Gerard Arthur Way (born April 9, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and comic book writer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and co-founder of the
rock band
My Chemical Romance. He released his debut solo album, Hesitant Alien, in 2014.
Way was born in
Summit, New Jersey, on April 9, 1977,[3] the son of Donna Lee (née Rush) and Donald Way. He is of
Italian and
Scottish ancestry.[4] Raised in
Belleville, New Jersey, alongside brother
Mikey Way, he first began singing publicly in the fourth grade, when he played the role of
Peter Pan in a school musical production. His maternal grandmother, Elena Lee Rush, was a great creative influence who taught him to sing, paint, and perform from a young age; he has said that "she has taught me everything I know".[5] Also, while in elementary school, the
glam metal band
Bon Jovi was instrumental in forming his love of music[6] and
Bruce Springsteen is the first concert that he ever watched.
At the age of 15, Way was held at gunpoint. As he said in an April 2008 Rolling Stone interview, "I got held up with a
.357 Magnum, had a gun pointed to my head and put on the floor, execution-style." He went on to say that "no matter how ugly the world gets or how stupid it shows me it is, I always have faith [in it]".[7] At age 16, he appeared on an episode of Sally Jesse Raphael to discuss the controversy surrounding the publicizing of serial killer
Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes in
comic books.[8] Way attended
Belleville High School, graduating in 1995. Deciding to pursue a career in the comic-book industry, he attended the
School of Visual Arts in
New York City, graduating with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999.[5][9]
As teenagers, Gerard and his brother Mikey Way, who later became the bassist of
My Chemical Romance, were influenced by artists including
Iron Maiden,
The Misfits,
Danzig,
Black Flag,
Queen,
Pulp,
Alkaline Trio,
Blur,
Morrissey, and
The Smiths.[10] Way originally wanted to be a guitarist. His grandmother bought him his first guitar at the age of eight, and he played in short-lived bands such as Ray Gun Jones and Nancy Drew with future bandmate Ray Toro. When he was not successful (one band kicked him out due to his lack of skill with the guitar), he chose to concentrate on his art career.[11]
Way was working as an intern for
Cartoon Network in New York City during the
September 11, 2001 attacks. Seeing the effects of the attacks first-hand prompted Way to change his views on life in the following weeks. He told Spin magazine, "I literally said to myself, 'Fuck art. I've gotta get out of the basement. I've gotta see the world. I've gotta make a difference.'"[12] To help deal with the emotional effects the attacks had on him, Way wrote the lyrics to the song "Skylines and Turnstiles", which became the first song by
My Chemical Romance.[13]
In interviews, Way has stated that music and his artwork were effective outlets for his longtime battles against
depression,
alcoholism, and
prescription drug abuse. Using music to resolve personal battles has also led Way to create deeply personal songs such as "
Helena", which he wrote in memory of his late grandmother.[17]
On March 22, 2013, My Chemical Romance announced their break up.[18]
2014–2016: Hesitant Alien
In May 2014, Way launched his
Tumblr-based website where he announced that he had signed to Warner Bros. Records as a solo artist and was nearing completion of his first solo album.[19]
Further to this he announced a new song, "
Action Cat", released later in June as a
promotional single to his new album[20][21] and his first solo shows at
Reading and Leeds Festivals 2014.[22] He later announced another solo performance that took place at Portsmouth's Wedgewood Rooms on August 20.[23] On August 19, Way streamed a new music video for the song "
No Shows",[24] released as the first single off the new album on August 19.[citation needed] The album, titled Hesitant Alien, was released on September 30, 2014.[25]
When Way was asked why he chose to implement the
Britpop genre into his music he stated that he enjoyed the energy and style of the music and its scene, and was urged to revive aspects of the genre in America.[26]
In February and March 2015, Way performed as a solo artist with The Hormones on the main stage of the Australian
2015 Soundwave music festivals, and headlined an additional sideshow in Melbourne.[27]
In early 2015, it was announced that he would perform at the Boston Calling Music Festival in May 2015.[28]
On
Record Store Day 2016, Way released two exclusive, unreleased tracks from Hesitant Alien titled "Don't Try" and "Pinkish".[29]
2018–present: Later solo singles and reunion
On October 28, 2018, Way released his first major solo single in over two years, titled "
Baby You're a Haunted House". The single features Way's brother and former bandmate, Mikey Way, on bass.[30] The official lyric video, featuring four skeleton-masked musicians performing the song, was released on YouTube on the same day.[31][32]
On November 15, Way released another single, "
Getting Down the Germs", which was co-written with former bandmate
Ray Toro. The single "gives a peek of where [Way] will be headed musically," according to a statement released by Way.[33]
On December 14, Way released a third single, "Dasher", which features additional vocals from Lydia Night of
The Regrettes.[34] The single is a Christmas-themed story about a girl who falls in love with a reindeer as they await to be reunited after a long absence.[35]
On October 31, 2019, My Chemical Romance announced they would be reuniting with a date in
Los Angeles on December 20 and a new merchandise line.[38] They later announced a 2020 North American tour, as well as dates in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The tour was postponed to 2022, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.[39][40]
On July 8, 2020, Way released an original song titled "Here Comes the End", which features singer
Judith Hill and appears on the second season of The Umbrella Academy.[41]
Gerard Way and The Hormones
As a solo artist, Way performs with a live band to provide additional instrumentation and vocals.
