Comics publisher slams My Chemical Romance singer

My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way has come under fire from a publisher who issued Way's first comic book 13 years ago, according to RollingStone.com. Publisher Hart Fisher claims that Way has lifted ideas and even passages from Fisher's own work for use in My Chemical Romance's music. Fisher, who issued Way's first comic book, called On Raven's Wings, through his Boneyard Press in 1995, accused Way of "ripping off my old message and many of my actual written bits. I'm in the process now of going through the lyrics and matching up where he has straight up ripped me off from my old Boneyard editorials."

Way, who was an artist and animator before starting My Chemical Romance, told us not long ago that his previous career has influenced his music: "All of my background from before the band has to do with the way we kind of attack it today. You know, the art background being like to me one of the most important things, and the fact that I was a storyteller before I was a singer, it just meant I was gonna tell more stories. And the fact that the aesthetic is just as important sometimes as the music, that all comes from that place."

Fisher's anger was initially sparked when Dark Horse Comics, which recently published Way's new The Umbrella Academy series, advertised it as Way's first comic book. Fisher accused Way of fraud. A Dark Horse spokesperson said, "Hart published Gerard's first comics when Gerard was 15. I don't think we've ever said Umbrella Academy is the first comic Gerard did."

Way said in a statement, "I sent (Hart) an email years ago...thanking him for believing in me, and never got a response. I'm not ashamed of what I did for him, and wanted to see him in person and thank him. I've never had the chance."

My Chemical Romance begins a U.S. tour on March 28th in Tempe, Arizona and will release a live CD/DVD called The Black Parade is Dead! on April 22nd.
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