Christmas for everyone!

It has been a lot of fun getting back into the swing of making comics, let alone drawing my favoret two characters Fred and Stan these last two weeks. With that said I'll be taking a short break until Wednesday January 6th to put my energies more towards family durring this Christmas holiday.

Now on to the real point of this article today...

Every Christmas reminds me of the fun I had as a snot-nosed little kid, laying in bed wondering what that jolly old fat guy has left under the tree for me this time. Waking my brother up at 1am to go fetch our socks (our rule was they were up for grabs as long as it was Christmas day). Spending the next few hours after that making secret spy runs to the tree in the dark trying to spot what might be there unwrapped, what gifts were for me. I have many memories of Christmas past of getting some of the coolest stuff! The year I got just about everything that came out for Star Wars in toys. They year I ran up stairs to see a fully assembled G.I. Joe base complete with a moterized tank! All the He-man figures that added up over the years, transformers, video games... Come to think of it... I was pretty darn spoiled over the years. Thanks Mom!

I didn't have a care in the world durring those years. Christmas was a huge shower me with super fun stuff year after year. Something as a Dad myself now, I try to due for my own kids. Give them the same kind of wonder though unlike their old-man, they sleep through the night untile Christmas morning, where I to this day have the hardest time ever getting myself to sleep that night. "Did you come yet Mr. Claus?"

I look at my past and think of wonderful events that took place one Christmas after another. Some kids just are not that lucky. Some kids get stuck in a hospital for Christmas. The memories they are building are being attacked by things their porr bodies are being overwhelmed with. a few years back the boys over at htt://www.penny-arcade.com decided to put together a charity event to asked the gaming comunity to give toys and games to those stuck havings a less than exciting holiday. Each year we in the gaming comunity have proven time and time again that our hearts our just as big as anyone by overwhelming numbers. This year is no different as the dollars soar past a million bucks like we are going for the highest score possible. So this year take a moment to remember all the great Christmas days you have had in the past, make new memories with your family today and if possible give a little to some kids who could use a little pick-me up and a chance at some cool Christmas memories of their own.

Please take a moment to check out this site: http://www.childsplaycharity.org

Whatever it is you do durring the holidays, whatever it is you celebrate, whatever your traditions... Have fun doing it!

--Drew

Comic for 12/22/2009

Comic for 12/21/2009

Comic for 12/18/2009

Comic for 12/17/2009

Comic for 12/16/2009

Comic for 12/15/2009

Comic for 12/14/2009

The Return of FRED and STAN!

Its been almost 2 years since Fred and Stan comic number 75 had posted to the old Miller Comics site. Well folks I'm here to tell ya today that after all that time, number 76 is here!!

After a long... LONG break I have dusted off those two lovalble characters and putting them back to work with all their crazy fun filled frolics for you to enjoy!

Its been a strange road for me these last few months. I was let go from a job I had been doing for 10 years and spent a lot of time figuring out what is going to happen next. Well for starters I think it is time to find a new job! Since the job market is... well how should I say... "fun" at the moment, I have chosen to fill my empty time with my first love which is comics. Below was a comic I was going to start but after seeing it posted it got me to thinking of what started it all. Fred and Stan. Those two knuckle-heads have been making me giggle since I was a kid so I shall dig down and see if they still got it in them to continue the fun.

So once again hello world! Fred and Stan are back at it with whatever it is they are going to be doing, but at least it should be fun!

Check back here a few times a week and see what is posted next. I don't have a posting schedule worked out yet. Just going to post as I make them and see where it all goes.

--Drew

Comic for 12/11/2009

Comic for 05/13/2009

Star Trek was great! And new comic on its way today.

First off, the next Ninja Monkey Comic will be posted later today.

Next up, Star Trek! Oh boy! I won't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it yet but gosh darn it... it was a pretty sweet, fun, action packed, good time of a movie. In this case I don't think it matters if you are a Trek fan or not. If you like movies, you will like this. JJ. Abrams knows hom to make a movie enjoyable where you just might want to go to the theater a second time to see it.

