Life Magazine Automobile Cartoon Series #1: 1901 to 1908
From 1883 to 1936, Life was a humor and general interest magazine of drawings capturing the American scene. As a major phenomenon in the early 1900s, the automobile came in for its fair share of Life's fun, satire and sentiment. This portfolio of six cartoons from 1901 to 1908 questioned whether automobiles would be replaced by air travel, the reliability and safety of the automobile, and the never-ending struggle between wealthy and poor:
1901
Caption: "A prediction for 1905- Of course there will always be some use for an automobile."
1904
Caption: "It may be slow, but we'll get home."
1906
Caption: "Just think William! Probably the only pleasant break in the monotonous lives of these poor people is the occasional passer-by like ourselves."
Caption: "BC., 2500- Centaur AD., 1906- Montaur"
1907
Caption: "1906, 1907, 1908 (?)"
1908
Caption: "In 1918: The rich they ride in airships, but the poor-"
Comments
I loved the cartoons, but I can’t help but think that the 1908 image in the “1906, 1907, 1908” panel resembles the posture of a current Formula 1 driver.