Let's Learn French Together

French Humor (later TIDBITS) a humor magazine published by H. Gernsback

In 1927 Hugo Gernsback (a publisher who was the 1st to publish Science Fiction Magazines) published another magazine title to his extensive collection. FRENCH HUMOR reprinted cartoons and jokes from a number of French magazines. In the March 10, 1928 issue [Vol. 1, No. 33] the editor wrote (p. 776): "FRENCH HUMOR has made arrangements with practically all of the foremost French humorous publications, whereby this publication has acquired the sole American rights for reproduction of all text and original French illustrations of the leading French journals."

All that said, their logo character of a smirking Frenchman in a shiny top hat was certainly intended to make the buyer think they would get something spicy. If the issue we've seen is a typical one, the buyer was about to be disappointed: we find clean and inoffensive, jokes, puzzles, cartoons and drawings from the French magazines. However, one should examine closely the cover and note where that boy is putting his hand....

Many of the cartoon captions are given both in French and English. It's possible that Gernsback translated some or all of them himself; he certainly spoke French. It's just the kind of thing he would have done: help his readers learn a new language...and save money on editorial expenses.

By the middle of 1928 the title had changed to TIDBITS / FORMERLY FRENCH HUMOR. It seems to have folded shortly thereafter.