What's scary for me is my all time favorite super hero is Wolverine. Love that guy and his claw slashing ways, but his movie was good, I like it, but Star Trek was one heck of an entertaining ride from start to end. So I have to bend to Star Trek being my top movie of the year so far. Sorry Logan...

Thanks to those who have sent me a few nods to liking the Ninja Monkey comic. Its a first for me to get any kind of response so I must be on the right trak for a change. My next goal will be to come up with the time to do it more often than once a week. Right now Wednesday is my goal to always have a comic up. In the near future I'd like to be Monday, Wednesday, Friday like in the old days. But old man time seems to like to smack me around with his cane a lot and I never seem to have enough time (and sometimes energy) to get everything done. This is the broken record excuse you have heard from me for the last 3 years I know but its my story and I'm sticking to it!

--Drew

Comic for 05/06/2009

Comic for 04/29/2009

Good times at the con...

I wondered around Microcon on Sunday. I had tried to get a table but darn it all if it wasn't filled to the max rather quick this year. Got to see Joe Combs in person for the first time. I've talked to this guy for like two years, he lives really close to me, never once met up with him until today. Funny how the net works sometimes. Its a lot easier to know people through chat channels, facebooks, email and what not than it is to just go get some coffee! Heh...

Anyway, he had a great freakin set up, most of which he made himself. Simple things like printing out his characters and turning them into little stand up displays, making a t-shirt display out of a cardboard tube and a coat hanger. All very simple and yet brilliant! He had a great set up that work well with the very little space they gave him. I think that set up help draw in new readers, I saw people see him and think, I don't know this guy, but then look down and they see his characters standing right there, the mini filing cabnet displaying his colorful business cards and you saw a change in them, they suddently stepped forward to whan to see what he's about. Good work Joe! Now to get started on stealling all his ideas! MUWAHAHAHA!

There will be new Ninja Monkey comics this week, in fact there will be TWO new ones posting this week! I got some nice feed back over the weekend which is making me double me efforts on making The Ninja Monkey work for his fans! It also got me to thinking of coming up with a mini comic book for Ninja Monkey, something that can be handed out... I need Ninja Monkey swag to hand out! Mainly because you WANT it! So I better do something and soon.

--Drew

Comic for 04/22/2009

Miller Comics Store now open! ...again

I've reopened the old Miller Comics Store! I changed out the old imgaes, updated the products, and hopefully set it up to be simple and user friendly. So check it out if you are so inclined to has some one of a kind Ninja Monkey gear! http://www.cafepress.com/millercomics

Comics for 04/17/2009

Comics for 04/14/2009

Becuase you demanded more! The Ninja Monkey continues...

Microcon at the Fairgrounds April 26th 10am-4pm

I'll be wondering around Microcon this year. I tried to get table space but it really filled up fast! So I shall be wondering around with the wife and kids handing out my new postcard shaking hands and meeting new people. So if you happen to be in Minnesota on that day then stop on by the fairgrounds!

More information at: http://www.mncba.com/

--Drew

Postcard for conventions

I created this postcard to hand out at conventions this year.

I think it turned out well.

Comic for 04/10/2009

The Ninja Monkey Archives

Meet Demy.

This is a new character I hope to introduce in my comic soon. His name is Demy.

Though he is a demon from a very harsh dimension, all he wants to do is sit around and smell flowers all day.

Just don't let him see you step on any...

Family Web Comics is back!

