Ana Merino (b. Madrid) is an award-winning writer and a Professor of Spanish Creative Writing and Cultural Studies at the University of Iowa. She has written extensive criticism on comics and graphic novels, has authored two academic books and a monograph on Chris Ware and has curated five comic book exhibitions. She was a member of the ICAF (International Comic Arts Forum) Executive Committee from 2001–2011 and a Directors Board founder member at The Center for Cartoon Studies from 2004–2014. She currently lives in Iowa.