Judge — December 8, 1928 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This cartoon satirizes an attempted robbery of Abercrombie & Fitch, the upscale sporting goods retailer. The humor lies in depicting the would-be gunman as a pathetic figure literally trying to rob a store filled with weapons, hunting equipment, and fishing gear—exactly the merchandise of an arms dealer. The cartoon shows the gunman surrounded by well-dressed customers and store fixtures, while sporting equipment (nets, fishing rods) litter the scene. The implicit joke: attempting to rob a gun shop with a gun is absurd, as the store is better armed than the robber. The "pitiful figures" title reinforces this mockery of the criminal's ineptitude. The cartoon likely dates to an era when Abercrombie & Fitch was primarily known for sporting and hunting goods rather than casual fashion.