For D’Metryus Freeman, the comic that depicts one of the best moments of his life can be defined in one word.
“Fantastic,” Freeman says. “It's humbling to look back at that and say, Oh my gosh. It feels so good to come from like, well, being housed is my accomplishment, and be like, well, having my house fully clean, and my bills fully paid is an accomplishment.”
Freeman is a former vendor of the Curbside Chronicle, a street paper in Oklahoma City, who got his own place in 2022. The moment in the comic is a moment worth commemorating. And that’s exactly what this month’s Curbside Chronicle is doing with 10 comics featuring Freeman and nine other vendors who sell the publication.
According to editor Nathan Poppe, this month marks 11 years since Curbside Chronicle started printing in Oklahoma City.
“We wanted to do something special for this issue, and I would say it's probably one of the most ambitious projects that we've done in the magazine,” Poppe said. “It's 10 different stories told through 10 different comic book artists, and each story was inspired by or came from a vendor.”
The comics are a collaborative collection, with significant contributions from Robert Wilson, a longtime OKC-based illustrator, and Charles Martin of Literati Press in the Paseo. The issue will also include a ticket to the New World Comic Con event at the state fairgrounds on July 13 and 14.
“There's going to be cosplay and comic book conversations and all the beautiful things that nerds love,” Poppe said. “So it's just at the end of a day a big celebration of creativity.”
Freeman loved the opportunity to be involved in such a creative endeavor. Today, Freeman works as a florist at Curbside Flowers, a venture of the Homeless Alliance like the Curbside Chronicle.
Freeman’s comic features him going through life with his cat Eleanor and discussing how it feels to have a home of their own. The moment depicted is powerful.
“I had a lot of freedom given to me,” Freeman said. “It was my house.”
Poppe and Freeman hope these stories move readers, much like this one moved them. To read more comics like it, you can pick up a Curbside Chronicle from a vendor or at Curbside Flowers.
