STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Artist Joseph Reginella wants to be the Stan Lee of Staten Island -- creating an alternate reality like the legendary comic book writer.

“In my universe, the wolves migrate underground and have been living under the tunnels for decades,” the Silver Lake resident said of his latest monument, “The Ed Koch Wolf Foundation.”

“They come out at night to feed in the parks. This is a warning to tourists.”

The 200-pound piece of art, which Reginella periodically displays in Battery Park, depicts three wolves attacking a man, who is lying on the ground with a camera around his neck. Underneath it is a plaque that reads: “Dedicated to the many tourists that go missing every year in New York City. And a reminder as to why the parks close at dusk. Erected by the Ed Koch Wolf Foundation and the NYC Fellowship.”

Strangely enough, the inspiration for phony tragedy depicted in the artwork is based in reality. Then-Mayor Edward Koch once joked during an interview that he wanted to use wild wolves to deter graffiti artists from entering train yards. Reginella came across the comments while doing research, and nine months later, “The Ed Koch Wolf Foundation" was born.

Joe Reginella created his piece, Ed Koch Wolf Foundation, and debuted it in Battery Park. (Staten Island Advance/Rebeka Humbrecht)

🎨The artist responsible for creating a monument honoring the fictional Staten Island Ferry octopus attack introduces a new project this month in Battery Park titled “The Ed Koch Wolf Foundation.” Here’s a look inside the Staten Island studio of Joseph Reginella. Posted by Staten Island Advance on Thursday, October 17, 2019

When it’s on display, the monument turns heads and generates chuckles and puzzled looks from tourists.

This isn’t the first time Reginella has resorted to such outlandish creativity with his artwork.

His “Staten Island Ferry Disaster” sculpture made its Battery Park debut in 2016. The monument depicted a ferryboat in the grasp of a giant octopus. Brochures, a website and a documentary dedicated to the fictional event -- all conceptualized by Reginella -- stated that the attack occurred across from Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Nov. 22, 1963. The stunt led tourists to make the trip to Staten Island to visit the reputed site of the forgotten tragedy.

In addition, he has created sculptures dedicated to other fictional events like the Brooklyn Bridge Elephant Stampede and the UFO tugboat abduction.

Before creating monuments to events that never were, Reginella spent decades crafting action figures called “Toxic Teddies" -- dysfunctional bears that were "cute but slightly demented.” Some of the bears held bloody chainsaws, spray paint cans or drug paraphernalia.

“At the end of the day, I want to make some money and make people laugh,” he said. “Life is too serious and there is definitely a comedy aspect to all my pieces.”

While Reginella said he is down for a joke, he resents being called a “prankster" or a parody artist.

"There’s a lot of effort that goes into this rather than just a practical joke,” he said. “All of these piece cost thousands of dollars to make. I wouldn’t go through that for just a joke.”

When they are not on display, Reginella’s artwork is kept in his studio, which he refers to as “a museum dedicated to events that never happened.” In the winter months, he said his work can be found on display in the window of Hypno-Tronic Comics, located at 156 Stuyvesant Pl.

Reginella has built a team to market his ideas with short films and merchandise like T-shirts and small-scale sculptures. To learn more about his work, visit nycurbanlegends.com.

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." Pictured is wall art the artist made in high school. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." Pictured is Reginella's previous project, Toxic Teddies action figures. (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)

Inside the studio of Joseph Reginella, the creator of the "Staten Island Ferry Octopus Attack" sculpture that went viral in 2016. For three years, the artist has created a new piece based on a fiction New York City based story. The "Ed Koch Wolf Monument" is his latest creation, honoring the "rise of wolf attacks on tourists in New York City." (Staten Island Advance/ Victoria Priola)