Charles Hatfield

Charles Hatfield is a Professor of English at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where he has taught since 2001. He is a foundational figure in comics studies, co-founding the Comics Studies Society (CSS) in 2015 and serving as its inaugural President until 2018. His academic work bridges comics scholarship, disability studies, and pop culture pedagogy, with notable contributions to curriculum development including the creation of CSUN's Comics and Graphic Novels course (ENGL 333) and the Pop Culture Minor.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. (2000) from the University of Connecticut
• M.A. (1991) from the University of Connecticut
• B.A. (1988) from the University of California, Santa Barbara

Professor Hatfield's research centers on comics as a legitimate academic discipline, with expertise in Jack Kirby's legacy (evidenced by his award-winning monograph Hand of Fire), disability representation in visual narratives, and transmedia adaptation. His interdisciplinary approach integrates cultural studies, children's literature, and word-image analysis, significantly advancing the theoretical frameworks for comics scholarship. His work challenges traditional literary boundaries while emphasizing comics' cultural and pedagogical value across genres including science fiction and fantasy.

His scholarly recognition includes:

• CSUN's Preeminent Scholarly Publications Award (2014)

As an educator, Hatfield has designed over thirty courses at CSUN since 2001, establishing ENGL 333 as a cornerstone General Education offering and co-developing the department's Pop Culture Minor. He actively mentors students through specialized seminars like ENGL 525GS (Graphic Self) and curricular innovation. His leadership extends to co-editing the Studies in Comics and Cartoons series for Ohio State University Press and securing institutional support for major initiatives such as the "Comic Book Apocalypse" exhibition featuring Jack Kirby's original art.

Professor Hatfield maintains active roles in academic communities through the Comics Studies Society (which he led from 2015-2018), the International Comic Arts Forum (1997-2009), and the MLA Forum for Comics and Graphic Narratives (2010-2014). His curation of large-scale exhibitions and collaborative projects demonstrates his commitment to building interdisciplinary networks that bridge academia, artistic practice, and public engagement in comics studies.