. 25 00:02:08,640 --> 00:02:13,620 Zack Beins: They've launched a brand new Toxic Avengers series, with the first five issues already 26 00:02:13,740 --> 00:02:17,760 Zack Beins: collected into a trade paperback, which is available now at bookstores. 27 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:22,140 Zack Beins: And if that wasn't enough, they're rolling right into the next story arc. 28 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,120 Zack Beins: Plus, the return of the Toxic Crusaders with a brand new run that starts this week. 29 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:32,560 Zack Beins: If your local comic book store isn't carrying the Toxic Crusaders, order it and force them. 30 00:02:32,900 --> 00:02:33,920 Zack Beins: Make mine Troma. 31 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:37,820 Zack Beins: Which brings us to today's special guest, Matt Bors. 32 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:43,200 Zack Beins: Matt is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, the founder of the comics website, The Nib, 33 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:48,060 Zack Beins: and an award-winning cartoonist known for his sharp wit and social commentary. 34 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,740 Zack Beins: Now he's turned his talents towards Tromaville, writing the Toxic Avenger 35 00:02:53,100 --> 00:02:55,220 Zack Beins: and Toxic Crusaders for Ahoy Comics. 36 00:02:56,100 --> 00:03:00,200 Zack Beins: So from the hallowed halls of San Diego Comic-Con, we're bringing you our 37 00:03:00,420 --> 00:03:01,920 Zack Beins: exclusive interview with Matt Bors. 38 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:05,460 Zack Beins: So sit back, enjoy the conversation. 39 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,460 Zack Beins: And as always, stay Tromatized. 40 00:03:20,180 --> 00:03:26,280 Chris Lanphear: Chris Lanphear for Talkin' Troma here at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 with the 41 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,520 Chris Lanphear: writer, producer, creator of the new Toxic Avenger and Toxic Crusaders 42 00:03:31,820 --> 00:03:33,600 Chris Lanphear: comics from Ahoy Comics. 43 00:03:34,070 --> 00:03:34,280 Chris Lanphear: Mr. 44 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:35,360 Chris Lanphear: Matt Bors, how are you, sir? 45 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:36,460 Matt Bors: I'm great, man. 46 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,180 Matt Bors: We just had a fun weekend at Comic-Con, 47 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,540 Matt Bors: multiple panels, signing and everything, 48 00:03:41,820 --> 00:03:44,440 Matt Bors: and this is the last thing I'm doing, 49 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,460 Matt Bors: sitting in the shade with you, having a nice interview. 50 00:03:46,780 --> 00:03:48,500 Matt Bors: It's been a great experience. 51 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:50,540 Chris Lanphear: It's been a hell of a week. 52 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,440 Chris Lanphear: I know, obviously, this has been kind of adjacent 53 00:03:53,980 --> 00:03:56,600 Chris Lanphear: to the Toxic Avenger reimagining 54 00:03:56,660 --> 00:03:58,160 Chris Lanphear: with Peter Dinklage coming out, 55 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,140 Chris Lanphear: and we had premieres for that here at Comic-Con. 56 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,839 Chris Lanphear: Did this experience this week at Comic-Con 57 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,220 Chris Lanphear: match the experience you thought you would have? 58 00:04:06,220 --> 00:04:07,600 Chris Lanphear: Or was it bigger, was it lesser? 59 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:09,340 Chris Lanphear: What are your feelings on that? 60 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,960 Matt Bors: Yeah, I mean, first of all, it's like two years ago, 61 00:04:14,940 --> 00:04:18,260 Matt Bors: Toxie as the comic that I'm doing is a Comic-Con story. 62 00:04:18,780 --> 00:04:22,800 Matt Bors: So I approached Lloyd Kaufman two years ago at Comic-Con 63 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,540 Matt Bors: and I introduced myself and I said, 64 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,340 Matt Bors: I have this idea for a Toxic Avenger comic. 65 00:04:27,460 --> 00:04:29,120 Matt Bors: I've loved Toxic Avenger, Toxic Crusaders, 66 00:04:29,140 --> 00:04:30,180 Matt Bors: I wanna bring 'em all back. 67 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:31,940 Matt Bors: And I didn't know at the time 68 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:33,120 Matt Bors: that there was a movie in the works. 69 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,780 Matt Bors: So I feel like I lucked out in getting, 70 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,160 Matt Bors: being able to do this. 71 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:39,720 Matt Bors: And then now here we are two years later, 72 00:04:39,790 --> 00:04:41,480 Matt Bors: we have a number one issues out, 73 00:04:41,580 --> 00:04:43,200 Matt Bors: they're premiering all the Toxie stuff. 74 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:44,280 Matt Bors: It's crazy. 75 00:04:44,460 --> 00:04:46,020 Matt Bors: So I mean, you know, to answer your question, 76 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,340 Matt Bors: it's like, you know, this is, 77 00:04:48,940 --> 00:04:50,200 Matt Bors: it's a dream to get to do this 78 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:51,800 Matt Bors: and to imagine myself, you know, 79 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:53,660 Matt Bors: a couple of years after just walking up to him cold, 80 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:55,380 Matt Bors: really, to Lloyd and asking him, 81 00:04:56,380 --> 00:04:59,580 Matt Bors: you think, is there any shot that we can make this work? 82 00:04:59,850 --> 00:05:03,260 Matt Bors: To now we're signing comics and there's, you know, 83 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:04,380 Matt Bors: the movie coming out and everything, 84 00:05:04,450 --> 00:05:06,320 Matt Bors: I mean, it's fabulous, I love it. 85 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:08,880 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, what sort of feedback have you gotten 86 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:10,940 Chris Lanphear: from people who are coming up for the signings 87 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:12,700 Chris Lanphear: and the response to the panels? 88 00:05:12,860 --> 00:05:15,500 Chris Lanphear: Like, what's your take on the sort of feedback 89 00:05:15,660 --> 00:05:16,900 Chris Lanphear: you've received on the book so far? 90 00:05:17,940 --> 00:05:19,960 Matt Bors: Well, people are loving the comic, which is great, 91 00:05:19,990 --> 00:05:21,960 Matt Bors: 'cause I was, you know, when you do something like this, 92 00:05:22,020 --> 00:05:23,460 Matt Bors: you're always a little worried about it. 93 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,460 Matt Bors: I'm trying to do something new with it 94 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,600 Matt Bors: while remaining true to the roots of it, 95 00:05:29,660 --> 00:05:32,320 Matt Bors: and similar to what the movie seems like it's doing. 96 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,920 Matt Bors: I haven't seen the movie yet, but it seems like it's a new Toxie and so is my comic, 97 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,220 Matt Bors: but it's true to the basic premises of the franchise. 