Never heard of Boner’s Ark before.
I read Boner’s Ark. It was pretty forgettable. Jokes as generic as lame long-lived comics like Mamma, Tiger and Priscilla’s Pop. Artwork was similar. Boner was a captain on an ark that was loaded with animals, Noah style. Backstorey was never given when I read it as a youngster.
Comic strips are the most conservative art form. It’s why Jiggs wore spats to the end, and Mutt and Jeff wore there old-fashioned suits. It’s why Alice goes with her classic long black skirt and white blouse. Nancy still wears the short dotted skirt, and Sluggo wears his depression era hat. The Jeeps in Beetle Bailey.
If you could only come up with one or two comic strips for the 50’s, Beetle Bailey would HAVE to be one of them. Arguably the other would be Peanuts, but that really hit its stride in the ‘60s.
Originally, Beetle wasn’t even in the army. When he joined up, the interest in the script spiked. He’s been there ever since.