Life, 1885-10-01 · page 1 of 16
Life — October 1, 1885 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page, October 1, 1885 This page contains a single cartoon titled "Prepared for the Worst." The image shows two men in checkered suits standing outside a barber shop ("Artistic Hair Dressing" sign visible). One man, wearing a top hat, appears anxious or suspicious, saying: "I have a horrible suspicion that that brute has shaved off my moustache. Tell me, ha-ha-has he?" The satire appears to play on masculine vanity and anxiety about personal grooming. The joke hinges on the man's exaggerated worry that his barber has removed his distinctive moustache—a crucial marker of 19th-century masculinity and respectability. The caption "Prepared for the Worst" ironically suggests he's bracing himself for this cosmetic disaster. The humor derives from treating facial hair loss as a social catastrophe worthy of dramatic concern.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
er: a: OE Ss VOLUME VI. NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1, 1885. NUMBER 144. Entered at New York Post Office as Second-Class Mall Matter. PREPARED FOR THE WORST. I HAVE A HORRIBLE SUSPICION THAT THAT BRUTE HAS SHAVED OFF MY MOUSTACHE. TELL ME, HA—HA—HAS HE? ganirewens: comicbooks.com