At the intersection of comics and healthcare, a unique project sets out to share stories around complex life experiences in the medical community.  

“Comix From the Heart” is an anthology of graphic medicine comics that brings together patients, doctors, researchers, and artists to share difficult-to-tell medical stories into comic books. Funded by USC Arts in Action, Volume 2 will be a collaborative initiative that includes the American Heart Association, USC Iovine and Young Academy, USC Roski School of Art and Design, and USC School of Pharmacy.

The comic book will focus on the theme of Hypertension and and use the comic storytelling framework as a tool to share first-hand experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. Spearheaded by Matthew Manos, assistant professor of design strategy and director of challenged-based learning at the Academy, the project explores the emerging medium of "graphic medicine" which uses comics, graphic novels, and visual storytelling in patient care and healthcare education. According to Manos, graphic medicine uniquely opens up opportunities to build empathy in a way that traditional text simply can't.

“What I think is really powerful about graphic medicine as a genre is that there is no expectation for incredibly rendered artwork or ‘perfect’ storytelling,” says Manos. “It is a platform for people to share their stories in the most authentic of a way as possible and as tangible of a way as possible,” states Manos. 

Left:  Storyteller, Grushner Panjrath; Artist, Jayne Vidheecharoen | Right: Storyteller, Ray Durazo; Artist, Austin Bauer 

As graphic medicine lies outside traditional medical discourse, so too does the reference to "comix" in the anthology's title. Historically, comix referred to underground comic books written outside of the mainstream boundaries of the Comics Code Authority regulations. These underground publications rarely dealt with superheroes or other popular entertainment media, but focused instead on counterculture stories. For Manos, "Comix From the Heart" is a tribute to those creators who were trying to say that “comics can be used for things you don’t expect,” whether it be in writing satire during the 1960s, or discussing the medical world in 2022.  

“Comix From the Heart” aims to bring greater understanding and awareness around incredibly personal, first-hand experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. The process of making these comics proves to be particularly therapeutic, allowing these individuals to reflect on their life and share snippets of their world with others.   

“You can feel really alone,” says Manos when discussing many mental struggles faced by patients. “You wonder ‘Does anyone else actually feel this way? Does anyone else feel this kind of anxiety or stress in their day to day?’”  

Remembering his own childhood, Manos remembers going to a comic book shop after a surgery. “It just made me feel better,” he recalls. “I think that comics can be sort of healing in a way.”

Storyteller, Matthew Manos; Artist, Jim Rudd from “Comix From the Heart Vol. 01” 

This anthology is just a part of the “Nine Panels Project,” an initiative focusing on partnering with nonprofit organizations to use comics as a means of sharing personal stories. With the second volume of “Comix From the Heart” underway, Manos mentions that they are also in talks for a potential third volume, focusing on long COVID. 

“My aspiration is that one day, the Nine Panel Project amasses all kinds of issues – whether they are health related, issues on inequality, issues about education, or issues about the environment,” says Manos.  

“Comix From the Heart”' is an ongoing project that contributes to an effort to bridge the arts and sciences, and in turn bring together diverse students from USC as well as professionals in their fields. 

USC student artists are encouraged to participate in “Comix from the Heart, Volume 2.” To apply, please follow this link for more information. The application deadline is March 15. 

At the intersection of art and medicine, a unique project sets out to share stories around complex life experiences in the medical community.

USC students and faculty collaborate on medical comic book