As a parent I worry about what my kids see on the vast scary Internet. Its big and full of content I’d rather they don’t know about until they are like forty! In fact I pretty much don’t let them go on the internet unless I’m right there watching them like a hawk! “WHAT IS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW!” I will scream assuming the answer. “Uh… an Arthur cartoon on PBS kids.” They will say in total fear as the watch large horns grow from the back of my head with flames coming out. “Oh…” I will then murmur, “I guess that’s okay then… carry on children. Carry on. BUT I’M WATCHING YOU!!!” This tactic though not idea, has made them completely fearful of the computer in our office altogether allowing me much more time on it to play World Of Warcraft with little to no interruptions. But I know I need to be able to chill and provide my kids and chance to explore the great electronic highway to knowledge and fun. So I realize that I just need to set up places for them to go that they will enjoy which bring me to my real point of this article… finally I know.

A year ago I was approached by Jim and Michelle Lehman of http://www.bitmapworld.com fame to be a part of a new community they were putting together. It has had its up’s and downs as they work diligently to make it happen while fighting ugly things like being out of work and what not. Today we can put that all aside and check out their nice shiny new revamped Family Web Comics site! http://www.familywebcomics.com

I’m proud to not only be a member of this site but to be featured on it as well right next to many very talented artist who like me want to provide content suitable for all ages. The site allows for you to run through many great web comics and see what they are rated so you know your kids can view them with little to no doubt of its content. You can also make comments to show which you like and which you may not be totally into.

So please take a moment to check it out, visit it often, and tell your friends, family and KIDS! It doesn’t matter if you have kids, know kids or just a big kid at heart, you will find web comics suited for you that you can safely share with others. It’s all about having fun out there just like what I always tell you people…

Whatever it is you do, have fun doing it!

--Drew

Who gets to talk?

When I sit back and think about the world that the kids of Able To Play live in, the first thing I decide is that anything can go. Strange things can happen even if they shouldn’t be possible. After it’s a comic and reality should be bent beyond our own.

But I realize there should be some rules that our followed so there is consistency. For one I don’t know adults seen in the comic. They have no place in the crazy adventures of children. But they are “there”. Parents look after us after all, provide a certain amount of guidance and wisdom (whether we want it or not). But they are for the most part in this comic world of mine… background.

My comic two weeks ago, Fred has a simple conversation with his mother about a show he just finished watching. I liked the idea of mom pointing out that his favorite show about a butt kicking ninja monkey was actually educational and he didn’t even know it. Looking back though I wonder if mom’s comments should have been heard. The focus is on the character of the kids and how they grow and have adventures and what not (while trying to continue the gag a day feel). Should any comments made by adults be kept quite so that we only see the kids side of it? Charles Shultz view that adults just couldn’t be understood was a fun one. You view of Charlie Brown and his buddies was locked in on them and only them. Often it seemed like they were the once running the whole show.

From a kid stand point of running around playing and having adventures – it is there show they are running. So why not keep the parents views out of the mix? My next comic I’m going to have Stan and Benny’s mother keep quite. We will see Stan’s response we should be able to guess what was said by the adult and see how that goes.

Though in the end, when you are trying to run a comic that is meant to be simple so that most people (adults and kids alike) can understand it with ease. Do such thoughts matter? Maybe one should just let the situation flow on its own and just do what seems natural compared to keeping to any set rule… In other words, let the comic write itself to a certain degree - find its own rules.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this.

--Drew

Getting some face time

A year ago you would wonder around the Internet reading news posts and blogs about how wonderful Facebook is. “Facebook is here and we love it!” “FACEBOOK IS GOD!” “I worship Facebook and so do you!” “I left my wife and kids to run away with facebook!” “Watch my dog bark out Jiggle Bells!” Its crazy what some people write about…

Now here we sit a year later and the articles and blogs are more about how Facebook is horrible, its ruined lives, and how they curse it. Keep in mind these same people updated their Facebook status to show they posted the article about how they despise it, then proceeded to send a super pokes to everyone they know!

