Judge, 1928-05-19 · page 25 of 36
Judge — May 19, 1928 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge magazine cartoon mocks how American natural scenery has been overwhelmed by advertising and commercialism. The illustration shows a train journey through mountains and forests, but the "scenic wonders" are actually billboards for consumer products: Horlick's Malted Milk, Kelly Tires, Coca-Cola, Campbell's Soup, Weed Cigars, Mothpill's Sea-sickness Remedy, Lucky Strikes, and Camels cigarettes. The satire's point: America's "beautiful" landscape is now indistinguishable from a magazine full of advertisements. The text even suggests that instead of traveling to see nature, readers might as well stay home and flip through magazine ads—the view is identical. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about mass commercialization overtaking authentic natural experience and national identity. The ironic tagline "Try and See America First!" suggests such tourism is now impossible.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
POKACHSIS RG Fue, SCENIC GRANDEUR OUNTAINS .... forests 2. . orange . . . the scenic wonders of America are yours! groves... lakes... fields of clover Plan your trip now. See your own wondrous + grazing cows... wooden cows adver- scenic America! tising Horlick’s Malted Milk. Kelly ‘Tires ris- However, if you can’t spare the money, or ing out of the mist! Colorful Coca-Cola spread train riding makes you sick, buy a magazine across the open fields! ‘To the North lies Campbell's Soup . tothe Kast Weed Cigars: among the far-flung hills you glimpse Mothpill’s Sea- sick Remedy . . . to the right the bright flaming colors of Lucky Strikes... to the left the heroic splendor of Camels and look through the ads! The view is just the same. A trip through the scenié won- FOSSIL TIRES Si MaKe ders of this grand glorious land for fifteen or twenty- five cents! No soot or cinders, hone of the inconveniences of travel. Stay home and see Americn first! Beautiful America “Try and See America First!” comicbooks.com