A complete, restored issue of Judge from 1890-06-14 — all 16 pages of color political cartoons and topical humor, free to page through at comicbooks.com.

On the cover: # "An Object of Contempt" - Judge Magazine, June 14, 1890 This political cartoon satirizes New York City corruption and negligence. A vagrant sleeps on the ground while geese waddle nearby, apparently thriving in neglected conditions. The visible sign lists multiple city failures: police corruption, palace scandals, missing funds, and negligent departments including the District Attorney. The satire works through contrast—the geese (symbols of contentment or thoughtlessness) flourish while the homeless man deteriorates, suggesting city leadership prioritizes nothing worthwhile. The cartoon critiques how New York's corrupt officials and incompetent bureaucracy leave the city in such poor condition that even vagrants become "objects of contempt" rather than receiving aid. This reflects Gilded Age anxieties about urban governance and poverty.

🖼️ Every page has a plain-English note on what you’re looking at — the figures, the references, the point of the satire.

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