I always get a good giggle when people I know sign up for the first time. It’s always the same thing. They didn’t sign up because they wanted to, they will say… They signed up because they were tired of hearing about it, or their job wants to know why they don’t have a profile there yet, or their friends and/or spouse is on it 24/7 so they feel they need to sign up just to get back into their lives. A lot of times these folks I giggle at were actually trying to avoid Facebook! Like it was that virus everyone is getting and they are trying to get away. But in the end they sign up and it starts out with, “Yeah I have an account there now but I don’t have any friends and I don’t have any idea how to use it. It’s really strange and I don’t think I’m going to give it much time at all.” Then by that time the next day I have 147 request from that one person who has sent me flares, super pokes, plants, sea shells, friend suggestions featuring people I’ve never heard of before, kidnapped, snowballed, I.Q.’d, calendar entry requests… for crying out loud!

Now these new members who made such efforts to avoid and hate now surf Facebook like it’s made out of chocolate. (Which would be cool actually…mmmmm….)

We all understand Facebook as that fad that will last awhile but many will lose interest from or get distracted for the next shinny thing on the net. But for now, it’s our sugarman! We needs it! We must know what is on it! What can I send everyone I know next?

Now I’m not here to bash or put down Facebook or any of the other social networks out there. Personally I think they are great tools for keeping in touch with friends, family, co-workers, strangers from other countries, trends in fashion, gaming, marketing, business… They serve a valuable propose. Heck, soon your email accounts will connect you too all your different social networks in one spot as places like Yahoo, MSN, Gmail all revamp their email sites to include tracking and updating social networks. Soon you won’t have to jump from candy bowl to candy bowl to eat up all the lovely social chocolate but swim around in your own pool of it! And it will bring all they social chocolate right too you!

Though its topics like this that make me wonder if the future painted in the movie Wall-E isn’t far off. In which case get out there and buy yourself a Wii Fit so that you can at least get some exercise in while updating your status!

I will say that people should learn to spend less time on their social network of choice. Keep tabs on loved ones but avoid sending virtual plants we can’t actually take care of! If you want to kidnap someone or invite them to your virtual mob? Then there better be some real life money that comes a long with that! Just how many freakin sea shells do you need that sit on your badly pixilated beach? REMEMBER TO LIVE PEOPLE!!

Though who am I to really say anything…

After all most of you are here reading this because I ran around my social networks and posted for you to come. In retrospect I realize that I must say… thank you time wasting social networks!

--Drew

Comic for 02/25/2009

The Rambling Man

For the record, Wii Fit can really put you through the ringer when it comes to a work out. Whew! I’m felling the hurt…er…love.

But no talk of Wii’s today! Frankly everyone in the world owns a few of these by now just for the heck of it. (And to try and score some extra cash on ebay!)

No, today I shall ramble on for no reason and discuss the economy! Why? Because I’m an expert? Heck no! To me a good economy is a wife with a great job supporting my World Of Warcraft addiction! If the account is still on, good economy! I log in and a screen pops up asking me what the heck do I think I’m doing… very bad economy! …and some tears.

We know that in the US (and well the world) the economy has crapped out down to the bottom of the barrel. Heck in some places they found a way to drill through the bottom of the barrel because the bottom of it didn’t portray enough suck in terms of, “This economy SUCKS!” We call this place Michigan! I must say, and no offence to Michigan, but if you live there and haven’t relocated to Canada yet… you must really like digging past the bottom of the barrel!

We brought in a new guy this year (the president) hoping things can turn around. I think we should just start printing more money and call it Christmas for everyone! No, it probably won’t fix our problems with the economy (I’m going for a world record in using the word “economy” in a blog by the way) but wouldn’t it be fun to print enough so we could all have swimming pools filled with cash to swim in? Just like Uncle Scrooge! “Me money bin! WOO HOO!”

Jobs are disappearing, companies are too, and so is the number of people walking around town holding a double chocolate cappuccino! But we can fix this people! There is a light at the end of our depression like tunnel! What is it you might ask? “Hey Drew how would you know?” you might be thinking? “Why would I want fires with that when I can have onion rings?” a few folks are wondering… The answer is I have no idea! Did you not see the part where I’m just going to ramble on today? How can you possible ramble on if you have all the answers to stuff? You silly people!