98 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:47,300 Matt Bors: So you're always worried about how fans might receive that, but everybody seems to be digging 99 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:53,480 Matt Bors: it and it just seems in general that Toxic Avenger was really dormant for a while. 100 00:05:53,660 --> 00:05:57,740 Matt Bors: A lot of people watched it, it was a cult hit obviously, but there wasn't anything new 101 00:05:57,740 --> 00:06:03,060 Matt Bors: coming out for a long time and now we're at it's like it's it's Toxie summer man I mean. 102 00:06:03,860 --> 00:06:10,180 Chris Lanphear: It really is the summer of Toxie. I have been you know with Troma for two decades plus now 103 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,100 Chris Lanphear: and I've never seen a response like this to anything we've done or been involved with 104 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:19,860 Chris Lanphear: so it's just been an absolutely crazy summer and it's just getting started I mean the movie comes 105 00:06:19,940 --> 00:06:24,160 Chris Lanphear: out in a month and a half and there's already all this buzz around it and there's buzz around the 106 00:06:24,060 --> 00:06:30,400 Chris Lanphear: books, like to switch gears just a little bit. Were you influenced at all by the original Marvel 107 00:06:30,740 --> 00:06:32,860 Chris Lanphear: comic series that came out in 1991 and 92? 108 00:06:33,740 --> 00:06:36,380 Matt Bors: Honestly, no. I hadn't read those until I 109 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,280 Matt Bors: got the green light to write the comic. I went back and read what those were. But I am influenced 110 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:48,060 Matt Bors: by the Toxic Crusaders cartoon because I kind of watched that and the movies around the same time 111 00:06:48,060 --> 00:06:53,499 Matt Bors: I was a little kid, you know. I was born in 1983 and the cartoon came out in 91. So I definitely 112 00:06:53,500 --> 00:06:58,660 Matt Bors: saw the cartoon in real time and I feel like I don't actually remember watching 113 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,980 Matt Bors: the Toxic Avenger for the first time. I get it's like the constant question I'm 114 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,020 Matt Bors: asked in like interviews about the comics like what's your when did you see 115 00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:08,040 Matt Bors: it and I'm like I think I was so young I don't remember actually seeing it for 116 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,220 Matt Bors: the first time. But so the point is is that what I view what I'm doing is this 117 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,460 Matt Bors: sort of like amalgamation of mashing together movie stuff and the Toxic 118 00:07:17,540 --> 00:07:21,440 Matt Bors: Crusaders stuff doing the smogulent plotline and having the mutants like 119 00:07:21,380 --> 00:07:27,260 Matt Bors: major disaster and junkyard in there but making it all sort of rated R and gross 120 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,380 Matt Bors: and cool and also like kind of dealing with socio-political stuff pollution 121 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:40,020 Matt Bors: majorly and but but no I didn't read the comics although I will say that I Sam 122 00:07:40,140 --> 00:07:44,840 Matt Bors: Kieth did covers for Toxic Crusaders he's like a great artist who did the 123 00:07:44,900 --> 00:07:50,120 Matt Bors: backs and other stuff so it's cool to see his his artwork on that yeah he did 124 00:07:50,020 --> 00:07:53,980 Chris Lanphear: You did Toxie number one, or Toxic Crusaders number one 125 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:55,860 Chris Lanphear: with the whole crew and Toxie in the front 126 00:07:55,860 --> 00:07:57,640 Chris Lanphear: and that's iconic artwork. 127 00:07:58,100 --> 00:08:01,460 Chris Lanphear: But the artwork that you have in your books as well 128 00:08:01,580 --> 00:08:03,140 Chris Lanphear: from artists like Fred Harper and you have 129 00:08:03,540 --> 00:08:05,380 Chris Lanphear: like some kind of other guest artists coming in, 130 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,720 Chris Lanphear: they all have slightly different takes on the material 131 00:08:10,220 --> 00:08:11,940 Chris Lanphear: but it all sort of seems to fit together. 132 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,880 Chris Lanphear: Can you talk a little bit about the selection process 133 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,180 Chris Lanphear: that you've kind of gone through 134 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:18,980 Chris Lanphear: with finding different artists to work on these? 135 00:08:19,340 --> 00:08:21,700 Matt Bors: Yeah, so the main artist we got is Fred Harper, you mentioned. 136 00:08:21,860 --> 00:08:23,040 Matt Bors: He's really great. 137 00:08:23,140 --> 00:08:24,640 Matt Bors: He's got this kind of like- 138 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,820 Matt Bors: it's like Simon Bisley, Richard Corbin influences. 139 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:32,000 Matt Bors: He's really good at anatomy and expressions, 140 00:08:32,210 --> 00:08:35,659 Matt Bors: which makes him really good for contorting those anatomy 141 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:37,099 Matt Bors: and expressions and everything. 142 00:08:37,340 --> 00:08:42,039 Matt Bors: So he's kind of drawn Toxie really muscular, 143 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:44,500 Matt Bors: and it gives him a little bit of a crooked face. 144 00:08:44,890 --> 00:08:46,100 Matt Bors: I like his style a lot. 145 00:08:46,140 --> 00:08:48,560 Matt Bors: And he did the first five issues, 146 00:08:48,700 --> 00:08:51,160 Matt Bors: And he also did the new issue number one 147 00:08:51,220 --> 00:08:52,860 Matt Bors: that's like a horror focused issue 148 00:08:52,940 --> 00:08:54,900 Matt Bors: that's like really goes in on horror. 149 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,380 Matt Bors: It's not as humorous as the other ones. 150 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,180 Matt Bors: And I think that's his best one. 151 00:08:58,180 --> 00:08:59,740 Matt Bors: Like he just does horror really good. 152 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:03,700 Matt Bors: A lot of dark inks, good lighting, creepy shit. 153 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,160 Matt Bors: And then you mentioned we got a bunch of other guests artists 154 00:09:07,460 --> 00:09:09,540 Matt Bors: Felipe Sobrero, Erica Henderson, 155 00:09:09,700 --> 00:09:12,440 Matt Bors: who did the "Unbeatable Squirrel Girl." 156 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:14,480 Matt Bors: Very popular artists. 157 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:15,840 Matt Bors: We're lucky to have her. 158 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:20,200 Matt Bors: and Grim Wilkins who is like an indie artist with image. 159 00:09:22,380 --> 00:09:24,520 Matt Bors: What I found in asking people to do stuff, 160 00:09:24,540 --> 00:09:25,820 Matt Bors: there's either artists who, you know, 161 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,080 Matt Bors: some people have no interest in Toxic Avenger whatsoever, 162 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:30,180 Matt Bors: just like if you asked them, 163 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,220 Matt Bors: "Hey, do you want to do a My Little Pony comic?" 