Boner's Ark
Encyclopedia
Boner's Ark was an American comic strip
created by Mort Walker
, also the creator of Beetle Bailey
. Walker debuted the strip under the pseudonym "Addison" on March 11, 1968. The title is a reference to Noah's Ark
of Abrahamic religions
.
Designed and written by Mort Walker, Boner's Ark first appeared on March 11, 1968. The series ran until 27 May 2000, with the final strip depicting the Ark reaching dry land.
The series also ran in Norway and Sweden under the name Arken, and in Denmark as Olsen's Ark. In the Netherlands it ran under the name De Ark van Zoo (Zoo's Ark).
His wife, Bubbles, was introduced to the series in the 1970s, when she was rescued at sea. Shortly after she joined the strip, a story arc involved her convincing Boner to shave his moustache. He remains clean-shaven until the end of the strip.
. His struggles with his enormous nose are the subject of a number of strips . He is the Ark's First Mate.
who is often seen with Rex in his hospital. The Doctor is also a regular golfer and accompanies Captain Boner on the course.
and girlfriend of Dum-Dum the gorilla
. Priscilla also unsuccessfully pursues a romantic interest with Duke.
, and Priscilla's boyfriend. In early versions of Boner's Ark, Dum-Dum is generally naked. By the late 1970s he appears in overalls.
is occasionally seen staffing the complaints desk, and running a marriage counseling service for Boner and Bubbles. He stages frequent mutinies against Boner.
, bear
, turtle
, elephant
and a lion
. A hippo
waits tables at the Ark's restaurant.
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
created by Mort Walker
Mort Walker
Addison Morton Walker , popularly known as Mort Walker, is an American comic artist best known for creating the newspaper comic strips Beetle Bailey in 1950 and Hi and Lois in 1954. He has signed Addison to some of his strips.Born in El Dorado, Kansas, he grew up in Kansas City, Missouri...
, also the creator of Beetle Bailey
Beetle Bailey
Beetle Bailey is an American comic strip set in a fictional United States Army military post, created by cartoonist Mort Walker. It is among the oldest comic strips still being produced by the original creator...
. Walker debuted the strip under the pseudonym "Addison" on March 11, 1968. The title is a reference to Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
of Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions
Abrahamic religions are the monotheistic faiths emphasizing and tracing their common origin to Abraham or recognizing a spiritual tradition identified with him...
.
Designed and written by Mort Walker, Boner's Ark first appeared on March 11, 1968. The series ran until 27 May 2000, with the final strip depicting the Ark reaching dry land.
The series also ran in Norway and Sweden under the name Arken, and in Denmark as Olsen's Ark. In the Netherlands it ran under the name De Ark van Zoo (Zoo's Ark).
Characters and story
Boner's Ark depicted a menagerie of animals trapped on a boat (the "Ark") and constantly in search of land. Helmed by the bumbling Captain Boner, the Ark is small on the outside and abnormally large within. In addition to sleeping quarters for all the animals, it also features a cinema, a restaurant run by a hippo, a hospital, a pub and a golf course where Captain Boner, Cubcake and the doctor spend most of their time. The complaints department is staffed by a hyena. The large initial cast was gradually pared down to a small group of regulars.Captain Boner
Captain Boner is the leader and only human aboard the ark until Miss Boner is introduced to the series. He struggles to get the animals to listen to him or follow his orders. A car enthusiast, Captain Boner remodels the bridge to resemble the interior of an old automobile. When not on the bridge, the Captain is a regular at the golf course and the end of the "plank", where he goes to escape the frustrations of his office, or is forced to walk off the edge by the Hyena's frequent mutinies.His wife, Bubbles, was introduced to the series in the 1970s, when she was rescued at sea. Shortly after she joined the strip, a story arc involved her convincing Boner to shave his moustache. He remains clean-shaven until the end of the strip.
Rex
Rex is a dinosaur, usually depicted on the deck of the Ark or in the hospital with the Doctor.Aarnie
Aarnie is a male aardvarkAardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
. His struggles with his enormous nose are the subject of a number of strips . He is the Ark's First Mate.
The Doctor
The doctor aboard the ark is a male duckDuck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
who is often seen with Rex in his hospital. The Doctor is also a regular golfer and accompanies Captain Boner on the course.
Priscilla
Priscilla is a female pigPig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
and girlfriend of Dum-Dum the gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
. Priscilla also unsuccessfully pursues a romantic interest with Duke.
Dum-Dum
Dum-Dum is a gorillaGorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
, and Priscilla's boyfriend. In early versions of Boner's Ark, Dum-Dum is generally naked. By the late 1970s he appears in overalls.
Lookout
Lookout is a giraffe. He is named Lookout because he is in charge of searching for land.The Hyena
The irritable and grouchy hyenaHyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
is occasionally seen staffing the complaints desk, and running a marriage counseling service for Boner and Bubbles. He stages frequent mutinies against Boner.
Minor characters
Minor characters include a snake, mouseMouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
, elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
and a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
. A hippo
Hippo
A hippo or hippopotamus is either of two species of large African mammal which live mainly in and near water:* Hippopotamus* Pygmy HippopotamusHippo may also refer to:-Given names:...
waits tables at the Ark's restaurant.