AGE, BIOGRAPHY AND WIKI

NET WORTH: $20 MILLION (2024)

Gerard Way also wrote the comic mini-series The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys and wrote the Eisner Award-winning comic book The Umbrella Academy. As the compelling, pale-faced frontman of dynamic punk-rock band My Chemical Romance, Gerard Way is one of a few key musicians credited with bringing emo and punk music into the mainstream eye at the turn of the millennium and successfully sparking a million conversations about what is and is not considered punk in the process. As a kid, he was withdrawn, especially in contrast to his outgoing, life-of-the-party brother. Way spent a lot of time by himself sketching and listening to bands like Iron Maiden, the Smiths, the Cure, the Misfits, and Queen. Following high school graduation, Way enrolled at the School of Visual Arts in New York to study cartooning and illustration. He spent some time interning at DC Comics. He earned his bachelor of fine arts degree and eventually landed a gig working in toy design and animation.

Way had always wanted to be in a band and though he played in a few random ones over the years, it wasn’t until the September 11th attacks that he was motivated to do something important with his life. He witnessed firsthand the collapse of the World Trade Towers from his office window and found himself questioning how he was making a difference in the scheme of things. Soon afterward he wrote the song Skylines and Turnstiles, about the 9/11 events, back home in his parents’ basement. Way then sought out high school friend and drummer Matt Pelissier and they recruited guitarist Ray Toro, Way’s brother Mikey (on bass), and second guitarist Frank Iero, and My Chemical Romance recorded their first album within three months of forming. They released the album in 2002 on local indie Eyeball Records. Gerard Way’s debut solo album Hesitant Alien was scheduled for release in September 2014 on Warner Bros. Records.