Born in 1977 in Newark, New Jersey, Gerard Way had the goal of being a cartoonist, but while in college his band started picking up popularity and so he shifted his goals to persuading music. You recognize him as the lead singer of My Chemical Romance popular for

leading the emo movement of the 2000s, it was also due to the dark time that 2001 had brought with 9/11. Gerard talked about how he was there, and he did not lose any family members, but he could see from those around him how sad they were. He described it as an ” A-Bomb of emotions.” then his band would release their first song “Skylines and Turnstiles” as a dedication to those who lost their lives and the emotions everyone had felt that day. It is clear he was not doing it for fame, but instead of as an outlet to express his emotions and for others to relate. Since the breakup in 2013, Gerard has done some of his own music, but he is more focused on his passion for writing.

He is also half of the creative team behind the Umbrella Academy comics, the story following a dysfunctional family of superheroes, but it is not about their adventures as heroes, it instead focuses on the trauma they share living with their father and how they come together as a family now. Then, a Netflix series is going on its 3^rd season on June 22. His interest in comics started when he worked at a comic book shop and as many of us do, he fell into the world of comics, especially with DC Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison which would be the inspiration for Umbrella Academy. In a full-circle moment, DC would have Gerard make his own imprint called “Young Animals” where he would write ironically enough, Doom Patrol.

Song recommendations: Welcome to the Black Parade, Helena, I don’t Love You, Dead, Famous Last Words, Teenagers

Comic Recommendations: Umbrella Academy, Doom Patrol, Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye, Killjoys

Work Cited:

• https://dobienews.scuc.txed.net/13606/arts-entertainment/the-history-of-my-chemical-romance/
• https://www.altwire.net/2022/02/21/my-chemical-romance-guide/

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/oct/05/gerard-way-my-chemical-romance-comic-book-writer