Bitter Pill: Randy Shilts and the Dawn of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, (Hardcover)

<p><b>Pioneering reporter Randy Shilts fights to expose the truth during the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic. With hospital beds filling up, the clock is ticking. . . . What will it take to wake up the nation?</b></p><p><b>San Francisco, 1981.</b> Drawn from true events, this graphic novel follows Randy Shilts--biographer of Harvey Milk and one of the first openly gay journalists hired by the mainstream press--as he receives a chilling call at the <i>Chronicle</i>: a Los Angeles patient is being treated for a rare and aggressive cancer. </p><p>As Shilts digs deeper, a disturbing pattern emerges. The illness seems to strike only gay men, with early cases linked to a Castro-district bathhouse. A meeting with an infectious disease researcher confirms his worst fear: this so-called "gay cancer" is neither rare nor isolated--it's the beginning of a national health crisis. With those in power slow to respond, Shilts resorts to bold tactics to force attention on the unfolding HIV/AIDS epidemic.</p><p>His relentless pursuit of the truth would help change history, exposing a catastrophe too many chose to ignore. In this dramatic graphic portrait inspired by the life and legacy of Randy Shilts, the creators bring to the page a story that feels both urgent and insightful.</p><p>Shilts's groundbreaking reporting and books (<i>The Mayor of Castro Street</i>, <i>And the Band Played On</i>, <i>Conduct Unbecoming</i>) became cornerstones of journalism and LGBTQ+ history. This graphic novel offers a powerful new interpretation of the transformative moment that defined his legacy.</p><p>Featuring an afterword by Randy Shilts biographer Michael Lee, author of <i>When the Band Played On: The Life of Randy Shilts</i>.</p>

• Bitter Pill: Randy Shilts and the Dawn of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, (Hardcover)
• Author: Abrams Comicarts
• ISBN: 9781419788697
• Format: Hardcover
• Publication Date: 2026-11-03
• Page Count: 160