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Crayon-eating Marine trope
Crayon-eating Marine trope
Crayon-eating Marine trope
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Marine1169, a U.S. Marine veteran, eating an edible crayon made by Crayons Ready-to-Eat

The crayon-eating Marine is a humorous trope (or meme) associated with the United States Marine Corps, emerging online in the early 2010s. Playing off of a stereotype of Marines as unintelligent, the trope supposes that they frequently eat crayons and drink glue. In an instance of self-deprecating humor, the crayon-eater trope was popularized by Marines through social media and in Maximilian Uriarte's comic strip Terminal Lance. The joke's ubiquity has led to real-life humorous consumption of crayons and has been referenced by the Marine Corps itself in celebration of National Crayon Day. Multiple products have capitalized on the trend, including two lines of edible crayons created by Marine veterans and a coloring book by Uriarte.

Origin and spread

[edit]
Maximilian Uriarte helped popularize the trope through his comic Terminal Lance.

Interservice rivalries in the United States military involve stereotypes for each branch. The primary stereotype for the Marine Corps is one of low intelligence.[1][2] The crayon-eating Marine trope is built around the humorous notion that Marines, owing to this low intelligence, will fail to recognize crayons as inedible and instead eat them.[3] Alex Hollings of The National Interest describes this as "By far ... the most popular way to insult a Marine's intelligence".[2]

Task & Purpose notes a Pinterest post from 2010 that may refer to the idea of Marines and crayons, and a Facebook post from 2012 that uses "I wanna be a crayon eater" as a cadence. The trope became more popular in 2014 and 2015, before going viral in 2016, possibly due to a post on a Facebook page titled "Untied Status Marin Crops", in which two United States Army soldiers prank a Marine with a Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) containing crayons and glue, only for the Marine to promptly eat both and ask for jalapeño cheese sauce.[4] The trope of the crayon-eating Marine subsequently entered widespread use throughout the Corps, popularized through venues including Untied Status Marin Crops and the comic Terminal Lance as a form of self-deprecating humor.[4][5]

Marine Corps video uploaded for National Crayon Day in 2018

On National Crayon Day in 2018, the Marine Corps posted a video to Facebook showing a Marine opening an MRE—ostensibly a gift from the Army—and finding crayons inside, followed by a record scratch and a close-up of his face.[4][6] Another notable take on the trope was a 2019 article in the satirical Duffel Blog, which imagines a crayon-eating competition in which a Marine dies because he was not told he needed to chew the crayons.[1][7]

Heckler & Koch, in a later-deleted February 2019 post humorously referring to their M27 rifles as "Marine-proof", teased Marines as "crayon eaters",[5] which Task & Purpose characterized as both "deliciously viral" and a "silly ploy to troll Marines and get a pat on the head from corporate overlords".[8] A 2021 article in the Marine Corps Gazette, a professional journal, bemoans low graduate degree levels in the Marine Corps as "unflatteringly reinforc[ing] the crayon-eating stereotype for Marines".[9]

Hollings recounts that at an event in the late 2010s, he and a fellow Marine were served crayons as a joke, and that he ate one to cheers from the crowd.[2] Eating crayons has become a humorous tradition for Marines at graduations and Marine Corps balls.[10]

Commercialization

[edit]

In 2018, veteran Frank Manteau and colleague Cassandra Gordon began selling chocolate crayons that are usable for drawing, under the name Crayons Ready-to-Eat. Manteau has said he was inspired by a video of a Marine eating an actual crayon at a Marine Corps ball.[11] After initial sales only in San Diego, California,[11] followed by setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[12] Manteau and Gordon's MILTreats prepared a national launch in February 2021;[3][13] the product was available nationwide by March 2023.[11] The crayons are triangular, to avoid rolling away and to be easily visually distinguished from non-edible ones.[10][14]

Others to commercialize the trope include: veteran Tashina Coronel, who as of August 2020 was selling edible crayons and glue through her confectionery business, Sweets by Okashi;[1] veteran Spencer Garvin, whose Sven Smash Designs has manufactured a "crayon-eater" challenge coin that doubles as a bottle opener;[15] and Icarus Brewing, which sells a beer called Drinking Crayons.[16] In 2023, Maximilian Uriarte of Terminal Lance created a coloring book called Coloring for Marines, based on the trope.[17]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Crayon-eating Marine trope

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The crayon-eating Marine trope is a humorous within U.S. military that playfully depicts as lacking intelligence, to the point of mistaking and consuming crayons as , often in jest alongside glue-eating. This self-deprecating emerged prominently in the mid-2010s through platforms, where it gained traction as part of inter-service rivalries, particularly ribbing from other branches like the . Originating from online jokes around 2015–2016, such as a viral post imagining eagerly eating crayons provided in a by personnel, the trope taps into longstanding perceptions of as rugged but unsophisticated warriors. Despite its derogatory undertones implying simplicity or low intellect, many have embraced it as a of camaraderie and resilience, leading to cultural offshoots like edible "crayon" products created by veterans and even official Marine Corps humor videos in 2018. The joke's popularity peaked around 2019, as evidenced by search trends, but it continues to foster lighthearted banter that reinforces military bonding without reflecting any actual behavior.

