Drabble (comic)

Drabble is a comic strip by Kevin Fagan, launched in 1979. It focuses on the family life of the Drabble family.

[edit] Characters

Ralph: Patriarch of the Drabble family. Wearing sweat pants and a floral shirt, he rules the household with an iron stomach. He works as a mall cop, a job that he magnifies into superhero proportions! Back at home, Ralph is a channel-surfing couch potato, who tries to model his parenting skills after those wise dads from the 1950's sitcoms, although he never pulls it off quite as well. Anyone who gets out of line is likely to receive "the glare." His hobbies are golf and raiding the refrigerator.

June: Mom. She has her hands full keeping the family on the straight and narrow. With her string of pearls and ever-present apron, this coupon-clipping, stay at home mom is busier than most CEO's. But she does get frantic as the holidays, or any other important occasion, approaches. She's the one person who is able to keep Ralph in line.

Norman: This 19 year-old college student is a sweet kid with big dreams and a permanently untied shoelace. In the words of his dad, "That boy's one McNugget short of a Happy Meal." Norman is cursed with klutziness and chronic foot-in-mouth disease, and is always able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Insecure, lacking in confidence, but well-intentioned, Norman never gives-up. Unfortunately, he always manages to make a fool of himself in front of his dream girl, Wendy.

Patrick: Norman's younger brother, who's always wearing his soccer uniform. At the age of 8, he's wise beyond his years and already much smarter than his big brother. He excels at many things, just the opposite of Norman. He never intentionally tries to make Norman feel inferior; it just turns out that way. He actually loves and admires Norman, and often tries to help him.

Penny: The youngest Drabble child. Penny is preschool age. She has a sunny disposition but finds life pretty bewildering at times, in part because she takes things so literally. .

Wendy: Norman's pretty college classmate. She keeps him at arm's length, and tends to be brutally honest about his shortcomings. Her assaults on his ego don't matter to Norman. He's still crazy about her. She goes out with Norm from time to time because she says there aren't that many decent guys to choose from. Or could it be she likes Norman more than she's willing to let on?

Oogie: The Drabbles' pet kitty. Everyone loves Oogie, except Ralph. Oogie attacks Ralph whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ralph has to put up with it, because he'd be in trouble with the family if he ever retaliated. Oogie blurs the line between playful and psycho!

Bob the Duck: A flock of ducks migrated into Norman's room one day, and one of them refused to leave. Bob was adopted by the family. Unfortunately, Ralph hates ducks, so the kids have him convinced that Bob is really a rare, South American parrot that takes on the characteristics of a duck for survival in the jungle. This is why Bob can usually be found sitting on a perch.

Wally the Weiner Dog: Ralph's favorite pet. Wally is a bewildered dachshund who fits in perfectly with this family. Wally's legs are so short he tends to not get anywhere when he runs!

Steinbauer: The Drabbles' next-door neighbor, who antagonizes Ralph. They are always competing and seem to take pleasure at trying to get each other's goat. Ralph and Steinbauer have run against each other for president of the Homeowners Association and sabotaged each other's Christmas lights. They can usually be heard arguing over the backyard fence. Steinbauer has no problems with any other member of the Drabble family-just Ralph!

No-Neck: Ralph's best friend. A fellow mall cop and lodge brother. No-neck is a little dumber than Ralph, but for some reason, seems to be doing slightly better in life. No-neck also presides as a superior food court judge in the mall.