The Wasp — 1879 — page 369: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page from *The Wasp* presents a serialized fiction piece titled "Beyond the Moon! A Christmas Lie" attributed to Jules Verne (though the header notes "NOT BY" him, indicating satire of Verne's fantastical style). The content is a lengthy science fiction narrative rather than a political cartoon. It describes an adventurer's extraordinary journey through space, encountering impossible phenomena—atmospheric anomalies, floating mountains, and strange creatures. The narrator survives through ingenuity and luck. This appears to be **satirical fiction mocking Verne's popular speculative novels** by exaggerating their implausible elements into absurdity. The "Christmas Lie" subtitle suggests it's presented as tall-tale entertainment—the kind of fantastical story one might tell during holiday gatherings. The satire targets Victorian readers' appetite for exotic, scientifically-dressed adventure narratives.