Dave Chisholm Interview - Is Ted OK?

This is a truly wide-ranging and phenomenal episode as Jimmy welcomes Dave Chisholm onto the podcast to discuss his newest series with Mad Cave Studios: Is Ted OK? Issue #1 is out February 25, 2026. This series contains some of Dave's best work today, which is a high bar looking at his previous comics including the recent Spectrum with Rick Quinn. Dave discuses how every choice in his comics is deliberate and work to serve the story and compel the narrative forward. Dave also discusses his work on Spectrum and his different approach to that comic compared to Is Ted OK? Dave also drops a fascinating anecdote about the early Renaissance composer Guillaume Du Fay, and I've included a link below to an example of that music. Follow Dave on Bluesky Pre-Order Is Ted OK? Buy Spectrum Nuper rosarum flores by Guillaume Du Fay as sung by Quire Cleveland CHAPTERS (00:00) Welcome to Cryptid Creator Corner (Comic Book Yeti)(01:13) Introducing Dave Chisholm (Spectrum, Is Ted Okay?)(02:25) What Is Is Ted Okay?? A Corporate Surveillance Horror Comic(03:52) Power, Corporations & the Modern Surveillance State(04:58) Pitching a “Mystery Box” Comic Without Spoilers(06:58) Empathy, Violence & Writing Modern Masculinity(08:15) Why Is Ted Okay? Gets Weird (and Keeps Escalating)(09:36) Ending Issues on Shock: Big Story Beats Without Betrayal(11:11) Music as Character Insight: Paganini & Ted’s Obsession(14:04) Hidden Motifs, Pietà References & Artistic Echoes Across Works(15:45) Paneling Philosophy: Normalcy, Contrast & When to Break the Rules(18:09) Visual Language as Storytelling (Color, Layout & Impact)(24:59) Satire Becoming Reality: Corporate Culture & “Positive Paranoia”(28:34) Using Color to Convey Trauma, Memory & Emotion(35:19) Comics, Music & Craft: Making Work That Rewards Deep Reading(42:27) Script vs Instinct: Chisholm’s Writing & Art Process(44:46) Collaboration, Editing & Letting Characters Drive the Plot(49:48) Final Thoughts: Taking Big Swings in Indie Comics From the Publisher about Is Ted OK? 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. IS TED OK? mashes up the paranoid existentialism of SEVERANCE with the cosmic sci-fi of AKIRA while exploring what happens when the act of help goes horribly wrong. Follow Comic Book Yeti 🔗 Comic Book Yeti LinkTree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ComicBookYeti⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For partnership and ad inquiries, please contact: thecomicsyeti@gmailcom Follow your hosts 🔗 Jimmy Gaspero: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/jimmygaspero.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🔗 Byron O’Neal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/byrononeal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ARKENFORGE Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Arkenforge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the discount code YETI5 to get $5 off your order. Make sure to check out our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2000AD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices