Old Doc Yak, 'Soft Hearted Thing'

This Sunday strip by Sidney Smith features Old Doc Yak, a rotund goat character, attempting to teach his small charge a lesson about obedience and discipline. The six-panel sequence moves from the study to a dark closet, then through escalating philosophical debate between the boy and the doctor about manhood, strength, and proper upbringing. Smith's crisp line work and sequential staging established visual conventions for the Sunday comics page: distinct panel borders, expressive body language, and nested dialogue that advances both plot and character. The strip's humor derives from the clash between Doc Yak's high-minded intentions and his sentimental wavering—a running tension in early newspaper comics that bridged slapstick and situational character comedy.