Gerard Way is making his mark on DC Comics with an imprint all his own: Young Animals. Way made the announcement during a DC Entertainment panel at Seattle’s Emerald City Comicon, adding that Doom Patrol would be the first book put out by the imprint.
The former My Chemical Romance singer is set to write the comic with Nick Derington signed on to illustrate. An avid collector, Way indicated that he personally owns and has read the full Doom Patrol catalog and is looking to provide a continuation rather than a reboot—one that honors pivotal writers like Grant Morrison, whom Way considers an inspiration and mentor.
Additionally, he’ll be providing writing duties to quite a few Young Animals titles while also continuing his Umbrella Academy series put out by Dark Horse. Way’s hands-on approach at the helm reflects his extensive comic book background as both a fan and an artist.
Way studied at the School of Visual Arts and interned at DC Comics as well as Cartoon Network. In fact, comic books were his original career focus before shifting toward music. In an interview with Rolling Stone following the panel, Way expressed joy at being able to shift back to comics and give the medium his full attention:
It feels amazing. I come in, and I help edit. I art-direct; I help put the teams together; I give people directions. Sometimes I write scenes, things like that. It’s using all of my skills, which is really great, and it’s more focused than when I was doing art for the band, but it’s very similar.
In addition to his Doom Patrol writing duties, Way will be co-writing Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye and Mother Panic. Both Cave Carson as well as Shade, The Changing Girl are expected to hit shelves in October of this year.