Paranoid Gardens

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, Chris Weston (Artist)

Loo is a nurse at the most bizarre care-centre around. The staff are not entirely human, and the cases downright unearthly. Aliens, ghosts, superheroes, and more creatures plague its hallways as both doctors and patients and the hospital itself seems to be somewhat self-aware. Loo believes that despite a recent failure at her job she's been given some sort of higher calling in this mysterious place, and decides to rise to the challenge.

Along the way she must fight her way through corrupt staff members, powerful theme park cults, and her own personal demons and trauma to meet this challenge and discover what secrets the gardens hold.

Collects issue #1 #6 of Paranoid Gardens.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror

176 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Gerard Arthur Way (born April 9, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and comic book writer who served as frontman, lead vocalist, and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance from the time of its formation in 2001 until its breakup in 2013. He is the author of the Eisner Award-winning comic book series The Umbrella Academy (now a Netflix original series) and The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. In January 2014, he announced via Twitter that he and artist Gabriel Ba will begin work on Umbrella Academy Volumes 3 & 4 in late 2014/early 2015. His debut solo album Hesitant Alien was released on September 30, 2014. Way lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife Lindsey (bassist of Mindless Self Indulgence) and their daughter, Bandit.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerard Way falling back on his big inspiration, Grant Morrison, by the way of Vertigo. It's wall to wall weirdness to start with, and there is a certain thrill to the feeling that anything is possible. Surprisingly, authors Way and Simon then decide to actually answer pretty much all the questions the reader might have, and as all possibilities collapse unto themselves, it's a bit like explaining a magic trick (or magick trick) - you can't be helped but be a bit disappointed.

Another six issue series that still manages to feel rushed in its last third.

(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

“sometimes death is just the beginning” … GERAAAAARD

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly the only thing I've read by Way before this is the Umbrella Academy, but I feel like this fixed a lot of the issues I had with that series. That series always felt very disjointed- there were lots of interesting ideas, but none that seemed to link together coherently or obtain the narratives focus long enough to reach its full potential. This story does jump around some, but everything feels connected- while I do have questions, I feel like they're questions I'm supposed to have to keep me interested in the plot, and not just because I'm lost in-between someone else's thoughts. I'll definitely pick up the next volume.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loo works at the Paradise Gardens care centre.
Nearly everyone likes her...
it's a little unusual because it's full of aliens , ghosts and now even a messed up superhero.
He says he recognizes Loo...which could be true..as she has no memories of before she started working here.

[Chr*s Browning]

Not really sure what the point of this one was...

[Bertazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hurts me to admit, but this is the most uninspired and blatantly safe work from Gerard Way. The veil of strangeness falls very quickly, leaving us with a bland story that never really takes off. Great artwork though.

[Alex Sarll]

This still just about counts as festive reading, given the co-writer sang the definitive All I Want For Christmas Is You. In his comics work, of course, it was clear long before Way took on Doom Patrol that Grant Morrison was his lodestar, and that continues here; a peculiar nursing home, with lost aliens and broken superheroes among the residents, would probably have felt pretty Filth even without Chris Weston on art. But when Paradise Gardens begins to sicken, and sinister mascots start creeping in, we get notes of Seaguy too – though the meta layer of a story in which a capitalist cult hidden behind the visage of a vintage cartoon character is trying to assimilate everything also recalls Morrison's old rival, and Pictopia. I feel like it never pulled the gentle weirdness together with the critique of Disney in particular and capitalism in general as well as it might have done, but it's still a pleasant enough ride.

[SK · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so wildly out of touch with everything it (tries to) comment on. I didn’t expect a clear narrative with this but at least something grounded by experience or at least feelings. It was instead a clusterfuck of nonsense strung together by the usual suspects of interests in Way’s and Simon’s prior collabs (naughty mega corp, some derivative commentary on cult & consumerism, a toe-dip into the religious, rounded out by a message of solidarity among the strange and disillusioned). Meh. The art was fun though.

[Estibaliz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5?

This one didn't completely work for me.

