Taking a stand against bullying, one comic at a time

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - One local man is on a mission to save Tucson with smiles and art. His journey hasn’t always been easy but it has been colorful.

Meet Frank Powers, he wears a suit covered in comic book art and a sparkly red cowboy hat — his usual get-up for important occasions. The colorful outfit clearly matches his colorful personality.

His house is equally as colorful, decked out in trinkets and toys that cover just about every inch. It’s what Powers likes to call three-dimensional scrap booking. Powers is an artist at heart and has kept all his sketch books. His obsession with the comic book style of art started as a little boy, and so did his boisterous personality.

“When I was a kid, I used to be really funny and outgoing,” said Powers. “I got made fun of real bad one day…and I really just introverted very bad.”

Powers said his anxiety around school reached such heights, he missed dozens of days of school. But, then one day he had a realization.

He didn’t want to be that kid anymore.

“Around seventh or eighth grade, I took a stand against being helpless because of anxiety and because of being afraid,” Powers said.

Ever since, his larger-than-life personality and comic-book persona are at the forefront of his life.

Through his new venture, the Comic Bookmobile, he hopes to share his story and art with kids, in hopes they can find their unique quirks valuable. He drives the old Volks Wagon bus to schools, shows and more, and teaches adults and kids the basics of drawing a comics.

He wants to share his story and show people that they too can overcome adversity and learn to love themselves through art.

“I’m trying to help people not be afraid, I think,” said Powers. “I really think that’s what it is.”

Follow Powers’ journey here: www.facebook.com/TheComicBookmobile and see where he and his Comic Bookmobile will be next.

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