164 00:09:32,220 --> 00:09:32,840 Matt Bors: And they're like, "I don't know." 165 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,720 Matt Bors: But then you meet people and they're just like, "Oh yeah." 166 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,880 Matt Bors: I mean, a lot of artists are more into Toxic 167 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:39,220 Matt Bors: than My Little Pony, but some people 168 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:41,780 Matt Bors: who you maybe normally wouldn't be able to get 169 00:09:41,860 --> 00:09:44,340 Matt Bors: on a licensed comic want to do it 170 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,020 Matt Bors: because they really like Toxic Avenger 171 00:09:46,020 --> 00:09:47,920 Matt Bors: and they're like, "Oh, this is cool as hell." 172 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:48,040 Matt Bors: So. 173 00:09:49,020 --> 00:09:51,120 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, and it kind of fits with the outsider vibe 174 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,460 Chris Lanphear: that Troma and Toxie have always been sort of known for. 175 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:56,040 Chris Lanphear: Like, he's a superhero, but he's a little bit too gross, 176 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:57,380 Chris Lanphear: he's a little bit too extreme 177 00:09:57,560 --> 00:09:59,600 Chris Lanphear: for some of the more mainstream stuff 178 00:09:59,700 --> 00:10:01,440 Chris Lanphear: that Marvel and DC have been doing. 179 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,520 Chris Lanphear: And that's also part of its charm, which I love. 180 00:10:05,580 --> 00:10:09,280 Chris Lanphear: And the stories that you're telling in these books, 181 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,880 Chris Lanphear: it feels like, especially with "Toxic Crusaders" 182 00:10:13,140 --> 00:10:16,860 Chris Lanphear: now coming out as a book that you could easily 183 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,960 Chris Lanphear: just kind of play it safe and just sort of like 184 00:10:19,060 --> 00:10:21,760 Chris Lanphear: take stuff from the cartoon and expand on it a little bit. 185 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:24,020 Chris Lanphear: But what I love from what I've seen so far 186 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:25,460 Chris Lanphear: is that the stories go further. 187 00:10:26,220 --> 00:10:27,980 Chris Lanphear: We were talking before we started about 188 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:30,100 Chris Lanphear: the character of Blobby, 189 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:31,780 Chris Lanphear: and we're not gonna spoil it on this show, 190 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,340 Chris Lanphear: but you're talking about an arc for that character 191 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:36,520 Chris Lanphear: that has never happened before. 192 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,420 Chris Lanphear: He's never had an arc, you know, in the cartoon. 193 00:10:39,540 --> 00:10:41,160 Chris Lanphear: He's just a mop that comes to life. 194 00:10:41,660 --> 00:10:44,080 Chris Lanphear: but the fact that you're taking these things 195 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:45,260 Chris Lanphear: in so many different directions 196 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:46,480 Chris Lanphear: that I feel like the cartoon 197 00:10:46,660 --> 00:10:47,860 Chris Lanphear: would have eventually gotten there 198 00:10:47,940 --> 00:10:49,740 Chris Lanphear: had it been as successful 199 00:10:49,940 --> 00:10:51,680 Chris Lanphear: as we had wanted it to be back in the day. 200 00:10:52,300 --> 00:10:53,320 Chris Lanphear: But it's just really, really cool 201 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:54,840 Chris Lanphear: to see the expansion of the world. 202 00:10:55,060 --> 00:10:58,860 Chris Lanphear: So I guess the question I'm getting to is, 203 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,360 Chris Lanphear: what's your thought process in terms of coming up 204 00:11:04,179 --> 00:11:07,040 Chris Lanphear: with stories and situations to put these characters in? 205 00:11:07,140 --> 00:11:10,839 Chris Lanphear: Do you feel like you need to stay closer to the comics 206 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,640 Chris Lanphear: Or do you feel like an overwhelming desire to kind of like see where that can stretch? 207 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:23,420 Matt Bors: Well, you know with a lot of licensed comics there there they are playing it straight and that's that's is what people want sometimes 208 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:26,540 Matt Bors: So first of all, we're in this wave of nostalgia right now 209 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:30,580 Matt Bors: I mean they got comics coming out the Cowboys of Moo Mesa if you ever heard of that 210 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:37,480 Matt Bors: I mean, it feels like we've you know, maybe we got the California Raisins coming back or something. I don't know there we couldn't do 211 00:11:38,540 --> 00:11:43,980 Matt Bors: everything's coming back but when you see some of these comics or movies or 212 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:51,060 Matt Bors: reboots they're extremely on model they look like the style of like the 90s 213 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:55,020 Matt Bors: cartoon or the 80s cartoon or whatever and maybe some people would want that 214 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,720 Matt Bors: with Toxic Crusaders but we wanted to push it we wanted to get it like indie 215 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:03,900 Matt Bors: art vibes to it make it like I said earlier like more we wanted to make it 216 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:06,200 Matt Bors: R-rated, super violent, like the movies. 217 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:08,640 Matt Bors: We have this artist on it. 218 00:12:08,740 --> 00:12:10,660 Matt Bors: It's his debut, it's not his debut book 219 00:12:10,860 --> 00:12:13,060 Matt Bors: because he's done his own indie comics, Tristan Wright, 220 00:12:13,540 --> 00:12:16,200 Matt Bors: but it's his debut mainstream book and monthly book. 221 00:12:16,540 --> 00:12:18,700 Matt Bors: And this dude is off the charts good, man. 222 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:20,840 Matt Bors: People are gonna love this book when they see it. 223 00:12:21,300 --> 00:12:24,300 Matt Bors: So we do, I wanted to push, you know, 224 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,940 Matt Bors: little like new versions of the characters. 225 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,280 Matt Bors: So for instance, we have a new origin, 226 00:12:29,540 --> 00:12:30,800 Matt Bors: which is like this toxic, 227 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,080 Matt Bors: train derailment filled toxic waste crashes in Tromaville and that's what 228 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,340 Matt Bors: mutates everybody. So Nozone in the Crusaders is a pilot and in our 229 00:12:41,580 --> 00:12:46,260 Matt Bors: Crusaders he was actually one of the workers on the train. The other worker is 230 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:52,140 Matt Bors: mutated too and he goes to work for the guy we call Mr. K who is Dr. Kilimoff. 231 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:57,120 Matt Bors: And I guess I would say the main thing I'm trying to do in pushing things to in 232 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:02,760 Matt Bors: in a new direction is taking this original idea of the smogulans and pushing it through 233 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:04,560 Matt Bors: to the end, like the end point. 