NCE: Today we are speaking Ralph Ellis Miley. Ralph is the president of New Creation Entertainment.

REM: Before I introduce myself, I must thank those individuals, whose hard work made the launch of NCE, Inc. possible; NCE board members, Don Ensign, Clint Johnson, Wayne Cash, and Kevin Yong, and CCAS board member Robert Flores.
Please remember these diligent brothers in your prayers as they labor to glorify the Lord.

NCE: Ralph, tell us about yourself, your family and professional career.

REM: I will have been married to Desiree for 24 years in 2008. We have two children in college and one in middle school. I’ve been teaching middle school children for over 26 years for the Los Angeles public school system. I am now teaching the children of students I once taught. And I’ve been serving as an associate pastor in a local church for about seven years.

NCE: How did you become interested in comic books?

REM: My first introduction in comics was in 1964, with Fantastic Four #25, the classic Jack Kirby, Hulk vs. Thing. It was with that comic that solidified my addiction to comic books. I became what was known at the time as being a Marvel Zombie, collecting Daredevil, Iron Man, The Avengers, Spider Man, and anything else Marvel. But in the mid 1970’s I began to pick up comics like Swamp Thing, Legion of Superheroes and other DC books.

NCE: Comics were instrumental in your coming to faith. Tell us about that.

REM: In was in the early 70’s, while on a fishing trip to Oregon that an older gentlemen gave me a comic book tract titled Holy Joe. It was a comic by the legendary Jack Chick and though I had gone to church, this comic made me realize that I really never received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. After a tumultuous spiritual journey, in 1976 I confessed Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

NCE: What lead your to become involved in the Christian Comics movement?

REM: My involvement in Christian comics came in 1984 when I saw an ad in the Comics Buyer’s Guide stating there was a Christian newsletter devoted to Christian comic book fans. It was titled Valiant and it was published by Don Ensign. This was the first publication by the Christian Comic Arts Society (CCAS).

NCE: So what happened after you received that first issue of Valiant?

REM: I found Don's local phone number (he was then living in Southern California) and called him soon after receiving the first newsletter which lead to many fine conversations.  Don and I met in person in 1986, and soon afterwards we began holding meetings in the Southern California area with other Christian comics enthusiasts. This would eventually lead to our first collaborative comic book publishing venture. In 1985 Valiant Efforts featuring: Dragon Strike was published thanks to efforts of Don, Jack Martin, Charles Whitley and myself. Only three issues of Valiant Efforts were produced, falling dismally short of the world domination we had hoped to achieve. Our meetings would eventually include talents like Steve Firchow and Kevin Yong.

NCE: So what happened after Valiant Efforts that kept you involved in the movement?

REM: Nate Butler had organized successful Christian panels at the San Diego Comic Convention in 1992 and 1995. Then 1996, a number of Christian comic fans and creators met in the home of Ben Herrera in hopes of collaborating on several Christian projects. A second meeting that was sponsored by the CCAS met in the room of a Super 8 motel. In that single room, packed with Christian comic geeks, is where I met Clint Johnson. Don, Kevin and Clint have proved to be enduring friendships that added to the richness of my life and Christian walk.

Eventually, other Christian comic fans would come into my life and the insanity of our meetings that started in the late 80’s continues to this day. Robert Flores, Dave Porta, Wayne Cash, and many others have an invaluable part of my life. I even got the privilege to officiate Kevin and Heather Yong's wedding.

After my involvement in 2001 with New Visions and Alpha Omega #100, I restricted myself to the organization of the Christian presence at the San Diego Comic Convention. As the years passed, many people began to help with organizing of the Spiritual Themes in Comics and CCAS Sunday morning panels and reserving hotel rooms.  Then in 2007 I was ordained by the church I attend and with that I made the decision that 2007 would be my last year with setting up at the San Diego Con.  I had also planned to step out of the Christian comics scene.  I made the announcement to step down, with the intention of following whatever direction the Lord would lead. 

Then on that Saturday of the convention, an individual approached the CCAS table, while Clint Johnson's wife, Marjane and I manning it.  I was asked, "What was the vision of the CCAS?", and with that I gave him a history of the organization.  This individual was the president of a company that distributed Sunday school curriculum and asked us to make a proposal for a line of Christian comics.  I, along with Clint Johnson and Wayne Cash made the pitch.  In order to make ourselves more viable as business, we formed New Creation Entertainment as a corporation, which also Included Don Ensign and Kevin Yong, whom I worked with on the newsletter.

As I explained to a friend, "I didn't broker this deal, I sure can't close it."  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord didn't want me out of the Christian comics movement and He used that man at the convention as a catalyst.  I haven't been this excited since Proverbs & Parables, New Crew, and New Visions. 

The Lord is growing the attendance at the panels at San Diego.  We were at the Wizard Con in Los Angeles and we were at the Biola Media Conference at CBS Studios.  

The Lord has gotten us into this venture of New Creation Entertainment. I am looking forward with great anticipation to see what the Lord is going to do.  We would covet your prayers, that the Lord would be glorified and that we could provide a venue for other Christian artists to share their gifts.

My biography is like a carpet being rolled out in front of me and I’m just going along for the ride.

NEC: Ralph was involved for many years as a contributor, and served as assistant central mailer of Alpha-Omega (the Christian Comics Amateur Press Association). He spearheaded the massive, groundbreaking issue #100 of Alpha-Omega. Ralph served as Board member and Chairman for the CCAS Board of Directors. Ralph also has been very involved in coordinating the CCAS table at the Comicon International: San Diego and providing assistance for Christian tables at other comic convention. Ralph is a talented artist, great story and character idea man and an excellent organizer.

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