Cancer Vixen

Marisa Acocello Marchetto’s graphic memoir, published in 2006 by Alfred A. Knopf, turns her own breast cancer diagnosis into a vibrant, unflinching story of survival, love, and New York City life. Through her signature bold, colorful art and sharp wit, Marchetto chronicles her journey from diagnosis through treatment, weaving in her career as a cartoonist and her relationship with her then-fiancé. This single-issue work stands as a landmark in autobiographical comics, demonstrating the medium’s power to tackle serious illness with humor, heart, and visual panache.