Life — May 30, 1918 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a nine-panel satirical comic strip depicting the misfortunes of a character named "Gott" (German for "God"). The narrative follows Gott through various humiliations: being called to the barracks, military training, heading to the front lines, socializing as a "jolly good fellow," becoming a captain, suffering in the submarine service, and finally participating in aerial combat. The captions use German phrases, indicating this satirizes German military culture and authority during what appears to be the World War I era. The crude depictions mock military hierarchy and discipline. The overall message mocks the German military establishment by literally subjecting "God" to its indignities—a pointed critique of German militarism and the degradation imposed by military service.