234 00:13:04,940 --> 00:13:07,740 Matt Bors: If I get to do all the comics I want to do, you'll see what that is. 235 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:16,340 Matt Bors: Initially, it spoils the first volume, the first five issues we did, because that's sort 236 00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:19,460 Matt Bors: of the reveal at the end, is that there's this big smogulan plot. 237 00:13:19,940 --> 00:13:23,920 Chris Lanphear: Which is out now in trade paperback form, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, all your 238 00:13:23,980 --> 00:13:24,900 Chris Lanphear: favorite booksellers, yeah? 239 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,740 Matt Bors: And but as we get going, you know, there's so there's Mr. K. 240 00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:30,780 Matt Bors: And there's also Mrs. C. 241 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:31,700 Matt Bors: And Mr. P. 242 00:13:31,700 --> 00:13:34,480 Matt Bors: And they all have these like initial names and they all work in different, 243 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,240 Matt Bors: different sort of realms of the of the world. 244 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,040 Matt Bors: Right. So Mr. K. 245 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,840 Matt Bors: Is actively trying to pollute everything. 246 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:43,980 Matt Bors: And there's somebody inside government. 247 00:13:44,260 --> 00:13:46,020 Matt Bors: There's somebody inside Wall Street. 248 00:13:46,340 --> 00:13:53,919 Matt Bors: There's somebody trying to manipulate influencers to to prepare the human race 249 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,980 Matt Bors: for the eventual Smogulan invasion, 250 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,860 Matt Bors: which we'll see on the page eventually. 251 00:14:01,580 --> 00:14:02,680 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, you're sort of, 252 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,040 Chris Lanphear: the Smogulans were always very interesting 253 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,640 Chris Lanphear: because I feel like the original TV series 254 00:14:08,140 --> 00:14:09,240 Chris Lanphear: really only scratched the surface 255 00:14:09,340 --> 00:14:11,340 Chris Lanphear: of what the Smogulans were up to, 256 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:13,460 Chris Lanphear: and that really only got teased 257 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:15,200 Chris Lanphear: towards the last few episodes of the show. 258 00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:18,320 Chris Lanphear: But now in the book, you have the opportunity 259 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:21,020 Chris Lanphear: to sort of expand that and figure out, 260 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:22,060 Chris Lanphear: like, who are the Smogulans? 261 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:22,900 Chris Lanphear: Where do they come from? 262 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:23,920 Chris Lanphear: What is it that they want? 263 00:14:23,980 --> 00:14:25,520 Chris Lanphear: Like what is their overarching plan? 264 00:14:25,580 --> 00:14:27,340 Chris Lanphear: And it kind of seems like, you know, 265 00:14:27,420 --> 00:14:30,340 Chris Lanphear: the Crusaders are coming to their own sort of 266 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,860 Chris Lanphear: Infinity War moment with the Smogulan invasion. 267 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:34,360 Matt Bors: No, exactly. 268 00:14:34,580 --> 00:14:38,120 Matt Bors: There's, so in Crusaders, what you'll see, you know, 269 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,120 Matt Bors: that's a little different from the cartoon is just, 270 00:14:40,220 --> 00:14:41,400 Matt Bors: you know, it's Saturday morning cartoon. 271 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,740 Matt Bors: It was, nobody sort of died. 272 00:14:46,020 --> 00:14:48,120 Matt Bors: There's sort of a status, episodic status quo. 273 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,600 Matt Bors: Each issue is, or each episode is sort of like 274 00:14:50,740 --> 00:14:51,860 Matt Bors: a new Smogulan plot. 275 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,620 Matt Bors: So we're going to take that and kind of push it further. 276 00:14:54,940 --> 00:14:58,680 Matt Bors: And the Crusaders are sort of- 277 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,760 Matt Bors: do some, I would say, fairly radical stuff 278 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:04,740 Matt Bors: to try to thwart this threat. 279 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,400 Matt Bors: I mean, what would you do if aliens were literally trying 280 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:10,160 Matt Bors: to take over the planet? 281 00:15:10,460 --> 00:15:12,700 Matt Bors: I mean, you would probably kill them. 282 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:14,700 Matt Bors: So they try to- 283 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:15,740 Matt Bors: that's the basic premise. 284 00:15:15,860 --> 00:15:16,700 Matt Bors: They set out to kill them. 285 00:15:16,780 --> 00:15:17,940 Matt Bors: But things get complicated. 286 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,799 Matt Bors: And also, really, the thing I'm exploring in both books 287 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:28,180 Matt Bors: that the reaction in the world to this fact is complicated. It's not believed by everybody, 288 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:34,460 Matt Bors: first of all. It is believed by some people and they don't care or they love it and they 289 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,280 Matt Bors: worship the bugs. So I'm trying to explore that like the craziness of society which is like you 290 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:43,640 Matt Bors: know reflective of some things going on right now which is that everything isn't just straightforward 291 00:15:43,820 --> 00:15:49,399 Matt Bors: oh there's bad guys and Toxie's a hero you know he tries to do the right thing but then maybe 292 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,940 Matt Bors: People are like, "No, man. I fucking want to be a bug slave." 293 00:15:52,940 --> 00:15:55,160 Matt Bors: So that's the type of... we're trying to get into... 294 00:15:55,180 --> 00:15:58,240 Chris Lanphear: Not everybody wants the hero, right? People kind of choose a side. 295 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:02,060 Chris Lanphear: You know, there are a lot of things going on right now that kind of fit in that category. 296 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:07,060 Matt Bors: I like exploring the weird fallout from this stuff. 297 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:11,200 Matt Bors: You know, so there's the toxic train spill is what we dealt with in the first five issues. 298 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,239 Matt Bors: And then really the first five issues of the new series are... 299 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:20,600 Matt Bors: There are five separate issues that tell different stories in different genres and sort of deals 300 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:24,500 Matt Bors: with the fallout of like what would happen if this town was abandoned and there's a big 301 00:16:24,580 --> 00:16:25,500 Matt Bors: pool of toxic waste. 