Judge, 1923-08-11 · page 12 of 36
Judge — August 11, 1923 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Fortuitous Banana Peel, or the Birth of an Idea" This comic strip satirizes the commonplace origin of creative inspiration. The sequential panels show a man slipping on a banana peel—a slapstick accident—which triggers ideas (depicted by the spinning motion and light bulb imagery). The title suggests that mundane, ridiculous mishaps can accidentally spark inventions or solutions. The surrounding "Hank Says" section offers brief, disconnected jokes typical of Judge magazine's humor: complaints about fancy car features, marriage advice, complaints about summer stores lacking novelties, and wordplay (a fly "concentrating" is actually searching for lost spectacles). The content reflects early 20th-century American middle-class concerns and casual social commentary—nothing particularly political. It's genteel domestic humor targeting educated readers, relying on observational comedy about everyday life rather than satirizing specific events or figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Fortuitous Banana Peel, or the Birth of an Idea. Hank Says Is looking at one of those high-priced sedans to-day cigar lighter, a for flowers, se for women fact it seemed to be fitted out i respect, except it didn’t have a file for the owner's unpaid bills. Ep Perkins says a young man shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to marry; he says if you get the right girl it will have paid you for waiting, and if you don’t, you will have long enough to live with her. One of the summer boarders tried to get a tooth brush down to the store the other day, but Sam Jones, the proprietor, said he was sorry, but he hadn't got in his summer novelties yet. Professor in Botany—Will some one please explain why the common house- fly will often sit for some time seemingly in—ah—concentration? Optician’s Son—Probably the blame thing’s trying to remember where she left her last specks. ott Husband (returning from a day at golf) 1a perfect day! Then there’s nothing more to say, is there? 10 Phoebe—Did you make any friends in New York, Celia? Celia—No, but ever so many strange men spoke to me! “That must be the freedom of the city T have read so much about!” Pl A pessimist is a knocker on the door of life. Ral Katherine (reading the menu brought home by her father from the banquet) — Half-broiled chicken! Goodness! Why do they half cook the chicken? tat A song about such a fruit was bound to make them fall, anyway. comicbooks.com