Stockton is home to the popular Marvel comic "Fantastic Four," and one group of artists is raising money to help finish a mural of the iconic characters.
Ivan Montijo, a b-boy breakdancer who teaches breakdancing to students in Stockton schools, told CBS Sacramento that this mural is a grassroots movement. It all started with an idea. It turned into Montijo finding out the side of the iconic Al's Comics was a private building and after talking to a salon owner and her son, he and his superteam got the green light to spray paint the building.
Montijo says this is the first graffiti mural on Miracle Mile and he started a fundraiser called "Be Part of Stockton's Comic Book History," with money helping pay for meals after the artists paint with Starpoint Real Estate, giving a big donation for a lot of the paint and the Justice Art League donating a big chunk, as well.
"Since it gravitates towards a lot of kids, being a superhero, having superpowers, just getting distracted from the normal life, whether it's you having a tough life, it's like gravitating towards comics," Montijo said. "If you're able to give someone hope through beautiful artwork on the wall like some superheroes and basically, like we all have superpowers in some way. You just got to find it and this is mostly people, they didn't go to school to be artists. It's just a God-given gift and to let a kid know like, 'Hey if you find it in you and you pursue it with a passion, you too, can…come to one, display your amazing art and inspire others, too, just keep growing."
The artists have jobs by day and volunteer their time to spray this art.
"209 always gets bad press," Montijo said. "So, we always get outshined. There's plenty of positivity here in Stockton and plenty of talented artists; it's just people don't know. So, it's good that you guys are out here shining a light on positive, beautiful artwork here going on in the Miracle Mile."
John Sysay lives in Stockton and brought his 9-year-old daughter, Olivia, to the mural.
"This is something very cool and it brings a lot of people together," Sysay said. "Stockton doesn't get a lot of love. So, thank you for coming out and showing support to the guys. Damage (artist) in the background, putting in the work. Shout out to the artists on the wall. Can't wait to see the finished product and to see who else comes out and shows love to Stockton."
You know, I can't wait to see the finished product and to see who else comes out and shows love to Stockton, you know, so."
Olivia's dream is to become a doctor.
The history of the Fantastic Four runs deep in Stockton. Montijo said in the late 1980's, there was a petition to make this the hometown of the superhero team and that Stan Lee was invited to the city, went to Al's Comics with Spiderman and signed autographs, then went to city hall to make Stockton the official birthplace of the Fantastic Four.
Montijo said "it just makes sense" as they feature the "fantastic four elements of hip-hop: B-boy, graffiti, DJing, and emceeing".
Montijo and Ariston Ripoyla, who is also a b-boy breakdancer, have a passion for art, especially in uplifting local Stockton artists. Ripoyla, a proud Filipino-American artist, helps out in whatever way he can, whether that be buffing, carrying buckets, cleaning up, or helping with scaffolding – all in support of hoping to inspire the youth.
"I think that this will inspire the city and let the city know that we have some pretty amazing and talented people that have an impact globally here in this hometown," Ripoyla said. "The place that (gets) a bad rap, but it's like, nah, they got to look deeper to the beauty that this city produces."
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