Hugh McNeill responded to R. D. Low's newspaper ad hoping to be hired as a new artist for a developing comic.

After samples of his work were sent to the Kayebon Press advertising agency, Low saw McNeill's potential and hired him immediately.

[1] The story of Ping was developed and McNeill began designing for the series, which was published in the first issue of The Beano.

In the first issue, his boasting leads to people in the area playing with his limbs and dragging him out of shape.

[3] In another story, he uses his elastic arm to catch a vandal trying to break his elderly friend's fence.