[Comicsstudiessociety] RIP M. Thomas Inge

[Charles Hatfield]

I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Tom (M. Thomas) Inge,
pioneering scholar of comics, cartooning, humor, and popular culture
generally. Tom edited more than one book series for the University Press of
Mississippi and presided over some of the first panels about comics at both
the Popular Culture Association and the Modern Language Association.
Moreover, he enabled the careers of other scholars; he was a model of
generosity, grace, and mentorship as well as scholarship. His interest and
advocacy enabled my two first two books, *Alternative Comics* and *Hand of
Fire*, and I think the same could be said for many other research writers
who were assisted into the field by Tom. His work on diverse cartoonists
and authors, from Poe, Twain, and Faulker to Schulz, Harrington, and
Eisner, was both illuminating and profoundly encouraging.

Meeting Tom at the 1995 PCA conference in Philadelphia, and the community
of comics scholars there that he represented (and that so clearly looked up
to him with awe and gratitude), was a turning point in my life. I think it
quite likely that I never would have been part of an endeavor to found a
Comics Studies Society without his gracious, affirming example and concrete
intercession in multiple instances. As a teacher, aspirational figure,
connector of people, and above all as a reader and thinker, he inspired me.

I am able to take so many things for granted today because of Tom's
trailblazing work and unstinting generosity.

My deepest condolences to everyone whose lives Tom touched. That, I think,
is a lot of people.

CH
Charles Hatfield
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