Carl B. Sell

Carl B. Sell is a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences. He also serves as the Assistant Director of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program and Undergraduate Research Programs under the Office of the Provost. Sell holds a PhD and MA in English Literature from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a BA in English with a History minor from Pennsylvania State University, Altoona College.

His research focuses on the adaptation and appropriation of Arthurian legends in popular culture, including comics, fantasy literature, and role-playing games. Key interests include the intersection of medieval narratives with modern media, particularly in DC Comics’ Aquaman, Warhammer universes, and Dragonlance sagas. He explores themes like heroic archetypes, chivalric codes, and the persistence of Arthurian motifs in contemporary storytelling.

Sell’s publications analyze Arthurian influences in works such as Camelot 3000, Dracula vs. King Arthur, and the Dragonlance series, emphasizing how these texts recontextualize medieval traditions. His work bridges medieval scholarship and modern pop culture, often using case studies from comics, movies, and video games.

Professional affiliations include the Association for the Advancement of Scholarship and Teaching of the Medieval in Popular Culture and the Alliance for the Promotion of Research on the Matter of Britain. He actively participates in academic roundtables and workshops on accessing Arthurian texts and integrating comics into teaching.