302 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:31,720 Matt Bors: So we have, you know, like a serial killer in the first issue essentially who's like 303 00:16:32,020 --> 00:16:34,940 Matt Bors: captures people and uses the toxic waste to mutate them. 304 00:16:35,540 --> 00:16:41,520 Matt Bors: And then in the second issue, which is the origin story of a new mutant who will be on 305 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:48,880 Matt Bors: the Toxic Crusaders named Fun Girl who is a fungus based mutant girl and she is 306 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:53,200 Matt Bors: the only member of the Crusaders who's willfully mutated herself. So that's 307 00:16:53,260 --> 00:16:57,520 Matt Bors: another thing I thought well what if you saw these people with these seemingly 308 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:01,360 Matt Bors: cool mutant powers I mean hey so she jumps in a barrel of toxic waste with 309 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:06,339 Matt Bors: her mushroom collection she's kind of a weirdo and becomes Fun Girl and she's 310 00:17:06,339 --> 00:17:10,160 Matt Bors: got you know she can do anything right she got edible she's got a bunch of 311 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:14,000 Matt Bors: different kind of mushrooms colonized in her body. 312 00:17:14,199 --> 00:17:16,780 Matt Bors: So she has, she can produce edible mushrooms, 313 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,420 Matt Bors: medicinal mushrooms, poison mushrooms, 314 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,180 Matt Bors: and of course, hallucinogenic mushrooms. 315 00:17:22,959 --> 00:17:24,900 Matt Bors: So like, you know, we're just, I'm just coming up with, 316 00:17:25,020 --> 00:17:26,640 Matt Bors: like, what would happen if this happened, right? 317 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,660 Matt Bors: You'd have weird crime cults, bug worshipers, 318 00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:32,880 Matt Bors: serial killing maniacs, people who wanna be mutants, 319 00:17:33,100 --> 00:17:34,660 Matt Bors: people who wanna kill all the mutants. 320 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,980 Announcer: This show, as well as all of the programming on Loudspeaker, 321 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:43,340 Announcer: is listener supported. 322 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,140 Announcer: What that means to you is that rather than go 323 00:17:46,140 --> 00:17:48,120 Announcer: to corporate sponsors and advertisers 324 00:17:48,180 --> 00:17:50,180 Announcer: who are trying to sell you crap you don't need, 325 00:17:50,460 --> 00:17:51,700 Announcer: we go straight to you. 326 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:53,180 Announcer: We go to the audience, 327 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:55,360 Announcer: and our audience helps us do what we do. 328 00:17:56,260 --> 00:17:57,800 Announcer: The way you do that is by making 329 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:00,640 Announcer: a tax-deductible contribution to Loudspeaker. 330 00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:03,840 Announcer: Go to loudspeaker.org and click on the support button. 331 00:18:04,500 --> 00:18:06,140 Announcer: You can give one time or every month. 332 00:18:06,420 --> 00:18:07,560 Announcer: It's entirely up to you, 333 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:09,880 Announcer: and we thank you so much for your support. 334 00:18:10,700 --> 00:18:12,840 Announcer: Every single dollar helps us keep the lights on 335 00:18:13,260 --> 00:18:14,720 Announcer: and tell more interesting stories 336 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:16,040 Announcer: like the one you're hearing right now. 337 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:18,120 Announcer: Thanks again for listening. 338 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:19,840 Announcer: Now let's get back to the show. 339 00:18:25,620 --> 00:18:26,780 Chris Lanphear: That's so much fun too. 340 00:18:26,940 --> 00:18:28,980 Chris Lanphear: Like you were mentioning earlier 341 00:18:29,260 --> 00:18:31,960 Chris Lanphear: with a lot of like licensed entertainment properties, 342 00:18:32,580 --> 00:18:35,960 Chris Lanphear: you're given kind of a relatively small sandbox to play in. 343 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,900 Chris Lanphear: But the nice thing about something like Toxie in his world 344 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:42,540 Chris Lanphear: is it's basically whatever you can come up with 345 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,460 Chris Lanphear: we're kind of game for. 346 00:18:45,460 --> 00:18:47,640 Chris Lanphear: Can you talk about, going back a little bit, 347 00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:51,620 Chris Lanphear: when you first came up to Lloyd and suggested the book, 348 00:18:51,620 --> 00:18:53,620 Chris Lanphear: what has it been like working with him 349 00:18:53,660 --> 00:18:55,140 Chris Lanphear: and developing this story? 350 00:18:56,010 --> 00:18:57,120 Matt Bors: I mean, it's been great, honestly. 351 00:18:57,180 --> 00:18:59,120 Matt Bors: Everybody at Tremont's been great. 352 00:18:59,420 --> 00:19:01,460 Matt Bors: They are super supportive. 353 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:04,120 Matt Bors: So I went up to Lloyd and introduced myself. 354 00:19:04,490 --> 00:19:05,660 Matt Bors: I said I had this idea. 355 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,820 Matt Bors: I didn't pitch on the entire idea then and there, 356 00:19:08,300 --> 00:19:11,060 Matt Bors: but it was more like, that sounds cool. 357 00:19:11,380 --> 00:19:13,300 Matt Bors: Like, why don't you email me and all this? 358 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,440 Matt Bors: And you know, things like that at Comic-Con 359 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,820 Matt Bors: are happening all the time and sometimes follow-ups, 360 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:21,060 Matt Bors: nothing ever happens. 361 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:23,820 Matt Bors: But you know, I put a big pitch together, 362 00:19:24,370 --> 00:19:26,760 Matt Bors: kind of showing the steps of what I wanted to do, 363 00:19:26,980 --> 00:19:28,260 Matt Bors: including, I mean, back then, 364 00:19:28,350 --> 00:19:30,120 Matt Bors: it had stuff that we're doing now. 365 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:31,520 Matt Bors: Like I had years planned out. 366 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:35,780 Matt Bors: I mean, I did admittedly have an ambitious approach 367 00:19:35,780 --> 00:19:37,580 Matt Bors: I was like, I don't just want to do five issues. 368 00:19:37,860 --> 00:19:38,860 Matt Bors: I want to do a whole run. 369 00:19:39,140 --> 00:19:40,480 Matt Bors: We blow it out into two books. 370 00:19:41,140 --> 00:19:44,860 Matt Bors: After The Origin, it goes to Crusaders and Toxic Avengers simultaneously. 371 00:19:45,580 --> 00:19:47,600 Matt Bors: We have all these new characters, these new villains. 372 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:49,920 Matt Bors: I mean, they loved it, I think. 373 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:58,220 Matt Bors: I think, hey man, I don't know exactly what they're doing in the new movie, but I would 374 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,300 Matt Bors: love if they followed it up with Toxic Crusaders. 375 00:20:02,140 --> 00:20:04,780 Matt Bors: They can pick some ideas from my books, 376 00:20:04,900 --> 00:20:06,380 Matt Bors: you know, if it works or whatever. 377 00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:08,760 Matt Bors: But yeah, no, I would love to see all of the characters 378 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:09,720 Matt Bors: on the big screen. 