Judge — September 24, 1927 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Judge Magazine Cover Analysis This September 24, 1927 Judge cover features "Plane Jane," a pun-based illustration of a female aviator. The woman is depicted in flying gear (leather jacket, helmet, goggles) posed dramatically with an aircraft marked "NZ5." The humor relies on wordplay: "Plane Jane" riffs on the common phrase "plain Jane" (an ordinary-looking woman), but substitutes "plane" to reference aviation. This satirizes the era's fascination with aviation as a modern novelty, while the female pilot represents the emerging "New Woman" of the 1920s—independent, adventurous, and challenging traditional gender roles. The illustration's art deco style and the magazine's 15-cent price reflect the Jazz Age aesthetic. The specific aviator referenced remains unclear from available text.