In the field of comic studies, Dr. Charles Hatfield is one of the leading scholars in the world. Two of his publications established his reputation as a “luminary in the field” on the subject of comic and graphic studies. The first book published in 2005, Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature, has been referred to as “seminal” and “landmark.”  The second book, Hand of Fire: The Comics Art of Jack Kirby, published in 2011, represents “a paradigm shift in the way we think about comics’ creation.” He is the recipient of the 2014 Preeminent Scholarly Publication(s) Award which honors the best original written work--article, essay, or book--or body of works on a single subject.