Life, 1922-02-23 · page 25 of 34
Life — February 23, 1922 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents six comic panels featuring biblical and historical figures making excuses or boasting about implausible achievements—a satire on how legends grow through exaggeration. **The jokes:** - **Adam** apologizes to Eve for neglecting her (domestic complaint set in Eden) - **Stoneaxe** brags about speed records in a primitive setting - **Jonah** exaggerates the whale's size (a classic tall tale) - **Mrs. Methuselah** claims youth despite extreme age (referencing the biblical figure who lived 969 years) - **Ptolemy** casually mentions bumping into the Sphinx (anachronistic/impossible) - **King Solomon** boasts about ignoring women despite his legendary many wives The satire mocks how historical and religious narratives become inflated through retelling, and how people across time universally make excuses or embellish stories. The humor relies on readers recognizing these famous figures and their associated legends.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE The Beginnings of Them All r is tion no's rake ear, tro- was 0, I nted nent cer- It hree can next en- Adam: I am sorry, Eve, but I had to sit up with a sick Stoneaxe: Yes, sir. We came that last hundred in friend . forty-five flat the n in sug- ade, eels. fore | ways sug- h of only | now rd) | — Jonah: Believe me or not, but that whale was as long Mrs. Methuselah: Of course, I don’t look it, but I was as from here to yon mountain just thirty-two my last birthday Ptolemy: Coming home last night I bumped into the Why, my dears, I never even looked corner of the Sphinx King Solomon: at that woman comicbooks.com