Definition and Origins

Core Elements of the Trope

The crayon-eating trope centers on a humorous depicting as intellectually limited, often portrayed through exaggerated, childlike behaviors such as eating crayons or drinking glue to symbolize simplistic or low-intelligence actions. This portrayal contrasts sharply with the minimum requirements of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for Marine enlistment, which include an AFQT score of at least 31, but leverages the image of as prioritizing physical toughness over scholarly pursuits. The trope's comedic intent lies in its absurdity, amplifying a of as "dumb but tough" to elicit while underscoring their resilience in combat roles. A defining feature of the trope is its self-deprecating adoption by themselves, who repurpose the insult as a form of and unity to deflect criticisms from other military branches. By embracing terms like "crayon munchers," transform potential derision into an inside that reinforces their esprit de and highlights their confidence in their identity. This reversal turns the trope into a cultural touchstone within the Marine , promoting morale through shared humor rather than resentment. Visually and narratively, the trope relies on memes, cartoons, and images showing Marines with crayons protruding from their mouths or consuming them casually, often accompanied by captions exaggerating their supposed simplicity. These elements, such as altered photographs or animated sequences referencing crayon consumption, emphasize the trope's playful mockery and are frequently shared in online military communities to invoke instant recognition and amusement. At its core, the trope is intertwined with interservice rivalries in the U.S. , where members of the , , and deploy it to rib for their perceived straightforwardness and lack of sophistication compared to other branches' specialized roles. This banter serves as a harmless outlet for competition, with the crayon-eating motif specifically targeting the Marine emphasis on brute force and endurance over intellectual endeavors.

Historical Roots in Military Stereotypes

The stereotype of the "dumb jarhead" within U.S. culture originated in early 20th-century interservice banter, where were often depicted by sailors and soldiers as less educated or sophisticated compared to other branches emphasizing technical expertise. The nickname "gyrene," emerging around the turn of the century and peaking during , exemplified this rivalry; possibly derived from "" () combined with "," it was used by the to equate with infantrymen, implying a shared lack of status or refinement. This portrayal intensified during , when the term "jarhead" was coined by personnel to mock the high, stiff collar of the Marine Corps dress blue uniform, which made a Marine's head resemble the top of a . The nickname carried connotations of stubbornness and simplicity, drawing parallels to a mule's unthinking endurance in hard labor, contrasting the ' rugged amphibious assault role with the 's naval operations and the Air Force's emerging aviation focus. Interservice humor during campaigns like and Okinawa highlighted these divides, with mutual jabs underscoring the ' image as tough but intellectually unpolished foot soldiers reliant on other branches for support. Central to this evolution was the Marine Corps' embrace of self-deprecating humor as a resilience-building tool amid high-risk deployments, transforming external insults into internal badges of honor that fostered and deflected the stresses of combat service. This cultural mechanism, evident in post-World War II narratives and persisting through later conflicts, laid the groundwork for later amplifications of the by allowing to own and reinterpret jabs about their perceived intellectual shortcomings.

Popularization and Spread

Emergence in Online Culture

The crayon-eating Marine trope first emerged in online spaces around 2010, with one of the earliest known references appearing as a post depicting a birthday cake shaped like a Marine eating crayons, symbolizing the humorous of low within the . This image quickly resonated in online communities, laying the groundwork for the trope's . By 2012, the gained further traction through a video featuring a mock cadence chant proclaiming "I want to be a crayon eater," which parodied recruit while implying simplistic or unintelligent behavior. These initial instances reflected broader of as rugged but intellectually limited, often used in interservice banter. The trope's popularization accelerated through Maximilian Uriarte's series, which debuted in 2010 and specialized in self-deprecating humor about Marine Corps life. Although the specific crayon-eating jokes did not appear immediately, the comic's irreverent portrayal of Marine culture provided a platform for such tropes to integrate by the mid-2010s, amplifying their appeal among service members and veterans. Uriarte, a former Marine, noted that the joke itself was not prevalent when he left in 2010 but became a staple in online Marine humor shortly thereafter. From 2012 to 2015, the meme proliferated across platforms including , , and (now X), fueled by such as image macros and videos that depicted consuming crayons in absurd scenarios. This period saw heightened activity in interservice "comment wars," where members of the , , and posted derogatory memes targeting , often contrasting their own branches' supposed sophistication with the crayon-eating gag. Examples included satirical posts on groups like Untied Status Marin Crops, which by 2015 had turned the insult into a viral punchline with thousands of shares. By the mid-2010s, the trope transitioned from an external derogatory to an embraced in-group , as began reclaiming it through ironic posts and merchandise ideas that flipped the narrative into a badge of tough, unpretentious pride. This shift was evident in self-mocking content on Reddit's r/USMC and threads, where veterans shared stories of playfully eating crayons at gatherings to diffuse the .