379 00:20:10,060 --> 00:20:10,880 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, you and me both. 380 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,100 Chris Lanphear: I mean, for those of us, 381 00:20:13,620 --> 00:20:15,040 Chris Lanphear: for those who've been around long enough, 382 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:17,300 Chris Lanphear: originally, part of the original plan 383 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,680 Chris Lanphear: and rollout for "Toxic Crusaders" was a live action film 384 00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:25,640 Chris Lanphear: that New Line Cinema picked up and was going to produce. 385 00:20:25,740 --> 00:20:27,380 Chris Lanphear: And, you know, they committed, you know, 386 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:28,660 Chris Lanphear: such and such million budget, 387 00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:30,400 Chris Lanphear: and it's gonna be out by the spring of '93. 388 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,400 Chris Lanphear: Well, when the show collapsed and was canceled, 389 00:20:33,940 --> 00:20:35,280 Chris Lanphear: then the comic books went away, 390 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,680 Chris Lanphear: and New Line basically said, 391 00:20:37,730 --> 00:20:39,540 Chris Lanphear: "Oh, sorry, our fingers were crossed, 392 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,580 Chris Lanphear: "and we're not gonna make this movie." 393 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,360 Chris Lanphear: Troma actually took New Line Cinema to court, 394 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:47,640 Chris Lanphear: and this was before New Line was purchased by Time Warner. 395 00:20:49,279 --> 00:20:53,320 Chris Lanphear: And I never was able to get the figure out of Lloyd, 396 00:20:53,620 --> 00:20:57,140 Chris Lanphear: but we made New Line Cinema say uncle. 397 00:20:57,500 --> 00:20:59,060 Chris Lanphear: So the fact that-- - Uncle Lloyd. 398 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:00,420 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, right, right? 399 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,520 Chris Lanphear: The fact that we're sitting here, you know, 400 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,060 Chris Lanphear: 20 some odd years later, 401 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,540 Chris Lanphear: and there's been this resurgence of Toxic Avenger 402 00:21:06,620 --> 00:21:09,620 Chris Lanphear: and Toxic Crusaders, plus the Toxic Crusaders video game 403 00:21:09,660 --> 00:21:10,880 Chris Lanphear: is coming out in a few months. 404 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:14,840 Chris Lanphear: I mean, this really is the year of Toxie and his friends. 405 00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:16,060 Matt Bors: No, it's crazy. 406 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,340 Matt Bors: You know, something must've been in the air. 407 00:21:18,420 --> 00:21:20,480 Matt Bors: I mean, think of what it is, frankly, 408 00:21:20,580 --> 00:21:22,860 Matt Bors: is there's people my age, I'm 41, 409 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:24,680 Matt Bors: who grew up and loved this stuff, 410 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,759 Matt Bors: and then you get into a position as a creative 411 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:28,900 Matt Bors: where you can do something. 412 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:32,580 Matt Bors: And I think similar to how I had the idea of doing the comic, 413 00:21:33,060 --> 00:21:35,840 Matt Bors: I don't know how Macon Blair and the games came about, 414 00:21:35,940 --> 00:21:38,080 Matt Bors: but I imagine that they loved this stuff 415 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:39,440 Matt Bors: and they were sitting around thinking, 416 00:21:39,580 --> 00:21:42,080 Matt Bors: "Oh, I got a good idea for how to do 417 00:21:42,140 --> 00:21:43,420 Matt Bors: "the Toxic Adventure and stuff." 418 00:21:43,420 --> 00:21:45,340 Matt Bors: And so that's what happened. 419 00:21:45,340 --> 00:21:46,820 Matt Bors: And I'm glad 'cause it is like, 420 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:48,480 Matt Bors: we've been getting some, 421 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,500 Matt Bors: we're getting some crappy stuff, you know, served to us, 422 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,280 Matt Bors: like a lot of these reboots and everything. 423 00:21:54,440 --> 00:22:01,300 Matt Bors: And I think it's nice to do one where I feel like I'm not just doing nostalgia bait. 424 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,240 Matt Bors: I'm not trying to recreate the movie. 425 00:22:03,310 --> 00:22:04,100 Matt Bors: I can't do that. 426 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,660 Matt Bors: And I'm not trying to just recreate the cartoon in the style of the cartoon. 427 00:22:08,180 --> 00:22:11,500 Matt Bors: I'm trying to do a next version of it. 428 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:13,200 Matt Bors: And so... 429 00:22:13,380 --> 00:22:17,760 Chris Lanphear: And I think franchises have to reinvent themselves to keep themselves going. 430 00:22:17,940 --> 00:22:18,380 Chris Lanphear: You know what I mean? 431 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:23,760 Chris Lanphear: People have come up to me, not necessarily at Comic Con, but prior to this saying, "Oh, 432 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,920 Chris Lanphear: I heard that they changed stuff in the movie or I heard that they changed stuff in the comic and it's not the same 433 00:22:28,110 --> 00:22:31,900 Chris Lanphear: Well, of course, it's not the same. That story has already been told you've already got that movie 434 00:22:32,110 --> 00:22:36,200 Chris Lanphear: The movie's not going anywhere. If you want that story pop it into your DVD and watch it 435 00:22:36,530 --> 00:22:43,080 Chris Lanphear: You know, but like we're I feel like people are hungry for new interpretations of stories because that's how you keep story going 436 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:47,640 Chris Lanphear: That's how the world continues to expand. Yeah, and you can't you know for a lot of people 437 00:22:48,780 --> 00:22:52,640 Matt Bors: Especially people who were young at the time like Toxic Avenger, you know 438 00:22:52,540 --> 00:22:56,720 Matt Bors: you can't recreate that feeling of like something when you were 12 that you fell 439 00:22:56,820 --> 00:23:00,060 Matt Bors: in love with. I mean we're here at San Diego a lot of this is about people 440 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,300 Matt Bors: trying to recreate the feeling of something that they fell in love with 441 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,800 Matt Bors: when they were 12 and keeping that thing alive. But yeah you do have to keep 442 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,860 Matt Bors: making you have to make it new or you're just getting served slop and I think 443 00:23:10,940 --> 00:23:16,139 Matt Bors: that like Toxic Avenger is cool because a lot of superhero stuff is super 444 00:23:16,140 --> 00:23:25,060 Matt Bors: earnest, it's super polished, and Toxic Avengers just, you know, it's a 445 00:23:25,140 --> 00:23:28,260 Matt Bors: couple different things, right? It's like a satire, it's a horror movie, it's also a 446 00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:33,420 Matt Bors: superhero parody. And like it was a superhero parody early on before there 447 00:23:33,420 --> 00:23:37,900 Matt Bors: was superhero movies. And I feel like one of the things I'm interested in with the 448 00:23:37,900 --> 00:23:43,640 Matt Bors: new movie is like, is it sort of a superhero parody in a world where we've 449 00:23:44,260 --> 00:23:48,600 Matt Bors: been had we've had 15 years of like gigantic superhero movies and it can 450 00:23:48,700 --> 00:23:52,160 Matt Bors: riff off of off of that because you know I mean that's similar like I'm trying to 451 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:58,020 Matt Bors: do that in the comic too it's like yeah Toxie's not like Superman to to you know 452 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:03,720 Matt Bors: name kind of the ultimate good boy superhero who does the right thing and I 453 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:09,100 Matt Bors: think that's cool to like that but it's like Toxie and definitely in my version 454 00:24:09,180 --> 00:24:11,839 Matt Bors: too he's like yeah he does the right thing but there's always ramifications 455 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:18,120 Matt Bors: He's kind of naive. He will kill people, sometimes accidentally. 