Judge, 1908-11-07 · page 16 of 16
Judge — November 7, 1908 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous six-panel comic strip from Judge magazine (copyright 1900) featuring a recurring character, Little Johnny, and anthropomorphic "Teddy Bears" (likely named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose popularity made teddy bears a cultural phenomenon around 1900). The plot: Johnny studies art and sketches a grazing cow. The Teddy Bears admire his work enthusiastically. A bull arrives, sees the portrait of a cow, and becomes delighted—apparently recognizing his mate. However, when the cow herself sees her portrait, she's outraged and destroys it, much to the bull's amusement. The joke relies on slapstick animal humor typical of early 1900s comics: the irony that while the male bull finds the portrait charming, the female subject rejects it. This plays on period attitudes about vanity and gender roles, presented through silly animal antics for lighthearted effect.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Auge LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TEDDY BEARS. JOHN UNDERTAKES TO STUDY ART, AND MAKES A HIT RIGHT FROM THE START. 1. John, having studied the antique, 2. But while he paints, and while the Bears solves some living form to seek. Watch with admiring words and stares, He finds a peaceful cow a-grazii Old Mr. Bull, with bellowing snout, And starts this masterpiece amazing. ‘Comes down to see what they're aout, 4. Then all the Teds, and Johnny boy, Watch the enthusiastic joy | ‘That steals across his bullship’s face, Seeing his lady's pictured grace ut when her portrait she doth see— he cause of all her spouse's glee— She butts that picture into bits, Which gives Pa Bull delighted fits. COPYRIGHT, 190, BY JUDCE COMPANY, FUBLISIEKS, FIFTH AVENUE AND MADISON SQUARE, NEW YORK. The First Series of the adventures of “Little Johnny ai by book dealers everywhere, or sent postpald upo: he Teddy Bears ow ready In handsome book form. Price, 60 cents. For sale ipt of price by Jud % ‘Company, Fifth Avenue and Madison Square. New Yor! comicbooks.com