CONEY ISLAND ANIMAL CANNIBAL

by Kevin Walsh

Most Animal Cannibal signs (a designation created by me: the art must feature an animal chowing down or preparing to eat meat from its own species) involve pigs; however, the pigs in Animal Cannibal ads are usually seen holding strings of sausages, perhaps wearing chef hats, without actually preparing to bring teeth down upon the bone and sinew.

Not so with this outstanding example of the genre on Surf Avenue across from Nathan’s, in which a slavering swine is poised to chomp down on some ribs, perhaps eviscerated from a member of its own family, while a crab or lobster friend drapes an conspiratorial claw over its shoulder, or whatever the Sus scrofa equivalent of a shoulder is.

It’s also my overwhelming opinion that if you consulted the artist of an Animal Cannibal piece and questioned the depiction of cannibalism, he or she would stare at you as if you had lost your mind.

 

7 comments

mlliu February 24, 2012 - 3:39 pm

I believe there is an entire blog that collects images of such “suicide food,” though “animal cannibal” does trip off the tongue.

Reply
KevinJWalsh February 24, 2012 - 4:55 pm

And this hog has hands not hooves!

Reply
Joralemonade February 24, 2012 - 5:01 pm

But you’re absolutely correct!

The human equivalent of this would be a smiling cheery, upbeat Edward G. Robinson, enthusiastically holding up a bag of Soylent Green:

“Tastes great…just like Grandma used to make…or, just like Grandma!”

Reply
Jimmy February 24, 2012 - 6:12 pm

Maybe the pig is eating a rack of human ribs! It also looks like the crab has better teeth for the job.
There’s demolition going on at the Carl Ehmer “porky” mural on Fresh Pond Road, I wonder if that one will survive.

Reply
A Kato February 24, 2012 - 6:16 pm

To paraphrase an old “Far Side”: It tastes good and it’s nobody we know.

Reply
Asher February 26, 2012 - 6:10 am

“You eat what you are.”

Reply
Jonathan Baker August 31, 2023 - 8:44 am

Grokking in fullness.

Reply

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