Gerard Way did not always portray the rough and ready rock 'n' roll image he has now with the band he helped establish My Chemical Romance.
He once was cast as the childhood hero Peter Pan. He himself was a child when he played the part in his school production. The comic book-like character seemed to spark his interest in graphic arts and it was not long before Way was drawing comic book characters himself. He told interviewers in later years he could relate to them as he felt his New Jersey childhood was somewhat dark and dingy and had a gothic feel to it.
To further his design dream, after graduating from Belleville High School in 1995, Way went to the School of Visual Arts in New York City where he graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts four years later. He felt he was ready to take on comic book artistry and went straight to the Cartoon Network with his animation ideas.
By 2001, he was officially working in New York's high-paced animation industry but that all ended when the twin towers went down on September 11. Way determined he needed to get out in the world and send powerhouse messages so he changed his artistic venue to music and formed his current band. Their first song, Skylines and Turnstiles, was inspired by Way's experience the day of the bombings.
A year later, the band released its first album under the New Jersey label Eyeball Records. And in the years to follow, Way found music to be therapeutic and consequently a way out of alcoholism and prescription drug use.
For the release of their second album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, Way rekindled his artistic side to produce the album's artwork as well as their merchandise. He also continues to produce artwork for charitable causes.
In 2007, Way won the Hero of the Year award at the music magazine NME Awards, an annual event put on by the music magazine NME.