The Wasp — 1877 — page 152: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is the cover of *The Illustrated Wasp*, a San Francisco satirical magazine published by the Wasp Co. The main cartoon, titled "Modern Civilization on the Pacific Coast," depicts a well-dressed gentleman with dual top hats standing over fallen figures. He holds pistols and appears armed. The image satirizes violence and lawlessness in post-Civil War California, using the figure's formal attire ironically—his "civilized" appearance contrasts with his weapons and the corpses at his feet. The satire suggests that despite claims of progress and civilization on the Pacific Coast, brutal violence and frontier barbarism actually prevail. The stacked top hats may reference wealth or social pretension masking underlying savagery. Without additional context, the specific incident referenced remains unclear, though it likely critiques contemporary San Francisco crime or racial violence.