Author: Newsroom
FEB. 3, 2026, (PORTLAND, OR) — Mad Cave Studios is proud to welcome Cara O’Neil as the publisher’s new Director of Marketing. A senior publishing and marketing executive, O’Neil’s career has been shaped by steady growth, cross-departmental leadership, and a holistic understanding of the comics and publishing ecosystem.
She joined Dark Horse Comics in 2018 and was promoted through multiple positions within the marketing department, later serving as Vice President of Marketing. In that role, she led marketing and publicity in close collaboration with sales, editorial, licensing, and digital teams. Her work helped bring major titles, including Hellboy, Black Hammer, The Umbrella Academy, Sin City, and Berserk, to audiences across comics, games, and screen, balancing longtime fan trust with thoughtful, audience-driven campaigns that expanded reach across platforms. She also regularly represented the company at key industry events.
A graduate of Portland State University’s Master’s in Publishing program, O’Neil brings together retail insight, formal publishing training, and executive-level experience. She is widely respected within the comics and publishing community for her collaborative approach and long-term perspective.
“I am delighted to be joining the team at Mad Cave and look forward to diving into the exciting projects on their publishing slate,” said Cara O’Neil. “While it’s energizing to take on new challenges and opportunities, I am also thrilled to continue to work with familiar faces throughout the industry, from creators to partners at other studios and companies, to those in media, events, and more. Beginning a new chapter with Mad Cave Studios is an exciting opportunity for us all to continue to grow, make great comics and books, and reach more readers and fans.”
Mark Irwin, President of Mad Cave Studios, shared O’Neil’s enthusiasm:
“I’m pleased to welcome Cara O’Neil as our new Director of Marketing. Cara brings terrific experience in marketing for and to our industry, with a strong track record of building bold, reader-focused campaigns and growing passionate audiences. Her insight, creativity, and strategic approach will be a tremendous asset as we continue to expand our publishing program across all four of our imprints—we’re excited to have her on board and look forward to the impact she’ll have as we enter our next chapter.
Mad Cave Studios is committed to publishing bold, creator-owned and licensed comics. The announcement reflects the publisher’s broader approach to building its marketing team and the company as a whole.
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.