Animal Pound #4: The Downfall of Society

Animal Pound #4 picks up after Piggy devoured a rabbit, throwing the rest of the pound into chaos. In a dramatic turn of events, the entire power dynamic within the pound shifts. Where there was once peace, chaos exists, and where there was once friendships, animosity begins to form. All the while, those who remember the peace that once existed try to prevent further tyranny, but self interests and long harbored resentment has taken its toll and the times are changing.

One of the clear political positions that this book comments on is how easily people fall for the lie of quick and simple happiness when it is presented by a figure of wealth and stature. Piggy clearly represents the Ronald Reagan/Donald Trump type, using his status as the most popular dog to enforce his rules and amass his power. Tom King clearly is aware of the trappings of this, showing how easily Piggy is able to sway the animals that once would have been vehemently against him. The political commentary here is obvious, and King knows that, but the way it is displayed here is truly a reflection of how a lot of the world feels when these charismatic leaders take shape, especially as their power takes a violent turn.

Yes, with the power shifting, so does the violence within the pound. As displayed at the end of the previous issue, Piggy mercilessly slaughters a rabbit, proclaiming that he is standing for the rights of animals that have been too afraid to voice their opinions. Again, much like the real world, this is an example of the vocal right-wingers whose slight feelings of a disadvantage in the world lead them to strike out at minorities and those of less privilege. Piggy shows this as a way to “thin the herd,” as he is upset that the rabbits easily can repopulate and grow their numbers, which eventually would edge him out in a vote. This, once again, is a right-wing tactic, where laws and policies get put into place that make it harder for minorities and those with less privilege to participate in things such as voting or being able to get basic human necessities.

A clear star in this series is Peter Gross who goes to great lengths to show all different kinds of cats, dogs, and rabbits. Each of these animals also get their own power dynamic, with Gross often showing the rabbits on a lower level than the dogs or cats, a constant reminder of where there social status is amongst the others. Even moments of anger and frustration are displayed beautifully, with Gross using realistic movements for the animals rather than further anthropomorphizing them. Gross is at the top of his game here and elevates this book considerably with his art.