Speed Bump by Dave Coverly for September 11, 2015

Must be a B&W camera.

Made me laugh too. And I was wondering the same thing.

I’ll bet this comic got posted in a lot of police stations today.

I think the guy talking is ’ George ( Gabby ) Hayes…

Wait sheriff, don’t shoot.

Back when the west was just developing?

His negative thought were exposed.

Kodak ran with instantaneous snapshot exposure in 1870s just like in this comic.

I can approximate that shape with my hand, but it is awkward. Maybe he’s very close to flipping the bird.

how can they tell? the sheriff appears to have a wooden unchanging face

My guess is that the artist was in a hurry for deadline and forgot to finish drawing the hand.

Walking with the hand in question held open, palm toward his gun (ready to draw?), fingers pointing slightly backward (say, 30° from vertical) and angled in somewhat toward his thigh, thumb downward. The back of his hand obscures the fingers from view, but the tip of the thumb is visible. Not at all awkward (and rather natural), contrary to what Tom F. says.

The sheriff had to walk slowly so the photographic plates would be properly exposed.