EXCLUSIVE: Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, creator of the comic The Umbrella Academyis working with Dark Horse Comics to release a horror comic Paranoid Gardens in July.
Way is working again with his co-writer Shaun Simon. Chris Weston, known for his work on comics at Vertigo and DC as well as his work on concept art, storyboards and costume concept art for films such as Star Wars: The Last Jediillustrates the series, with artist Motohiro Hayakawa designing the cover of the first issue.
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Dark Horse Comics describes the new comic as “Derek meets Doctor Who in six psychotic episodes.”
The official synopsis reads: “Loo is a nurse at the area’s most bizarre nursing home. The staff isn’t all human, and the cases are downright otherworldly. Aliens, ghosts, superheroes, and other creatures roam the halls, while doctors, patients, and the hospital itself seem to have a certain self-awareness. Loo believes she’s found some kind of higher calling despite a recent failure in her work at this mysterious place, and decides to take on the challenge. Along the way, she must fight her way through corrupt coworkers, powerful theme park cults, and her own demons and traumas to overcome this challenge and discover what secrets the gardens hold.”
Way and Simon are the writing team behind Tales from the Umbrella Academy: You Look Like Death And The Real Life of the Fabulous Killjoys: National Anthem. The colors of the new comic are by Dave Stewart (Hellboy) and letters from Nate Piekos (Stranger Things: The Journey).
“I’m excited to be back with my incredibly handsome and talented brother from another basement, Shaun Simon, creating a story that we really care about, and I’m honored to have the masterful Chris Weston join us to create a visually powerful and emotionally tangible physical object with this comic,” said Way. “I feel even more complete now that I get to share something we’ve wanted to share for a very long time, and work with this amazing group of people to do it.”
Weston added: “Most people dream of working with someone who is cool, talented, mega-successful and enjoys a wild rock’n’roll lifestyle. Luckily for Gerard Way, that dream came true when he worked with me on Paranoid Gardens. This must have been quite daunting for him at first, but once he looked past my fame and realized that I was just a regular guy who shared his love for the 60s TV series The prisoner. We were able to form a joyful connection.
“Together with his equally radical writing partner Shaun Simon, we have created a wild and psychedelic story that combines Kafkaesque nightmares with sweet Silver Age reveries,” Weston continued. “In the pages of Paranoid Gardens You’ll find a strange nursing home populated by aliens, ghosts, and caped heroes recovering from psychotic episodes. The ground it’s built on is feverish and fertile; and coveted by the minions of Mammon. It’s the perfect cure for anyone plagued by superhero fatigue who needs a dose of something a little more mind-bending and unpredictable.”
Paranoid Gardens #1 (of 6) will be released in comic shops on July 17th.
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