Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear.
Prowlin' and a growlin' and a sniffin' the air.
He can find a fire before it starts to flame.
That's why they call him Smokey,
That was how he got his name.

words and music by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins

It's Jackie

... from downtown! Nothing but nostril.

This cartoon introduces Jackie. Any resemblance to cartoon characters living or dead is purely coincidental.

At some point it has to be done. It's inevitable. A parent hands over the reins of his or her child to someone else. It could be to a babysitter, an au pair, or even the public school system; but no matter who it is, that child then is out of the parent's sight.

But not out of the parent's mind.

Newt's mom has to go back to work. You know, that whole buying-food, paying-the-bills thing? So, she is hunting for someone to watch her son while she reenters the workforce. But not just anyone, it must be someone who shares the same values and will take care of Newt as if she were there. And just how does Newt's mom figure all this out from a one-page resume and a fifteen-minute interview?

"Have you had a job caring for children before?"

"Do you have children of your own?"

"Have any of them been convicted of a crime?"

"What meal really is the most important meal of the day?"

"How much television should a child watch per day?"

"Do you consider the Wiggles to be educational programming or religious cult?"

Eventually Newt's mom must come to a decision.

Now let's see. How many Baldwin brothers are there? Of course, there's Alec. Then there's Daniel and Stephen and ... oh, heck! There 's a bunch of 'em.

This cartoon is dedicated to my mother. You could be the next Albert Einstein; but if you've got something hanging out of your nose, you're an idiot.

My first week at Viper
I want to thank everyone at Viper Comics (especially Wes, Jessie, and Jim) for bringing me on board. To help introduce the strip to you, I'm running the first week of Small Wonder cartoons. May they tickle your funnybone.

Cast of characters (and do I mean characters)

• Newt The boy with an unruly shock of hair, Newt is blinded often by delusions of grandeur.
• Nigel This skunk knows his way around a kitchen. He once dated Martha Stewart.
  Jackie An unflappable tomboy and diehard Cubs fan, she gives Newt a run for his money.
• Rufus One diabolical bird

Worth Gowell's Small Wonder joins Viper!