Comic Book Artist Finds Community At Homeless Alliance’s Fresh StART Program

Finding a positive outlet in a life of hardship can be a challenge for those living on the streets. Some struggling artists have banded together for support at The Homeless Alliance, though, including a Marine Corps veteran who is creating his own heroes. 

As artists prepare their masterpieces for Friday's showcase at the Homeless Alliance, Quincy is hard at work designing a new super suit.

“I was thinking, what if he had armor that was like clothing that functions as armor but it’s not as heavy,” he says as he sketches.

His characters stand out as ordinary people with extraordinary gifts. Pointing to a sketch of a man with yellow energy emitting from his body, Quincy says, “This guy, he’s pretty cool…he can project like a holographic image of himself.”

Many of the designs date back to the mid-90s.

“I was in grade school at the time,” says Quincy. “I couldn’t take credit for Marvel and DC, so I just kept my own stuff, which was fun.”

Quincy once aspired to attend a prestigious graphic art school in New Jersey. He sent in his portfolio, but was never able to send himself.

“I didn’t have enough money to get in,” he explains, “so I kind of let that idea go and I quit drawing for a while.”

A chance meeting with a Marine recruiter led the artist on a four-year path to be one of America's real-life heroes instead, going on two tours in Iraq. Once his mission was complete, however, he found himself on the streets and turned once more to the super heroes he loved.

“They’re my brain babies,” Quincy says of his characters.

Between spending time at the library and scrapping for metal, Quincy is now updating his childhood designs using techniques he learned from a Stan Lee book, given to him by another artist at the Homeless Alliance's Fresh StART program. There, he has found a community.

“It’s about finding ways to cope and get through,” he says.

Their art provides an escape from daily life. When asked what superpower he would want, Quincy tells me, “Flying. I’ve thought about flying a little bit, sounds like fun.”

For now, he will settle for the feeling he gets when he puts pencil to paper. “Like with art, the fun think about it is, you’re in control,” he explains, “if not control, at least some freedom.”

You can support artists like Quincy by buying their work at the Homeless Alliance on Friday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. For more information, click here.