Judge, 1908-11-14 · page 10 of 16
Judge — November 14, 1908 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1904 *Judge* comic strip satirizes real estate fraud and con artists preying on wealthy but naive speculators. "Nervy Nat," a wealthy Western investor with "half a million in Western gold," is targeted by a slick salesman ("Steve") hawking worthless land plots at inflated prices. The salesman uses high-pressure tactics—claiming exclusivity, mentioning a "gendarme at the switch" (suggesting legitimacy)—to separate Nat from his money. The satire mocks both the gullible buyer and the smooth-talking hustler. By the final panels, Nat discovers the fraud but escapes via motorcycle while the salesman pursues him, suggesting the con's exposure. The strip reflects the early 1900s land-boom era when speculators rushed to invest in undeveloped property, making them easy marks for unscrupulous promoters.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Yj) = <. = i LU, 1. Nervy Nat—* 1 like muchly the ger 2 Salman Now, you see, we have several plots at varying prices thing is fre brick. Th. ‘The’ ves te ia . and here is an opportunity to take on a utfs and plebeian Nervy Nat—*‘That's all right, Steve. You see, I've got a half million in heer, Nat, yet your ‘con talk’ ready ; the sharks have taken notice of Western gold to spend in Eastern dirt ; so the best—the dirt de luxe, you might you. " say—is none too good for muh. * uur deck steward to chase up some more of these tongue sandwiches—they’re al joy wagon and look over the landscape. 0 the pazazoo. ‘Then we'll take your _~ Pavan] _ a 4. Salesman bank here and nour ve were so near a bank—and there's ess—a nameless feeliny—creeps o'er idn't know the finest collection a gendarme switch. A certain uneas Il take 1,000 acres me. [fai Jd be in other locations. ional Sand ‘Bank for of rocks I've ever s right here. Will give ye $50,000 down."* | 5. Nervy Nat— While the showfer has gone for assistance and the sucker 6. Nervy Nat—*Oh, Mr. Salesman, you know I bought that propert has gone to the bank, yours truly thinks he will be gone over this wall. ‘This speculation And now that the boom has come you may sell at the best price | cussed machine is soused to the hat, but ‘tis me only hope of escape.” All right, Mr. Cop; VI b 5.30. I'm just going up to Mars to see if L can sell a mug a second Have the brougham ready for me at that time, sharp. Seeski?"” NO. 67—NERVY NAT ALMOST BUYS SOME REAL ESTATE. renin, 1904, wy 3 PUBLISHERS, 225 PCPTH AVENUR. NEW YORK. NOTE. The First Sert Adventures ts n ordered by mall. handsomely bound In book form. Price, 75 cen\ fas JUDGE COMPANY, 225 Filth Avenue, New York. comicbooks.com