St Augustine, FL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/16/2018 --Writer and founder of TAL Creative, Teddy Leo, has created a comic book series to raise mental health awareness and encourage struggling kids to speak up. The series, set in a universe where the characters are all struggling with mental health issues, is the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. It aims to educate young people on what it's like to suffer from mental health conditions and to promote a kinder, positive society without the stigma still often attached to mental illness.

Teddy created "Mind Control: An A.R. Experience" as a means to share his own experiences of mental illness, which we see through the eyes of the main character, Michael. Michael interacts with others who also suffer from mental health difficulties, and they learn to understand and support each other as the series progresses. With "Mind Control," we are entering a new era of comic books.

"Mind Control" is no ordinary comic book. Using Augmented Reality, or A.R., readers can view a computer-generated image superimposed in the real world — meaning readers can fully immerse themselves in Michael's world. This is similar to a pop-up book, only this time, instead of cardboard pop-ups, readers can see the comic book come to life via a smartphone app suitable for Apple or Android. See a demo here.

"Mind Control" is a comic book series we've all been waiting for. It's estimated that, in the US alone, 20% of young people are diagnosed with a mental health condition each year — a figure which doesn't account for how many mental health difficulties go unreported. In fact, at least one in five people will experience mental illness in a given year, and 1 in 25 people live with a severe mental illness which affects their quality of life, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. MIND CONTROL challenges society's preconceived notions of mental illness and helps us understand what it's really like to be a sufferer.

Teddy is hopeful that, thanks to "Mind Control," more people will feel comfortable opening up about their problems, because they will see themselves reflected in the heroes. "Mind Control" is set to launch in December 2018, and the pledges have already exceeded the original Kickstarter funding goal. Pledges start at $1, and backers pledging $150 or more will receive signed, limited-edition merchandise. Those interested can learn more about Teddy, "Mind Control," and how to donate here.