Note: This is the most recent touring line-up in support of
Hesitant Alien.
In early 2009, Way and
Japanese singer
Kyosuke Himuro co-produced the new theme song for Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete, the
Blu-ray director's cut of the movie sequel to the popular video game, Final Fantasy VII. He is also credited with writing the lyrics, and singing alongside Himuro. The song, titled "Safe and Sound", was released on iTunes on April 29, 2009.[43] "Safe and Sound" is only heard on the Japanese release of the film; the English release uses Himuro's "Calling" (the original ending theme for Advent Children) in place of it. He also contributed vocals for the vocal mix of the
deadmau5 song "
Professional Griefers".[44]
A longtime supporter of the British rock band
LostAlone, Way is the executive producer of their second studio album I'm a UFO in This City (2012).[45]
Way contributed guest vocals to "Falling in Love Will Kill You" from Wrongchilde's debut solo album Gold Blooded, a pseudonym project from
Kill Hannah frontman
Mat Devine.[46]
Way's first attempt at writing a comic was at the age of 16 in 1993, writing a comic book series called On Raven's Wings, published by
Hart D. Fisher's Boneyard Press. The series was cancelled after the second issue, however, due to the loss of its art team. Way was credited as Garry Way.[51]
In 2007, Way began writing the comic-book miniseries The Umbrella Academy. Way wrote the story and illustrated the original version, but cartoonist Gabriel Bá redrew the art in the first volume, Apocalypse Suite.[1]
Apocalypse Suite was first released by
Dark Horse Comics in their
Free Comic Book Day issue on May 5, 2007.[52] Since then, an eight-page story has been published entitled "Safe & Sound", which appeared in a collection of stories entitled MySpace Dark Horse Presents Volume One.[53] The first official issue of The Umbrella Academy was released on September 19, 2007.[54] The first issue sold out and consequently there was a second printing released on October 17, 2007.[55]Apocalypse Suite also won the 2008
Eisner Award for Best Limited Series.[56] The next installment of the series, Dallas, was released on November 26, 2008,[57] and, following speculation that Way had retired indefinitely from comics, a third installment entitled Hotel Oblivion was released in 2018–2019.[58]
In 2011, My Chemical Romance stated that Mikey and Gerard were working on another comic book project which they had kept under wraps since mid-2009. As of 2015 nothing of this project has emerged.[60]
On December 21, 2013, Gerard Way stated that he and Gabriel Bá will be working on parts three and four of his comic book series Umbrella Academy beginning in the new year.[61]
In a podcast interview on December 31, 2013, with Chris Thompson from Pop Culture Hound, Way discussed his new Umbrella Academy series in more detail and confirmed he would do two volumes back-to-back, with a couple of flashback issues in-between. In addition, he discussed his new comic series All Ages which first appeared as a series of images on his Twitter feed. Although the project doesn't have a publisher or an artist at this stage, he is actively working on the story of cats in high school who are discovering their place in the world.[62]
In 2014, it was announced that Way will be making his debut in the
Marvel Universe by writing for the alternate universe
Spider-Man series Edge of Spider-Verse.[63] His story introduced
Peni Parker, a Japanese-American student who pilots a bio-mechanical suit named SP//dr.[64]
On March 21, 2024, Way announced a new comic book series Paranoid Gardens, with the first issue releasing in July. [65]
2001–present: Television
In 2001, Way co-created a cartoon with Joe Boyle called The Breakfast Monkey. They pitched it to
