Wine and Comic Pairing: TOXIC AVENGER and 2022 DELAWARE
A very American, New York wine for a very American, New Yawk comic.
TOXIC AVENGER is one of the OG cult classic films. Ultra-low-budget, crafted in poor taste but high-minded messaging, scrappy, gross, in-your-face, and instantly beloved by a small slice of the populace. The film put its production company - Troma Studios - and its producer, Lloyd Kaufman, the bargain bin Stan Lee of filmmakers, on the map.
You can listen to our podcast episode of the original movie with special guest and fellow Substacker, Fred Harper, along with our drink pairings of choice, here:
Fred chose to talk about the movie on our pod because he had in the works a brand new Toxic Avenger comic, written by another fellow Substacker, Matt Bors, with Fred handling art duties. At the time, the comic was still in the pre-order phase. But as of last week, the full 5-issue series is now complete. So I dove in, and folks, folks...
This is the best Toxic Avenger there has ever been.
An Environmental Hero For Our Grotesque Times
The original Toxic Avenger was already a cautionary tale about humanity's carelessness with the environment, but writer Matt Bors - a political cartoonist in his own right - makes the character and his origin story more relevant than ever.
The dark side of social media is on full display here:
As well as an authentically hilarious (and terrifyingly accurate) send-up of corporate speak:
A small town (Tromaville, New Jersey) undergoes a quarantine (an "Environmental Safety Perimeter") when a train derails and dumps oodles of toxic sludge into the ground and even all over some of the population (an "Adverse Discharge Event".) One of those directly effected is proverbial 98-pound-weakling, Melvin, who is transformed into a muscular, deformed monstrosity in a tutu that is soon christened "The Toxic Avenger".
Here to clean up Tromaville, discover the truth about the quarantine - and it's a doozy! And honestly unexpected! - Melvin has his work cut out for him.
The storytelling is beautifully paced, the tone dances on that razor’s edge of satire and serious with a skill that showcase what an old hand Bors is at this kind of writing (he also pens the political-satire/action comic, JUSTICE WARRIORS.) I've never felt the characters in a Toxic Avenger story to be this authentic, the action this intense, while at the same time the humor this cutting and on point.
Now we MUST talk about Fred Harper's art, because MY. GOD.
Sitting somewhere between the great Richard Corben and Doug Mahnke (with maybe a crumb of Crumb in there, too!) Fred has whipped out the best looking, most outrageous, most hardcover-and-coffee-table worthy rendition of Toxie that likely will ever be.
His covers alone are worth the price of admission:
His action set pieces are enthralling:
His visual storytelling steeped in the best that the comics medium can do vs. any other:
His heroes seem real, while his villains are properly political satire caricatures.
There's no need to have seen any of the Toxic Avenger films, or read any other adaptation or spin-off. This is a brand new take on the character, a brand new origin story. There is already more on it's way including this insane Toxic Avenger / Jesus team-up coming in June!!
I cannot recommend this comic enough. The trade paperback collection of this series is now up for preorder, dropping in April!
But what wine to pair with this?
A Very American, New York Wine For a Very American, New Yawk Comic
When we covered the Toxic Avenger movie on the podcast, we paired it with a cloudy natural white, and a crisp Picpoul de Pinet.
Combine those two things, and make it weirder, and you get today's perfect pairing:
DEAR NATIVE GRAPES, 2022 DELAWARE
Dear Native Grapes, (the comma is part of the name!) is a vineyard and winery in the Catskill Mountains, New York, run by Deanna Urciuoli & Alfie Alcántara.
From the website:
dear native grapes, is primarily focused on:
Pre-Prohibition varieties once widely planted across the U.S. like Delaware, Catawba and Isabella. We’re also working to find and propagate nearly-extinct heirloom varieties from New York’s Hudson Valley region.
Contemporary hybrid varieties cultivated to survive harsh winters and ripen in short growing seasons. Minnesota wine grapes like Frontenac, Marquette and Itasca hold the keys to regenerative winegrowing in America.
Experimental varieties from little-known North American native grape species like vitis aestivalis. We are working with grape breeders across the country who have dedicated their lives to exploring the untapped potential of America’s native grapes.
Toxic Avenger is the brainchild of New Yawker, Lloyd Kaufman, from his NY company Troma Entertainment. The story takes place in Tromaville, New Jersey, and the new comic reimagines the character under the lens of American politics, corporate practices, and our inability to tackle climate issues of the day. It’s PERFECT for a wine coming from New York grapes, native to New York, reflecting the unique terroir and local flavors (both grapes and yeasts!)
The 2022 Delware is made from a nearly extinct American grape that was once the crown jewel of American wine, but was forgotten post-Prohibition.
A captivating wine, this skin-contact Delaware has notes of cinnamon and plums. Made with organic grapes farmed by our friends at Buzzard Crest Vineyards and crushed at our farm in the Catskills. Wild-fermented, and aged in American oak for 1.5 years.
Its origins trace back 200 years to a garden in New Jersey. In the 1850s, it was propelled to nationwide popularity for the quality of its wine. In the 1920s, Prohibition wiped out most commercial winegrowing in the country, and Delaware faded into obscurity. Today, only a few scattered plantings remain.
We believe Delaware should grace our dinner tables once more.
This is a proper red wine, though the color is somewhere between red, amber, and rose - a muddlement of all three.
The description on the bottle's back label is spot on - and I personally also taste the cinnamon and cherry prominently, plus the pomegranate and black tea. It's a bit like a cinnamon cherry apple cider on the palate, though the texture marks it as very much a wine: the tannins are surprisingly rustic and prominent, and the alcohol is low - 11.2% - but cuts through clearly, lending weight, sharpness, and a hint of sweetness.
It's an eye-opening, different, yet easy to enjoy wine. Much like the Toxic Avenger franchise itself!
It also doesn't hurt that the wine looks a bit brackish, like dirty water - visually on theme! This is a very American comic about very American politics and woes and heroism, paired with a uniquely American wine that matches these elements and pairs in terms of flavor profile and intensity.
You can purchase Dear Native Grapes, wines HERE.
And if you can't place an order from wherever you're based or they sell out?
These are some great back-up pairings that come close to the qualities of the 2022 Delaware:
Trousseau
Pinot Meunier (red wine version, not sparkling!)
Cabernet Pfeffer
I just tried my first Trousseau this week, too, and almost paired it with this comic until I tried the Delaware. You can see from the below pic, it's quite similar in appearance! Though the Trousseau is lower in tannins, lower in acidity, it's far gentler of a sip all around. But similar in its lighter profile, soft red fruit, though this Trousseau also had some blue fruit going on as well.
Vicky Hampton recently wrote a great piece on Trousseau in general, so give it a read if you're curious! Or seek out the Meunier or Pfeffer - all of these are somewhat rare grapes, but all have that higher acidity, lighter body, red fruit, and a complex combo of spice and florals.
Behind the Scenes!
Dave, I didn’t realize there was a TA comic. I always loved the movie since I watched it in college but I first came to it watching the early 90’s cartoon series when I was a kid.
Thanks so much for the post Dave! I really appreciate all your support you’ve given our project! I also appreciate the wine tips!🤪