Interview With Comics Author Raphael Moran

On Wednesday, August 5th, comics author Raphael Moran held a signing at A Little Shop of Comics in Scotch Plains. I was lucky enough to be able to interview him about his independent comic Dream Reavers.

I asked him a bit about himself. He got into comics by growing up as a fan. He aspired to be a comics artist, and went to school for graphic arts. However, he had a change of heart, and felt he'd make a stronger writer. While I haven't seen any of his art, I know that his writing is superb.  

Then we began discussing his actual comic. "Dream Reavers is a comic for anyone, it doesn't fit into any particular genre."  Upon hearing this, I was as suspicious as you probably are. When I read the book, however, I discovered Dream Reavers is a genuinely unique story that does defy categorization. 

The comic series follows the stories of four main characters. As the title suggests, dreams play a large role in the series. Dream Reavers is going to be a four issue series and every comic is going to feature different character's dream. "Everyone's dreams are different, and to highlight this as well as separate the world of the sleeping from the world of the conscious, a guest artist is going to draw each character's private dream." 

In issue #1, artist Atul Bashki's unique style brings character Aaron's dream to life. While it only lasts five pages, the dream looks amazing. Having a guest artist draw the dream was definitely the right move, as it stands out and gives the comic a great touch of variety (not that it needs it, as the various scenes are definitely visually unique, but it's a nice touch). On top of having a marvelous laugh-out-loud moment, Aaron Pierce's dream serves as the transition into the fantasy of the comic. "All of the main characters are related, somehow, but I don't want to give that way just yet," Moran told me.

Dream Reavers is a surreal book, and all of the characters have their own unique abilities. I don't want to give anything away myself, but their powers definitely add to the intrigue and I can't wait to see the mystery unravel.

The comic's primary artist and colorist Marc Borstel does a fantastic job. Some of the imagery in this comic is so jaw-dropping, it every panel was definitely given special attention. People's body language and expressions very clearly relay what they're feeling and thinking. 

When I asked him what the hardest part of the job was, he answered that "the hardest part of writing an indie book is that you have to do everything yourself. Getting it published, getting the word out there - you don't have a lot of money for advertising the comic or a big company to back you up, so you have to fight to get your book noticed." 

I think that's a total shame, because Dream Reavers is a great comic, and I think everyone should read this special story. 

If you're interested in news and updates about Dream Reavers, you can follow them on their facebook page.