456 00:24:18,430 --> 00:24:25,920 Matt Bors: You know, it's sort of how I imagine it would play out if you were mutated by toxic waste and gained superpowers. 457 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:31,160 Chris Lanphear: Yeah, I think so too. And I think that's what people respond to about Toxie is like, 458 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,640 Chris Lanphear: just because he has these abilities doesn't mean he's not also a fuck-up. 459 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:40,239 Chris Lanphear: Like, does not mean that he can also make mistakes just like anyone else 460 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,060 Chris Lanphear: and kind of have to deal with the consequences of those. 461 00:24:43,140 --> 00:24:45,240 Chris Lanphear: With some of the other comics that you see, 462 00:24:45,740 --> 00:24:47,720 Chris Lanphear: you know that they're going to save the day 463 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,460 Chris Lanphear: by the end of it and no one's gonna get hurt. 464 00:24:49,580 --> 00:24:52,700 Chris Lanphear: No one's, you know, it's always wrapped up nicely in a bow 465 00:24:53,020 --> 00:24:55,420 Chris Lanphear: and Toxie's always kind of gone against that grain 466 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:56,040 Chris Lanphear: a little bit. 467 00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:56,580 Zack Beins: Yeah. 468 00:24:56,740 --> 00:25:00,580 Chris Lanphear: You know, so that there's something novel about that 469 00:25:00,700 --> 00:25:03,120 Chris Lanphear: in a world where there is, especially now, 470 00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:05,440 Chris Lanphear: so much superhero content out there, 471 00:25:05,540 --> 00:25:06,540 Chris Lanphear: for lack of a better term, 472 00:25:07,860 --> 00:25:10,220 Chris Lanphear: that you know what you're getting going in 473 00:25:10,220 --> 00:25:12,360 Chris Lanphear: That's the thing I think is cool about this character 474 00:25:12,430 --> 00:25:15,660 Chris Lanphear: in this world is you never quite know what's gonna happen. 475 00:25:16,360 --> 00:25:19,260 Matt Bors: Yeah, I wanna throw a few curve balls to the readers 476 00:25:19,340 --> 00:25:21,540 Matt Bors: with the series, you know, about where things are going 477 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,300 Matt Bors: or where the threats are coming from. 478 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,160 Matt Bors: I'm spoiling a lot and I'm saying stuff 479 00:25:25,260 --> 00:25:27,840 Matt Bors: about the smogulants, but I do have a lot of plans 480 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,340 Matt Bors: for where this goes that isn't just a linear thing 481 00:25:30,420 --> 00:25:32,320 Matt Bors: of they fight the bad guys and then they win 482 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:33,100 Matt Bors: and it's all good. 483 00:25:33,380 --> 00:25:34,620 Matt Bors: It's gonna get super complicated. 484 00:25:35,260 --> 00:25:35,620 Matt Bors: (laughing) 485 00:25:36,180 --> 00:25:37,680 Chris Lanphear: That's gonna be so much fun to see. 486 00:25:38,820 --> 00:25:41,640 Chris Lanphear: Random thought, who outside of Toxie, 487 00:25:41,740 --> 00:25:43,160 Chris Lanphear: 'cause obviously everybody loves Toxie, 488 00:25:43,260 --> 00:25:47,000 Chris Lanphear: but out of the Crusaders in the expanded world, 489 00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:48,600 Chris Lanphear: who's your favorite character to write for? 490 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:50,640 Matt Bors: Oh, that's a good question. 491 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,340 Matt Bors: I mean, I would say I like them all 492 00:25:53,380 --> 00:25:55,480 Matt Bors: and I'm not even finished writing the series. 493 00:25:55,660 --> 00:26:00,520 Matt Bors: So how it works is I'm focusing on a Crusader 494 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:01,380 Matt Bors: for each issue. 495 00:26:01,780 --> 00:26:05,020 Matt Bors: So we'll go back, we'll see their sort of origin story, 496 00:26:05,140 --> 00:26:08,400 Matt Bors: or we'll see a little clip of them before they were mutated. 497 00:26:08,540 --> 00:26:10,400 Matt Bors: So we haven't seen that for most of these characters. 498 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,360 Matt Bors: I like, I like right now, Major Disaster, 499 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,260 Matt Bors: but that might be because he's written, 500 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:18,760 Matt Bors: I've written the most of him so far, 501 00:26:19,060 --> 00:26:20,880 Matt Bors: 'cause he was like more of a supporting character 502 00:26:20,940 --> 00:26:21,620 Matt Bors: in the first arc. 503 00:26:23,980 --> 00:26:26,420 Matt Bors: But as I flesh out each of them, I'm really liking it. 504 00:26:26,420 --> 00:26:28,980 Matt Bors: And I also think this new character, Fun Girl, 505 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,260 Matt Bors: has like breakout potential. 506 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,100 Matt Bors: And I'm not, I don't wanna jinx myself, 507 00:26:34,260 --> 00:26:36,880 Matt Bors: but I mean, my not so secret ambition is like, 508 00:26:36,940 --> 00:26:40,240 Matt Bors: this this girl's got to have her own like mini series you know. 509 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:41,180 Chris Lanphear: So Fun Girl 510 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,840 Chris Lanphear: spin-off confirmed cool exclusive news here at SDCC. 511 00:26:46,260 --> 00:26:47,880 Matt Bors: It's a movie coming out in 512 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:53,740 Matt Bors: 2028 actually no but you know what okay I'll tell you this is sort of adjacent 513 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:58,040 Matt Bors: which is a major disaster in Fun Girl play into this which is figuring out how 514 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,860 Matt Bors: to use their powers in cool ways you know like what can you actually like 515 00:27:03,860 --> 00:27:09,140 Matt Bors: with Nozan. What am I going to do with Snot? What's... it's gross and it's cool but like 516 00:27:09,820 --> 00:27:16,220 Matt Bors: what's the fight logic of it? What's the, you know, blowing a honker on the ground and making 517 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:21,300 Matt Bors: your enemy slip for instance or whatever. And with Major Disaster and Fun Girl they sort of have more 518 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:28,260 Matt Bors: they have more capabilities than the other Crusaders. So they, you know, all sorts of 