When Netflix announced that they were cancelling some fan-favorite series created by Marvel, there was some clear backlash. It's easy to understand why: adults who grew up loving comics want to continue the nostalgia trip, while newcomers who just enjoy media involving superheroes worry they won't be able to get their fix. However, on February 15th,

Netflix released a brand new show about superheroes. Like the Marvel series', this show is based on a comic book and has all the action and dysfunction that fans enjoyed from their past favorites.

The thing about The Umbrella Academy is that while it's a show about superheroes trying to save the world from the apocalypse, it's also… not about that at all. In fact, almost none of the main characters care about being superheroes. It seems as though they all have more important problems than the end of the world, whether it be trying to pull enough money together to get more drugs or trying to get custody of a child or literally being dead.

So, who came up with this story of a dysfunctional, somewhat selfish band of superheroes?

Well, the story was originally created by Gabriel Ba and Gerard Way. The first of the comics were originally released in September of 2007, and due to its success, has continued on into 2018.

Now, many people know who Gerard Way is. In fact, many people started watching the Umbrella Academy just because it was created by Gerard Way. There are also many people who don't know who Gerard Way is, and just enjoy The Umbrella Academy because it's a damn good show.

If you're someone like me, when you saw people questioning who Gerard Way is, you probably became both confused and slightly disappointed. It is strange to think that there are people in this world who did not have this man define their entire middle school and early high school (and current) lives.

For us, Gerard Way is someone special, a familiar face that led us through the angst of being a middle schooler, but also the sadness and loneliness that comes with growing up.

So, who is Gerard Way?

Gerard Way was born on April 9th, 1977 in New Jersey. He has a brother named Mikey, who was one of the first people he started performing music with. Way also had an interest in art and worked as an intern for Cartoon Network in 2001.

This internship took place in New York City and subsequently led to Way witnessing the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center. It was at this moment that Way decided he needs to be doing something different. In his own words, "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'" (SPIN).

Thus, My Chemical Romance was born.

My Chemical Romance was a rock band that was active from 2001 to 2013. During this time, they managed to captivate an audience that is still loyal to this day, six years after their break up.

The thing is, My Chemical Romance wasn't a "boy band" in the cliche terms. It also wasn't necessarily a rock band either, even though that's the genre they are classified under. The band was so unique because each album they created had their own individual sound.

Each album struck a different emotional cord, which meant that it could entice different audiences based on the music they need to hear. Each album also had a theme, and many of the promotional and theatrical elements that were put into each album were reflected in the shows that they performed.

For example, when the band announced the name of their album "The Black Parade," they didn't just put it up on a billboard and post about it online. Instead, they turned a preplanned concert into the promotional event; they hired people to wear black capes and hold signs that said "The Black Parade" while marching down the street.

They also told the people in the crowd that My Chemical Romance could not play and that they were being replaced by "The Black Parade." After a moment of anger and confusion from the audience, My Chemical Romance performed, dressed in parade attire, as "The Black Parade."

This was impactful because they were able to announce their music in an intimate setting, to people they knew already loved them and their music. My Chemical Romance made fans feel somewhat connected like they were all a part of something bigger. Fans started dressing the part, pretending they were also marching along in The Black Parade.

Gerard Way was able to pull what he knew about creating stories and using art to make people want to come together. He told his story and his family's story and others wanted to listen.

I think one of the most important things about Gerard Way, and what made him and his band so iconic, is that he writes from his core. There are songs that are deeply personal, addressing the death of his grandmother, the addiction he suffered from, and his battle with depression. Fans felt that they could relate to the music, or at least could appreciate it's brutal honesty.

Teenagers and young adults struggling with mental health found solace in bangers like "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" and "Disenchanted." Kids who needed a dose of angst when things were going wrong in their lives could relate to "Teenagers" or "SING." People who wanted some high energy anthems bopped to "Na Na Na [Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na]."

Gerard Way has a special talent of appealing to just about everyone (other than the mothers who thought he was a literal demon, but they don't really matter).

After their breakup, Gerard Way released a solo album and focused more on this comic book writing. Now, we have The Umbrella Academy, which has just about the same emotional pull as some of My Chemical Romance's albums. Fans find themselves in the characters, just as they found themselves in the music he created so long ago.

So, who is Gerard Way? If you ask me, I'll tell you he's a genius. Whether it comes to art, music, writing, or just being a genuinely good human being, Gerard Way has proven to be excellent. He made an impact on the lives of so many young people who listened to his music, and hopefully, he will continue to impact lives with the popularity of his new Netflix series. So, whether you know him from the band or his new show, remember the positive impact he's had on you.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_Way