An outlet for creativity and one heck of a story!
Yesterday I had the great pleasure of reading Raining Dead by author extraordinaire JD Estrada. Before I delve into this review, I would like to say that I admire JD. It is not only his humbleness and his wilfulness to help others is his god-giving talent. He has proven a true multifaceted genre writer. The passion that he puts in everything he writes stands out in each one of his works. So is the case of the graphic novel Raining Dead. Raining Dead is not your usual graphic novel; Raining Dead is a creative outlet for every professional and neophyte artist. An invitation to sharpen or develop your artistic skills. It is also a blueprint for every aspiring writer who wants to enter the fantastic comic book world. Although it purposely lacks imagery, the panels (created by JD) description alongside the dialog creates a cohesive and compelling story. A Samurai, a rifle welding Native American, and a snarky Vampire come together to stop a zombie apocalypse. It may sound like a ludicrous concept, but trust me, JD's narrative makes it work and keeps you engaged until the last page.
Why is this graphic novel is so important? The book explains in great detail who inspired him to write this. Never underestimate the imagination and the descriptive powers of someone, even if they live in a world where they can only see shadows.
The world of "professional" comic books is very exclusive. I've witnessed (and so does JD) very talented artists have their hopes to use their giving talent to earn a living shatter by naysayers in suits. As a teacher, JD Estrada's mentorship and caring for his fellow writers and artist created more than a comic book to draw yourself. He created a platform where you can express your talents in an openly and unique way. Each artist that picks up this book will have a one-of-a-kind graphic novel. His method and approach to the book will allow the artist to draw freely without restraints.
So if you have an itch for penciling a professional script or learning how to tell a solid story without the convoluted method that goes into writing a book without images or a novel, Raining Dead is the Graphic Novel for you.