Author: Newsroom
MARCH 4, (PORTLAND, OR) — Demand for IS TED OK? #1 has surpassed expectations and its initial print run!
Following distributor sellout and strong support from readers and reviewers, Mad Cave Studios is sending the debut issue from award-winning writer and artist Dave Chisholm (Spectrum, Miles Davis & The Search for the Sound) back to press for a second printing, featuring a striking new cover by Chisholm.
Already one of the most talked-about indie launches of the season, Is Ted OK? continues to gain momentum, widening its world, raising the stakes, and cementing its place as a breakout series.
Reflecting on the response, Dave Chisholm shared:
“I am FLOORED at the reception that the first issue of Is Ted OK? has gotten from shops, readers, my fellow creators, and collectors. This project is incredibly important to me, so it was honestly moving to see the print run sell out so quickly. If you missed out, don’t fret–the second print is on the way!”
Blending the psychological with speculative dread, Is Ted OK? explores isolation, surveillance, corporate omnipresence, and the fragile line between empathy and intrusion. Chisholm’s distinctive visual language, equal parts intimate and unsettling, has resonated deeply with readers looking for something personal, unnerving, and timely.
This is a story about Ted and Sarah.
Ted, isolated and paranoid, works for a mega-corporation owned by the world’s only trillionaire. He suffers from night terrors, obsessively draws the same mysterious figures again and again, all while listening to one track of music on repeat–oh, and the only “person” he ever talks to is a stray cat. His humanity is hanging by a thread.
Sarah is a new arrival to the city, fighting her own demons, and her job is to remotely spy on Ted to ensure he doesn’t hurt anyone…or himself. When Ted’s mental state begins to crack, Sarah compassionately intervenes to help, and things go catastrophically wrong.
Praise for IS TED OK? #1
“Is Ted OK? #1 will have you questioning truth, reality, and the untapped potential of comics.”
—AiPT
“What makes this issue memorable isn’t just its dystopian tension, but how creator Dave Chisholm gives weight to its characters, grounding the bizarre and sometimes brutal world in real emotional stakes. The art is striking and expressive, enhancing the book’s eerie tone and thematic heft.”
—League of Comic Geeks
“For a comic that features a visual gag … it has a surprising amount of heart and soul on its pages.”
—Major Spoilers
“Once you dive into this world, it’s hard to pull yourself back out.” —Fanlight Zone
For readers who crave high-concept sci-fi with emotional teeth, Is Ted OK? leans into the paranoia of Severance, the scale and strangeness of Akira, and the narrative daring of Mind MGMT and Department of Truth, all while grounding the story in something deeply human—the fragile, necessary search for connection in a world built to suppress it.
The second printing of Is Ted OK? #1arrives in comic shops on April 8, 2026, with Final Order Cutoff on March 16. Retailers are encouraged to adjust orders now to meet the industry demand of this fresh new series.
Stay up to date with Mad Cave Studios—and its imprints Papercutz, Maverick, and Nakama Press on social media, or visit www.madcavestudios.com to explore new releases, licensed series, and creator-owned titles.