Judge, 1930-11-08 · page 13 of 36
Judge — November 8, 1930 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This 1950 page satirizes post-war American consumer culture and commercial competition. **Top cartoon:** A grandfather claims his "decorations" from World War I are actually bargain purchases won through the fierce **Macy's-Gimbel's price war**—a real department store rivalry. The joke mocks how consumerism has replaced authentic war heroism; his "medals" are discounted vases, bridge tables, and curtains he chased between stores 46 times. It satirizes Americans' obsession with shopping deals over genuine accomplishment. **Bottom left:** A vagabond threatens eviction, mocking urban poverty amid post-war prosperity. **Bottom right:** "The Gridiron Influence" presents a football coach delivering a halftime speech mimicking a radio broadcast director—replacing athletic inspiration with showmanship for home audiences. It critiques how media performance overshadows actual competition. **Overall theme:** The page mocks 1950s American materialism, corporate rivalry, and the media's influence on authentic values and competition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
In 1950 “(\panpratuer, what did you do in the Great War?” “Oh, child, these poor old legs of mine!” “Grandfather, I'll get you a chair. Was it terrible?” “Terrible is no name for it. I nearly lost my life. The human race isn’t pretty to watch at a time like that, child. Indeed, it’s not. No, it’s not. Well, anyway, I got my decorations.” “Ooh, Goody, Grandfather. What kind of decorations? Where are they?” “Well, I got those Venetian glass vases for only five- ninety-seven, at Gimbel’s. Macy’s was selling them for six-fifty. Then I got the steel bridge table at Macy's for three-sixty-two. Gimbel’s was selling them for fuur- twenty-seven. The set of de Maupassant I got for eight cents a volume, and the rose- colored garbage pails were only ninety-nine cents. But the biggest prize in the whole Macy-Gimbel price war were those new living room cur- tains. Just look at them; weren’t they beauties? They went from twelve dollars down to eighty-six cents a curtain, and I ran back and forth between the two stores forty-six times before I final- ly bought ’em.” —P. S. “Begone, sir, or I'll set the dog on you!” The man wha took a five-year lease in the Chrysler Building. The Gridiron Influence ou Fettas have had ten minutes of. good rest. When you go out there the next time, you've got to do some real playing. Get me? This first half was a cinch. The next one isn’t going to be. You're going to need everything you can-rake up! “Minestrone, you've got to stick right with the gang! No stalling and taking time out! And Schultz, watch. those trick runs. You let a couple of ’em get by you last time. O'Meara, you're going to get the gate if you try any grand- standing, see? And I want you to keep one eye on me every minute. No more off- side playing? I'll signal you when you're to do your stuff, and I’m expecting you to do it without falling on your face! “TI guess that’s about all, fellas. Stay together every second and watch your wind. It’s going to be a long, hard grind and we've no subs this time. Now, go out and show ‘em what you can do! Don't forget this is going on the air, and we want the folks at home to be proud of us! Everybody ready? Fine! Take your places and we'll play this Beethoven Ninth Symphony like good ol’ Phil- harmonic never played it be- fore!” —Cuet Jounson Insurance SaLesmaN— Anyhow, I softened him up for my next visit! comicbooks.com