Yes, Don, Albert the Alligator in Walt Kelly's "Pogo" strip was a real inspiration to me. He was my favorite Pogo character. There was another little comic strip going for kids that had a character called "Mr Gator" in it. It was one of those comics that gives good advice to young minds in a single panel strip that appears weekly. Mr Gator would be advising the best way to handle things like bikes, matches, firecrackers, etc...