Graphic Medicine

Matt Mewhorter is a therapist and artist who chronicled his and others experiences with cancer through a series of comics.

Years after successfully surviving a malignant brain tumor, I still feel guilty for not being the hyper-athletic, diet-conscious superhero we’re told every survivor should be.

A comic blog by Jana Christy about donating a kidney to his brother.

Written by Phil Maury and illustrated by Nicolette Morgan, this comic from The Lupus Initiative explores living with a chronic illness.

Anna Moriarty Lev's comic about her family as her mother is dying of cancer.

When their father is diagnosed with lung cancer, a family must face the realities of treatment together. Set against the backdrop of a journey through a snowy landscape, Silent Enemy explores the truth of cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Diabetes is ravaging a record number of Americans—and the cost of treating it has never been so sickening.

There can be a lot of misunderstanding surrounding hidden symptoms and a lack of awareness of the difficulties that individuals with MS can face daily.

Ngozi Ukazu's comic follows Eric Bittle—former Georgia junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and amateur pâtissier— as he starts his freshman year playing hockey at the prestigious Samwell University and deals with his fear of checking. The story touches on anxiety and other mental health issues along with coming out and navigating relationships.

My first doctor’s appointment as an openly trans person

It’s an infuriating and frightening time for people who can get pregnant. Here are some resources in comic form that might help us navigate together.

Despite being unlikely friends, Milo and Liam strike up a mutual understanding of each other, as both feel like misfits in their London-based boarding school. Their friendship develops into a secret relationship that becomes difficult to hide.

A webcomic series about being trans male.

Cathy Leamy is a Boston-based cartoonist and health communication specialist who loves exploring the use of comics and illustration in healthcare settings.

How medical schools are using improv theater, virtual reality, and comics to help physicians understand their patients

From the Center for Cartoon Studies. The goal of this concise and engaging 32-page comic is to provide a baseline understanding of the healthcare system so people can feel a little less intimidated by its complexity and cruelty, and more empowered to advocate for themselves and those they care for.

Cartoons on Life and Medicine by Nathan Gray, M.D. Nathan Gray is a doctor specializing in Internal Medicine and Palliative Care. He uses comics and other artwork to promote empathy, educate others, and sometimes explore the ironies of the medical world.

A patient perspective on navigating the US healthcare and health insurance system with a pre-existing condition

Inadvisably frank comics about saving lives, this series features sporadic observations and stories from the artist's life as a paramedic.

An illustrated opinion piece that explores the impact of addiction and substance abuse on ICU nurses and hospital employees.

At the University of Zaragoza in Spain we developed an innovative way to teach the concept of confidentiality to medical students, which we tested by comparing the use of customized comics with more traditional methods. We proved that using comics is more attractive to students than lectures and class discussions, that it increases class participation and students’ self-awareness of learning, and that it maintains the same academic results. We share our experience visually in a two-page comic.

Drawing Blood traces the history of comics’ obsession with medicine from the 17th century to today.

This comic by Whit Taylor explores the history of food regulation and its impact on public health.

Mary Walker, one of the first women to earn a medical degree in America, served as a contract surgeon for the U.S. Army during the Civil War. Often crossing enemy lines to treat sick civilians, she was captured by Confederate soldiers and held as a prisoner of war for several months before being released in an exchange. Dr. Mary Walker is the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor.

Produced by Seattle & King County, this comic tells the tale of a family's experience with the 1918 influenza pandemic. The comic is available in PDF format in multiple languages.

In the spring of 1962, the New Yorker published Rachel Carson’s anti-pesticide manifesto, Silent Spring, in three installments which would eventually lead to a federal ban on DDT for agricultural use and the creation of the EPA. Cartoonist David Gessner illustrates the pioneering writer’s final years as she fought for the environment and for her life.

Comic about a classic experiment into drug addiction science: Rat Park. Would rats choose to take drugs if given a stimulating environment and company?

Created for middle and high school students, Let’s Talk About It: A Graphic Guide To Mental Health is a lively and educational 24-page comic book that destigmatizes the conversation around mental health. Created by mental health experts, educators, and cartoonists this comic provides knowledge and resources for students to help them be healthier and more resilient.

Joanna Conings' comic about navigating the U.S. healthcare system as an international student during COVID-19.

Allie Brosh posts humorous comics chronicling incidents from her childhood along with her experiences with depression.

Free picture stories and illustrated guides to support people with learning disabilities and autism through the coronavirus pandemic.

This comic by Whit Taylor and Allyson Shwed counters public health misinformation by illustrating facts and fictions about COVID-19.

A look into the life of an ICU nurse in New York City in the early days of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States at a moment when the wealth divide was at record levels: millions of people living paycheck to paycheck, uninsured and unhoused, in a country that is home to the most billionaires in the world. A collaboration of The Nib and Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, In/Vulnerable captures both the shared experience of the pandemic and the ways it has laid bare the stark disparities that shape our lives.

A comic created by Josh Adams and Anthony Del Col for Insider about how Trump ignored science, planning, and his own team when the virus struck. And how 194,000 Americans paid the ultimate price.

We help people understand complex health information.

Comic by by Amber Cortes and Carl Nelson on how the pandemic is exacerbating America’s homelessness crisis.

The risks, the misinformation, and the science behind history’s greatest life saver.

Using statistics, historical records and stakeholder interviews, We Are Wynadotte (Kansas City, KS) created two comics on redlining and how the practice continues to affect the health of their community.

Charles Schulz used his culturally monolithic comic strip to advocate for public health. But his approach had some serious shortcomings.

A discussion of the lasting ramifications of the Tuskegee Experiment on African-Americans and their trust of the US medical system. by Whit Taylor and Chris Kindre

A thought experiment for privileged readers.

Comic by Whit Taylor examining pregnancy and birthing experience of black women in America.

Breastfeeding isn’t free — and it isn’t a solution to the national baby formula shortage.

Narratives of migrant dairy farm workers in Vermont. The Most Costly Journey is a collaboration between the Open Door Clinic, Vermont Folklife Center, UVM Extension Bridges to Health, UVM Anthropology, and Marek Bennett’s Comics Workshop.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University delved into racial health disparities during the 1918 influenza pandemic -- and what history can teach us about how to approach the current pandemic.

An exploration of reproductive justice issues for people who give birth while incarcerated.

This comic breaks down the concept of race historically, scientifically, socially and anthropologically to help readers better understand and discuss what people mean when they discuss race and racism.

The ¡Basta! We Deserve a Workplace without Sexual Harassment comic was launched in February 2021. It was developed in collaboration with Latina farmworkers and uses a narrative format based on real stories.

A first-person account of a wildfire and its aftermath.

Survivor Tales comic books tell the real-life stories of individuals who have weathered major disasters. The comics show how a disaster might play out and help readers determine what they might need to be survivors, too. These stories showcase how neighbors and communities can pull together and provide practical tips from actual survivors.

How children are coping in the Ukraine.