Viral Moments and Media Coverage

The crayon-eating Marine trope gained significant traction in through a viral meme posted on the page "Untied Status Marin Crops," depicting an offering crayons to a Marine as if they were rations, which the Marine enthusiastically "eats." This post, shared widely within online communities, marked a turning point in the trope's popularity and inspired trends such as #CrayonEater on platforms. In 2018, the U.S. Marine Corps officially embraced the humor with a lighthearted video released on National Crayon Day, showing recruits at boot camp humorously pretending to devour crayons while a references the inter-service rivalry. The short clip, posted on the Corps' official page, received widespread shares and views among audiences, further embedding the trope in . Satirical outlets amplified the trope's visibility in subsequent years; for instance, Duffel Blog published an article in imagining a chaotic Marine crayon-eating that spirals out of control, poking fun at the stereotype's absurdity. Similarly, Task & Purpose's 2023 investigative feature delved into the joke's history, tracing its evolution from niche memes to a staple of banter and highlighting its in fostering camaraderie. A notable real-world moment occurred in 2021 when podcaster and Marine veteran Alex Hollings publicly ate a during a press event at in , where it was served as a prank to him and another Marine, eliciting cheers from the audience and generating buzz in defense media circles. Hollings later recounted the incident in an article, noting how it exemplified the trope's playful embrace within communities.

Cultural Impact

Adoption Within the Marine Corps

In the late , the crayon-eating trope began to integrate into Marine Corps traditions as a form of self-deprecating humor. This adoption reflected the Corps' embrace of the to highlight resilience and camaraderie amid inter-service rivalries. Official Marine Corps communications further promoted the trope to engage younger audiences, exemplified by a 2018 social media video released for National Crayon Day, in which a humorously consumed a crayon as a nod to the . The trope's role in fostering unit cohesion was underscored through shared self-mockery, allowing Marines to bond over the playful insult while reinforcing internal solidarity. Among veteran communities, the joke persisted as a symbol of camaraderie, frequently referenced to evoke shared service experiences and strengthen post-service networks.

Broader Reception and Criticisms

Within military communities, the crayon-eating Marine trope has been positively received as a lighthearted element of inter-service banter that promotes camaraderie and psychological resilience. By embracing the self-deprecating humor, Marines demonstrate adaptability and toughness, turning potential insults into badges of honor that strengthen unit cohesion. For example, at the 2019 SHOT Show, a Marine publicly ate a crayon, earning applause from the crowd. This perspective aligns with broader analyses of military humor's role in coping with the stresses of service, where such memes help normalize adversity and foster a sense of shared identity. Criticisms of the trope, however, center on its reinforcement of damaging portraying as intellectually inferior, which may hinder efforts and the Corps' educational initiatives. A 2021 article in the Marine Corps Gazette highlighted low graduate degree attainment rates among (2.4% compared to the Department of Defense average of 8.3%) and how the "crayon-eating" stereotype perpetuates negative perceptions, potentially deterring high-caliber candidates and undermining efforts for a more intellectually diverse force. The article criticizes self-deprecating humor as a barrier to educational investment and . In wider cultural discourse, the trope exemplifies the evolution of memes from niche rivalries into mainstream symbols of absurdity and defiance. Originating in early online forums, it has grown to represent the playful yet pointed dynamics of armed forces culture, often analyzed as a case study in how digital humor adapts and persists across platforms. While internal adoption has integrated it into morale-boosting activities, external critiques emphasize the need for balanced representation to support amid evolving societal expectations.