Cartoon Network, but the network declined to pick up the concept on the grounds that it was too similar to the existing property Aqua Teen Hunger Force.[66]
Way struggled with
alcoholism and prescription drug addiction for many years but as of 2007 was maintaining sobriety.[5] In a November 2010 issue of Spin magazine, he said that having become a happier person and feeling more in control, he had been able to enjoy the occasional recreational drink.[73]
On September 3, 2007, after a concert in Colorado, Way married Lyn-Z, bassist of
Mindless Self Indulgence, backstage on the final date of the
Projekt Revolution tour. A member of Live Nation's touring staff who was also an ordained minister performed the low-key ceremony.[74] Their daughter, was born on May 27, 2009. They live in
Los Angeles.[75]
Way was raised
Catholic, stating in 2006 that he was "not Catholic anymore",[76] and in 2013 that he was a
theist who "had always acknowledged [he] received [...] artistic gifts from God".[77]
In 2014, Way began openly discussing his
gender identity struggles online and in interviews. In a
RedditAsk Me Anything (AMA) hosted by Way in October 2014, he stated:
"I have always been extremely sensitive to those that have gender identity issues as I feel like I have gone through it as well, if even on a smaller scale. I have always identified a fair amount with the female gender, and began at a certain point in MCR to express this through my look and performance style. So it's no surprise that all of my inspirations and style influences were pushing gender boundaries.
Freddy [sic] Mercury,
Bowie,
Iggy, early
glam,
T-Rex. Masculinity to me has always made me feel like it wasn't right for me."[78][79][80]
In January 2015, Way was featured in The Boyzine, an independent zine published by
SWMRS frontman Cole Becker. Way again discussed his gender identity, commenting:
"I never really subscribed to the archetype masculinity growing up, I had no interest in sports or anything like that. There was a time where I was called a girl so often that when I discovered the idea of transgenderism I considered myself to be more of a girl. So I identify with trans people and women a lot because I was a girl to a lot of people growing up."[81]
In June 2015, Way said on
Twitter that he uses he and they pronouns.[82]
In 2015, Way revealed on
Reddit that he is a first cousin once removed of comedian
Joe Rogan. In October 2019, Rogan confirmed it on
his podcast. He also said that, despite this, the two have never met.[83]
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #1–6 (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Dave Stewart, letterer Nate Piekos, Dark Horse, 2008–2009)
The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #1–7 (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Nick Filardi, letterer Nate Piekos, Dark Horse, 2018–2019)
You Look Like Death: Tales from the Umbrella Academy #1–6 (co-writer Shaun Simon, artist
Ian Culbard, letterer Nate Piekos, cover artist Gabriel Bá, Dark Horse, 2020–2021)
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem #1–6 (co-writer Shaun Simon, artist Leonardo Romero, colorist
Jordie Bellaire, letterer Nate Piekos, Dark Horse, 2020–2021)
Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #1–4, 6–7 (co-writers Jeremy Lambert and Steve Orlando; artists James Harvey, Evan "Doc" Shaner,
Nick Pitarra, and Nick Derington; inker Mike Allred; colorists James Harvey, Sahan Rai, and Tamara Bonvillain; letterers James Harvey and Simon Bowland; DC's Young Animal; 2019–2020)
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #1–12 (co-writer Jon Rivera, artist
Michael Avon Oeming, colorist Nick Filardi, letterer Clem Robins, DC's Young Animal, 2016–2017)
Short stories and single issues
The Umbrella Academy
"Mon Dieu!" (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Dan Jackson, letterer Jason Hvam, appeared on darkhorse.com, 2006)
