Life, 1910-02-17 · page 4 of 44
Life — February 17, 1910 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a self-referential editorial from *Life* magazine apologizing for a delayed or problematic "Shameless Number" issue. The text explains they announced a daring issue but faced public ridicule and pressure ("jibes and jeers...from all over the world"), causing them to waver. The five caricatured heads represent editorial responses to the controversy: shock ("It's simply awful!"), false cheerfulness ("Delightful!"), resigned acceptance ("Rather tame"), distress ("I can't read!"), and shame ("Shameful!"). The magazine ultimately published the controversial issue anyway, claiming it was a matter of "honor, conscience and pride," though they apologize for its quality ("awful result") and promise never to repeat it—a humorous, self-deprecating acknowledgment that they caved to pressure but published anyway.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Almost Here / True to its many promises, Life next week bf ( will issue The Lmproper Newer We are now open to congratulations. The history of this Shameless Number is full of intense human interest. When the idea was first broached, we blushed and laid it aside. But in some subtle way others had discovered that there was a possibility. Material began to arrive. We became hopelessly entangled é ) ' in the idea. The interest grew. We made the i ! announcement. Then we began to waver. “It's simply awfull” This was noticed immediately and jibes and jeers at our lack of courage came in thick and “ Delightful.” fast from all over the world. Our pride was then aroused. We determined ‘ to issue this number in spite of everything. ' Honor, conscience and pride were all at stake. Next week's number was the awful result. We can only hope that everybody will forgive us and that the country will once more settle down into its accustomed quiet. We promise never to do it again, unless: = 1 P. S.—You ought to see the things we re- jected. “ Rawther tame, c ' ' r : “can’t read!" sib side ‘Subscription $5.00 Canadian $5.52 Foreign $6.04 * are comicbooks.com