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Millie Niss created Spork when she was working as a counselor at a residence for formerly homeless mentally ill adults. In that job, Millie saw the surreal and Kafkaesque nature of the mental health and social services system. She designed Spork to be a sympathetic and intelligent character who was also an indigent client of the mental health system. The cartoons began as a way to express frustrations about how mentally ill people and welfare recipients are treated, but later on, other issues and pure silliness were added to the Spork series. The first cartoon was drawn on scrap paper during a boring moment at work. Millie showed the cartoon, which was very poorly drawn since she is able to draw with a mouse but not with a pencil, to one of her clients, who encouraged her to continue developing the cartoon. The client suggested the name "Miss Meddling" for Spork's Case Manager. The most recent episode in Spork's saga was his act of civil disobedience during the 2008 New Year's Celebration.
Spork's Friend, Peter Pong the Pelican
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