And here you were hoping I was going somewhere with this. But I at least threw in the word “economy” more times than one would like to read in a blog post! Stupid economy! The word even sucks to say… economy. We should call in double chocolate cappuccino then everyone would want it! And it would be goooooooood.

Remember folks, tomorrow is Wednesday and therefore the next installment of the Able To Play webcomic will be live!! BOO YEAH!

And also remember… (I like using “…” as many times as I can. I mean, what the heck right…)

Whatever it is you do, have fun doing it!

--Drew

(Today’s post is brought to you by the state of Michigan, the economy, and those strange three dots he can’t seem to stop using… stupid dots…)

My Mii and I

So over the weekend the wife and I decide we want a Wii Fit, so we run off to go get a Wii Fit. I mean, it’s all good right? It looks fun and it will get my butt off our of the chair and move more often than I do now!

So here we are at day one. Since with wife has really been wanting to try this thing I have her go first to kick the tires on it. It starts out with some balance tests and the dreaded weigh in. Wife looks a little nervous but the Wii Fit tells her that for her size she is right where she should be but need to work on posture. It’s at this time I realize, “Oh man… I’m going to have to stand on that thing eventually.” I do the math. I’m 5’6”. I look down at the roll hanging from me and think, “I’ve spend that last 10 years sitting in a cubical working in front of a computer.” And I realize… this will not end well.

The wife runs through some yoga that she has been dying to try out and her little computer trainer chick is impressed with her balance. Getting high marks right off the bat. Now for my turn…

I select my cool slim and happy looking Mii as I set up my profile and do the balance test. So far so good, I’m about as poised as the wife and also need to work on my posture. Then the weight in. I watch in horror as the line cruelly goes past the top of the scale. My poor Mii on the screen suddenly blows up like a balloon and he begins to struggle with this odd and strange jiggle of mass that is now his new body. He cries a little. Guilt sets in as I realized I have done this to my poor Mii. I have turned him into this massive creature! He gasps for the answers as to why and I can only make him a promise. You see I don’t care what happens to me, but I must help my poor Mii! Somehow I must help he regain his slender and happy outlook on life! He was living free and enjoying long rids in his Mario-kart. Now he can’t even fit in the darn thing! I will help him… somehow!

So I finish off day one trying everything out, I run and hula-hoop. I balance, I yoga…

Then comes day two…

Oh by the starts and moon and all that is holy! Why do I hurt so much! My every being cries in agony!

I turn on the Wii Fit and load up my profile. I look my massive Mii in the eye and then punch him right in the mouth. Stupid Mii… And I process to do my day two work out.

--Drew

Comic for 02/19/2009

Here is today's comic for Able To Play. You can also cach the comic updated on Wednesday's over at http://www.millercomics.com

Welcome to my new blog

I've been playing around with a lot of different social networks these days such as Twitter and Facebook. As I dive in I also decieded to try this blog thing too.

Now there is nothing new about blogs. Frankly people have been doing it for more years before anyone even called it "blogging" but what is different is that we all can do it. Doesn't matter if we actually have anything to say, we can just blurt out and thing, call it a blog and share it will millions of people around the world who will no doubt post a blog about how your blog was full of crap. Got to love that Internet!

What I find funny is when you sign up to blog or face book, or tweet or yammer or whatever, you can't help but feel the presure of updating all these different posts. Web Cartoonist already know this deep down guilt of, "Did I update the comic today? Will I have something to post tomorrow..." Now the rest of the world has joined in our pain. "Darn it! I need to up date my status! I need something clever... can't sound stupid..." How many people out there in facebock land did the old, "(Your Name Here) is updating Facebook" post just to be silly? :)

Can you join too many socail networks and follow too many blogs? Well let me put it this way... If you spend more than an hour each day updating this that and the other thing then by god you need to go outside and talk a walk or something!

--Drew