519 00:27:28,380 --> 00:27:33,840 Matt Bors: things defensive and offensive capabilities. They can clean up toxic waste, you know, they have them 520 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:38,340 Matt Bors: this in one issue because there's certain plants and fungus that'll like 521 00:27:38,380 --> 00:27:43,400 Matt Bors: help like leach toxins out of the soil so they can actually deploy their powers 522 00:27:43,620 --> 00:27:48,660 Matt Bors: to like help clean up toxic waste so I'm just trying I'm trying to think of fun 523 00:27:48,740 --> 00:27:54,300 Matt Bors: fun stuff like that you know I want to I got major disaster can grow these like 524 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:59,700 Matt Bors: wood javelins that he throws at bonehead and the first issue it's fun 525 00:27:59,700 --> 00:28:03,820 Chris Lanphear: I you know 526 00:28:03,820 --> 00:28:05,740 Chris Lanphear: I grew up with these characters, I grew up with this world, 527 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:09,320 Chris Lanphear: but it's so much fun to see new people playing in the sandbox 528 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:10,320 Chris Lanphear: and writing new stories. 529 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,240 Chris Lanphear: And I just want to take a second to thank you 530 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:13,480 Chris Lanphear: for sitting down with me. 531 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:14,960 Chris Lanphear: This has been a lot of fun. 532 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,700 Chris Lanphear: Is there anything else you want to talk about in terms 533 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:20,940 Chris Lanphear: of like-- we've done a lot of teases for the stories to come, 534 00:28:21,420 --> 00:28:22,920 Chris Lanphear: but is there anything else you want to say 535 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:23,860 Chris Lanphear: as we start to wrap up here? 536 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,280 Matt Bors: Just hope people give it a chance and buy it. 537 00:28:27,500 --> 00:28:30,380 Matt Bors: Making comics, comics only go as long as people support them. 538 00:28:30,540 --> 00:28:32,280 Matt Bors: So if you want to see the full run, 539 00:28:32,460 --> 00:28:35,540 Matt Bors: Definitely go buy it from a hoi from your local comic shop 540 00:28:36,100 --> 00:28:37,240 Matt Bors: But you know other than that 541 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,980 Matt Bors: I just am so glad that I got to be able to do this and be here at Comic Con 542 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:47,740 Matt Bors: With Troma team and Lloyd because like I said, it's like it's weird man. It's like it's a comic-con story now for me 543 00:28:47,740 --> 00:28:51,300 Matt Bors: It's like corny, but it's like oh no, that's where I made it happen and I went up to him 544 00:28:51,420 --> 00:28:55,600 Matt Bors: So I feel like you know, I'm gonna come back here next year. We're still gonna be doing toxi 545 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,580 Matt Bors: The comics the movie will have been out and hopefully the movies. Hopefully the movie does well 546 00:29:00,580 --> 00:29:04,160 Matt Bors: I mean, I hope it is good, but all good movies don't do well 547 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:09,360 Matt Bors: I hope it does well too, you know for all of our sakes and just for Toxie and the culture 548 00:29:09,410 --> 00:29:14,200 Chris Lanphear: I think yeah, I think so too. I think you know, the rising tide lifts all boats. You have the movie does well 549 00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:15,020 Chris Lanphear: I 550 00:29:15,180 --> 00:29:17,780 Chris Lanphear: think more people seek out the comics more people will seek out the 551 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:23,680 Chris Lanphear: Originals more people will seek out like the action figures and some of the stuff that's coming like hopefully I mean, you know 552 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:29,220 Chris Lanphear: Fingers crossed guys the limit so Matt Bors. Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me 553 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:37,480 Chris Lanphear: You can pick up your copies of toxic Avenger and toxic Crusaders at your local comic book shop or Amazon.com Barnes & Noble 554 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:44,580 Chris Lanphear: Comics ahoy comm has the breakdowns of each of the series and also Toxie's pinup special. We didn't even 555 00:29:45,740 --> 00:29:50,420 Matt Bors: We didn't even talk about those the the Toxie team ups are out there. There's a lot coming out 556 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:54,160 Matt Bors: Yeah, there's the pinup special and the Toxie's they'll all be collected though in 557 00:29:55,220 --> 00:29:58,000 Matt Bors: In trades so people will be able to get them 558 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,060 Chris Lanphear: Absolutely, well, thanks again for listening. 559 00:30:01,260 --> 00:30:03,360 Chris Lanphear: Thanks to Matt Bors and Ahoy Comics 560 00:30:03,630 --> 00:30:04,920 Chris Lanphear: for sitting down with us. 561 00:30:04,980 --> 00:30:07,260 Chris Lanphear: And until next time, stay Tromatized. 562 00:30:07,310 --> 00:30:08,020 Chris Lanphear: Thanks very much. 563 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:30,940 Announcer: Talkin' Troma with Zack Beins 564 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:32,720 Announcer: is hosted and produced by Zack Beins, 565 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:34,880 Announcer: Chris Lanphear, and Chaz Kangas. 566 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:37,820 Announcer: Our head of research is Dr. Nolan Stolz. 567 00:30:38,340 --> 00:30:40,580 Announcer: The show is recorded at Loudspeaker Studios 568 00:30:40,580 --> 00:30:41,620 Announcer: in Fort Collins, Colorado. 569 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,420 Speaker 5: Executive producers for Loudspeaker are Chris Lanphear 570 00:30:45,620 --> 00:30:46,600 Speaker 5: and Charles Joseph Kelly. 571 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:50,420 Speaker 5: Our theme music is by J57 and Bald Halfwit. 572 00:30:51,020 --> 00:30:53,420 Speaker 5: Talkin' Troma is a listener-supported production 573 00:30:53,660 --> 00:30:57,340 Speaker 5: of Loudspeaker Studios, a nonprofit public radio service. 574 00:30:57,810 --> 00:31:00,620 Speaker 5: To support the show, please consider making a donation 575 00:31:00,750 --> 00:31:02,100 Speaker 5: at loudspeaker.org. 576 00:31:02,700 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 5: Catch new episodes of the show Thursdays 577 00:31:04,990 --> 00:31:08,620 Speaker 5: at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific Streaming 578 00:31:08,620 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 5: at loudspeaker.org and the Loudspeaker mobile app. 579 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 5: Past episodes of the show can be found 580 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 5: at talkintroma.com and you can find us 581 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:18,260 Speaker 5: on social media at TalkinTroma. 582 00:31:19,260 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening and we'll see you in Tromaville. 583 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,120 Announcer: This has been a listener supported production 584 00:31:30,260 --> 00:31:31,540 Announcer: of Loudspeaker Studios. 585 00:31:32,260 --> 00:31:34,180 Announcer: For more on this and other programs, 586 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:36,200 Announcer: visit loudspeaker.org.