The Return of Blanc Comics

For the second year in a row, I have been presenting my Blanc Comics along with the rest of the Estrada library. This is a very special project in honor of my late grandmother, Tata. You see, Tata had advanced Glaucoma and her vision was severely impaired. Still, the memory of her lingers. Sweet smelling hands, soft as silk and a beauty that stuck around til the day she passed. 

I was always amazed at the stories she used to share and the level of detail she had in her stories (something mom inherited, by the way). So thinking of her and channeling her ability to tell a vivid tale, I decided to make my own comics. The stories are there and fully fleshed. Actions can be heard, panels have been set and descriptions have been given… but there are no visuals, for as a storyteller, I am blind and I need you to help me see the story I have to tell. 

For this year, I have the second episode for the first two Blanc Comics titles: Tricks and ladders and Raining Dead.

It’s a very special series because it is part of a larger project I’m working on and which I hope to share before the end of this year. It’s also the chance for any artist to show me what they can do with the story I have to tell. You see, there are no two identical perspectives in this world… and that’s a beautiful country I hope we can explore together. 

So thanks for reading and most definitely, thanks for filling in a Blanc and letting me see the stories I have to tell. 

Peace, love and maki rolls.

Why I fully support the Puerto Rico Comic Con

The Puerto Rico Comic Con is a world class event.

Let me explain.

For the longest time, PR has had a bad reputation of taking shows and concepts and doing a cheap knockoff version for people on the Island. From versions of the Bachelor, Survivor, and remakes of movies, to lord knows what, it was a bad habit for Puerto Rico to think, act and deliver like second best.

When you go to the Puerto Rico Comic Con, you see that this habit has been eradicated. Year after year you get high quality guests from movies, from comics, from voice acting and from everything you can imagine. This year has Jason Momoa, an actor entering and enjoying his prime if there ever was one. This is not a B-List event, it’s not what they could muster for the people on the Island.

This is the declaration that we are not limited in scope, potential or ambition. It’s gone from inviting people and looking for guests to having a waiting list of people eager to be part of this event. This isn't your local small scale event, this is an activity where over 40,000 attendees will roar their voice in unison that we are global.

If it were just the event itself, that would be enough… though like an infomercial, I have to say, “but wait there’s more.”

The Puerto Rico Comic Con is already huge and attracting people from all over, but it’s also supporting other events that support local talent, from local artists to short films, there are burgeoning projects and others that are just getting started. In that way, the PRCC is on its way to becoming a cultural driver that defines an era of fandom and pop culture, proudly saying, sure we have pristine beaches, historical monuments and a rich multicultural history, but we also have talent, we have dreams, and we do this while working in Paradise.

So when you’re wondering what to do for May 2016, consider this my heads up for an event that you have to see to believe.

The inspiration for Blanc Comics

Blanc Comics© is my tribute to Tata, my late grandmother. She was a beautiful, elegant, wonderful woman, with a cheeky sense of humor, gorgeously soft hands and beauty that carried into her 80’s. She was also blind.

Regardless of her condition, this didn’t stop her from telling colorful stories from Cuba and her life, showing me you don’t need to use your eyes to truly see. Wondering of something different to do for the Puerto Rico Comic Con, I thought of writing comics, panel descriptions, details, and full blown storylines as if I were Tata, i.e. as if I were blind and needed people of all types to help me see the story. Blanc Comics is more than something you can read, it’s my humble request for you to paint the stories I have to tell.

The 2014 PRCC offered up two launch titles: Raining Dead© and Tricks and Ladders©. Each one has a life of its own and its own personality. Soon I’ll be seeing how I can get more people to help me draw a Blanc and paint the story the way THEY would like to see it. That way we’ll be able to compare lenses from around the world to see how our eyes reflect the same light.

If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a Blanc Comic and would like to show your vision of our story, send your artwork to JDEstradawriter@gmail.com. I’ll be sharing some more info about each title soon and creating a gallery on my Facebook Page to show our stories in all their glory.

We’ll be seeing each other very soon.