The Backyard Space Program

Fictional comedy: In today’s original funny-pages strip, a backyard space program puts a golden retriever in charge of mission control.

A child builds a cardboard rocket in the grass while the dog watches the sky from a lawn-chair command desk. The launch checklist calls for a clear fetch forecast, and the countdown takes off as soon as a tennis ball enters the schedule.

The rocket stays in its launch pad while the retriever races across the yard and returns with the payload. Mission control files the trip as a successful orbit after spotting the fence twice.