"...But the Past Ain't Through with You." (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Dan Jackson, letterer Nate Piekos, appeared in Free Comic Book Day 2007, Dark Horse, 2007)
"Safe & Sound" (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Dave Stewart, letterer Nate Piekos, appeared in MySpace Dark Horse Presents #1, Dark Horse, 2007)
"Anywhere but Here" (artist Gabriel Bá, colorist Dave Stewart, letterer Nate Piekos, appeared in MySpace Dark Horse Presents #12, Dark Horse, 2008)
"Hazel and Cha Cha Save Christmas" (co-writer
Scott Allie, artist
Tommy Lee Edwards, letterer
John Workman, appeared in Hazel and Cha Cha Save Christmas: Tales from the Umbrella Academy, Dark Horse, 2019)
"The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: Dead Satellites" (co-writer Shaun Simon, artist Becky Cloonan, colorist Dan Jackson, letterer Nate Piekos, appeared in Free Comic Book Day 2013, Dark Horse, 2013)
"One Thing's for Sure: SP//dr Is Still Intact" (artist Jack Wyatt, colorist Ian Herring, letterer Clayton Cowles, appeared in Edge of Spider-Verse #5,
Marvel Comics, 2014)
"Untitled" (artist
Philip Bond, colorist Hi-Fi, letterer Sal Cipriano, appeared in Vertigo Quarterly CMYK #3: Yellow,
Vertigo, 2014)
"DC's Young Animal Mixtape" (artist Mike Allred, colorist Laura Allred, letterer Carlos M. Mangual, appeared in DC's Young Animal Mixtape Sampler #1, DC's Young Animal, 2017)
"Joan of Arc" (artist
Marley Zarcone, colorist Hi-Fi, letterer Aditya Bidikar, appeared in Femme Magnifique,
ISBN978-0985712044, Hi-Fi Academy Press, 2017)
"Milk Wars" Part One (co-writer Steve Orlando, artists Aco, colorists Tamra Bonvillain and Marissa Louise, letterer Clem Robins, additional artist Hugo Petrus, appeared in JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1,
DC Comics / DC's Young Animal, 2018)
"Untitled" (artist Robert Wilson IV, colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick, letterer Ryan Ferrier, appeared in The Secret Loves of Geeks,
ISBN978-1506704739, Dark Horse, 2018)
"Milk Wars" Part Four (co-writer Steve Orlando; artists
Dale Eaglesham and Nick Derington; colorists Tamra Bonvillain and Marissa Louise; letterer Clem Robins; additional artists
Sonny Liew, Ibrahim Moustafa, Michael Avon Oeming, and Marley Zarcone; appeared in Doom Patrol/JLA Special #1; DC / DC's Young Animal; 2018)
"Edge of Spider-Geddon" Part Two (co-writer Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson, artist Alberto Alburquerque, colorist Tríona Farrell, letterer Cory Petit, additional artist Jack Wyatt, additional colorist Ian Herring, appeared in Edge of Spider-Geddon #2, Marvel, 2018)
"Caught in a Mosh" (co-writer Mikey Way, artists
Darick Robertson and Phillip Sevy, colorist Aladdin Collar, letterer AndWorld Design, appeared in Anthrax: Among the Living,
ISBN978-1940878591, Z2 Comics, 2021)
Interior art credits
"Even Gunfighters Get the Willies" (writer Deb Picker, appeared in The Big Book of the Weird Wild West,
ISBN978-1563893612,
Paradox Press, 1998)
Cover art credits
The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite #1 (variant) (Dark Horse, 2007)
Rex Mundi (vol. 2) #15 (cover colorist Dave Stewart, Dark Horse, 2008)
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #1 (1:50 variant) (Dark Horse, 2013)
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #1 (Ghost variant) (Dark Horse, 2013)
^Gustines, George Gene.
"Superhero Stylings From Stars of Pop", The New York Times, October 20, 2007. Accessed November 27, 2007. "For Mr. Way, "Umbrella Academy" was another way to be productive when he wasn't recording with the band. It also used skills he developed as a student at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan."
^Alex Henderson.
"My Chemical Romance Biography". Yahoo.com. Archived from
the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2007. Retrieved from Internet Archive February 13, 2014.