In the mid-1980s, well after community groups like GMHC had launched grassroots public health efforts, the New York City Department of Health began issuing AIDS-related posters. City campaigns initially focused on heterosexual couples, reflecting political discomfort with addressing gay sexuality in public spaces. Posters like this were displayed in clinics, subways, and neighborhood centers, printed in both English and Spanish. This poster also bears the seal of New York City mayor Ed Koch, whose homosexual identity was never publicly acknowledged during his lifetime, adding layers of controversy to his administration’s slow response to the crisis. While little is known about the designer, she visually references Pop Art in her composition, specifically the work of Roy Lichtenstein, who often paired comic book-style or pulp imagery with anxious or cheeky comments in thought bubbles. Here, the couple is paralyzed by the unspoken concern: What if one of us has AIDS? The headline—“You Can’t Live on Hope”—is less an invitation than a warning, reflecting the city’s early reliance on fear-based appeals to shift sexual behavior.