Commercialization and Merchandise

Edible Products and Foods

In 2018, Marine Corps Frank Manteau, along with co-founder Cassandra Gordon, launched Crayons Ready-to-Eat, a line of chocolate-based edible crayons designed to playfully embrace the crayon-eating Marine trope. These products consist of writable, colorable sticks in flavors like and , molded to resemble traditional crayons and packaged in military-style rations. By 2023, the venture had expanded nationwide under MilTreats Inc., incorporating Marine-themed packaging such as "MRE-style" pouches featuring colors named after service branches, like Jarhead Red and Blue. Building on this humorous nod to military stereotypes, Tashina Coronel, another Marine Corps veteran and owner of Okashi Sweets, introduced crayons and glue in 2020 as "Marine-approved" snacks. Marketed through her brand Okashi by Shina—meaning "sweets by Shina" in Japanese—these confections include crayons in various colors and an glue made from cream, packaged in sets mimicking supplies to appeal to the trope's audience. The products emphasize fun, veteran-owned entrepreneurship, with Coronel highlighting their appeal for service members seeking lighthearted treats. In 2019, Icarus Brewing Company released Drinking Crayons, a novelty hazy Imperial IPA brewed in Lakewood, New Jersey, directly inspired by the trope's playful imagery. This 7.9% ABV ale features crayon-like labels with childlike, dripping fonts and vibrant colors, evoking the meme's theme of Marines consuming crayons. The beer has been sold at military events and craft beer outlets, gaining popularity among service members for its thematic tie-in and juicy flavor profile of tangerine, pineapple, and tropical notes.

Other Commercial Ventures

Beyond edible products, the crayon-eating Marine trope has inspired a range of non-consumable merchandise, including apparel, accessories, and collectibles targeted at veterans and military enthusiasts. T-shirts, mugs, and stickers featuring slogans such as "Crayon Eater" or variations like "I'm a Marine... I Eat Crayons" have been available on platforms like and military surplus stores since at least 2017, often produced by independent sellers catering to the USMC community. These items typically incorporate humorous of with crayons, emphasizing self-deprecating pride in the trope, and are priced affordably to appeal to active-duty personnel and alumni. Challenge coins, a longstanding , have also capitalized on the through custom designs. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Spencer Garvin, owner of Sven Smash Designs, offers a crayon-themed that doubles as a bottle opener, engraved with trope-related imagery and widely sought after at Marine Corps events and online for $25 to $40 each as of 2025. These coins serve as collectible of camaraderie, blending the trope's humor with the coin's symbolic role in unit morale. Print media has further extended the commercial reach. In 2023, Maximilian Uriarte, creator of the Terminal Lance comic series, released the coloring book Coloring for , which includes illustrations inspired by the crayon-eating trope, such as interacting with crayons in satirical scenarios. Sold through Uriarte's official comic site and retailers like Amazon for around $7, the book playfully nods to the while providing activity-based entertainment for the Marine audience. While third-party vendors have achieved success in veteran-oriented markets with trope-themed gear, official US Marine Corps licensing for such items is managed through the Trademark Licensing Office.

References

  1. https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/marines-eat-crayons-joke-history/
  2. https://www.usamm.com/blogs/news/marines-and-crayons
  3. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2020/08/05/someone-finally-made-edible-crayons-for-marines/
  4. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/do-us-marines-eat-crayons-joke-wont-go-away-209368
  5. https://www.marines.com/become-a-marine/requirements/general.html
  6. https://www.dumbbellsandhotels.com/blogs/effective-dumbbell-workout-plans-for-hotel-rooms/usmc-crayons-understanding-the-inside-joke-among-marines
  7. https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-culture/the-origins-and-meanings-of-the-terms-used-to-insult-marines/
  8. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2023/11/07/how-marines-got-the-nickname-jarheads/
  9. https://www.deseret.com/1996/3/10/19229860/are-u-s-marines-stubborn-as-a-jarhead/
  10. https://www.historynet.com/eugene-sledge-army-marine-rivalry/
  11. https://www.facebook.com/marines/videos/national-crayon-day/10155122317185194/
  12. https://www.duffelblog.com/marine-crayon-eating-competition-goes-horribly-wrong/
  13. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/whats-crayons-why-us-marines-take-lot-heat-181828
  14. https://www.nsin.us/why-do-marines-eat-crayons/
  15. https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/do-u-s-marines-really-eat-crayons/
  16. https://www.mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Permanent-Military-Professor-Program.pdf
  17. https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2021/02/26/crayon-eating-marine-launches-edible-crayon-business/
  18. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2023/08/30/cheers-marines-theres-a-craft-crayon-beer/
  19. https://www.etsy.com/market/usmc_crayon_eat
  20. https://www.amazon.com/marine-crayon-shirt/s?k=marine%2Bcrayon%2Bshirt
  21. https://www.etsy.com/market/marines_crayons_shirt
  22. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2023/10/02/this-marine-is-taking-challenge-coins-to-new-heights-crayons-included/
  23. https://svensmash.com/
  24. https://www.amazon.com/Coloring-Marines-Terminal-Maximilian-Uriarte/dp/B0CGL336LF
  25. https://www.military.com/off-duty/books/2023/09/05/green-weenie-can-be-whatever-color-you-want-new-terminal-lance-coloring-book.html
  26. https://www.trademark.marines.mil/
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