Misha Grifka Wander is an academic, writer, game designer, and editor from the American Midwest.

I obtained my PhD in May, 2024, from the Ohio State University English Department. My research is broad and interdisciplinary, focusing on contemporary media with special attention to issues of queerness, speculative fictions, race and empire, and ecocriticism. I originally intended to study comics during my PhD, but was drawn to the web of connections between various forms of media and critical stances that I was introduced to during my program. Outside of the academy, I am also a practicing writer, editor, and designer. My most recent focus has been in the field of tabletop games, where I work as a freelance editor and designer. In addition, I am a lead editor and occasional writer for the Ancillary Review of Books, a speculative fiction review and critique site focusing on the full range of literary and academic works.

When Iā€™m not doing work of any sort, I have plenty of hobbies to keep myself busy, including cooking, caring for my bonsai trees, and playing games of any sort (tabletop, board, video - all of them!). My partner and my two cats graciously make room for my ever-growing library, and for that I am grateful.