While I somehow enjoyed its quirkiness, this seemed to be a little bit far off at times, and when you look at it closely, the main story and topics are not really that original or revolutionary as one might initially think.

The art wasn't outstanding either, and the characters are lacking depth.

So, yeah... a quick somehow fun read, but nothing to write home about.

[BRiAN Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. Chris Weston is great on art here and this thing echoes of The Filth which he drew for Grant Morrison years ago. Like The Filth half of the fun of the comic is not knowing what’s goin on or what’s gonna happen next as everything is so absurd. Enjoying the ride/experience while puzzling over mysteries and vagaries that may or may not (usually not) get explained while soaking in the ambience. Also much like The Filth explaining Paranoid Gardens isn’t as easy at it may seem and one day I hope to read some B I G G E R-nerd-than-I’s write up/analysis.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

IMO this falls into the sub-genre of medical fantasy/superhero/science fiction. I mean the residents of what I would call a skilled nursing facility are not normal, everyday people (in fact one is superhuman).

Loo appears to be normal, until she starts having visions.

If you like Way's work on The Umbrella Academy and/or his work on DC Comics' Young Animals line I think you will like this.

[Maitê · Rating 3 out of 5]

This feels like a dream-like place, where weird things are happening and there's a fog-like feel to it, like we can't see things clearly. We do get some answers in the end, but I still want to know more; it didn't feel like it was truly over.

[Isis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je pense que 6 chapitres c'était vraiment trop peu pour vraiment faire une histoire intéressante. L'histoire allait et mdr tout était assez cohérent (contrairement à The Umbrella Academy où voilà quoi) mais il y avait à peine le temps de développer ce qu'il se passait avant que quelque chose d'autre arrive

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s not nice to call anyone or maybe anything stupid…..but that’s what this book is. No backstory or development of characters. Reasons for actions, motivations? Not explained…in fact, hardly anything is explained. And the narrative is jumpy and disjointed.

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine. I saw the series at my shop and the cover drew me in. The series is about a senior care facility that cares for the rich, super, and otherworldly. There are a couple of big mysteries that get teased throughout the story. The main girl has a past that is unknown to her. The doctor is part of a strange cult. And the facility may even be alive? Lots of stuff that draws you in. As the series goes on, every question you have is answered. Which is good. But the answers aren't too interesting to me and some of them happen too quickly. It's a fine series all together but not one that you need to hunt for. If you find it for cheap, it could be a nice pickup though.

[Rick Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerard Way continues his lengthy tenure in comics with another eclectic venture that pairs him up with cartoonist Chris Weston, the talented hands behind Grant Morrison's The Filth. A nice match up given Way's often public adulation of Morrison works and the inherent weirdness he likes to pepper into his comics output. Paranoid Gardens is certainly bizarre - accentuated by Weston's garish and creepy character designs - and feels like a clear nod to the output of works coming out of mid-to-late stage of Vertigo Comics' distinguished run. A little bit of an outlier in the current output of mainstream independent titles which allows this six-issue series to grasp for some much-needed novelty lacking in other contemporary works.

The story is set primarily in a residential hospice facility for the aging and sick, though the denizens are an oddball mix of aliens, superheroes and anthropomorphic characters. The head of the facility has some terminal ailment, a creepy Walt Disney-esque cult is attempting to buy the facility, and their main competition is a group of evil monks. It's a lot for six-issues, and it feels that way with it's hasty ending, but the overall concepts are intriguing enough. A good bit of postmodern humor that fits directly into the Morrison ethos of comics storytelling, fans of that type of comic will find something worthwhile here.

[Peter Derk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Injecting drugs into a flesh wall in order to maintain a home is a powerful metaphor for the trials of home ownership.

Houses really are like bodies that way: constant entropy.

Something breaks, like your dryer, and then you find out all about how dryers work. You take it apart and fix it, and you kind of marvel at how flimsy everything in there seems. "You mean all that's separating me from a huge fucking fire, which could easily happen if lint touches what is a essentially a huge row of toaster coils — you're telling me that there's not a whole lot preventing that from happening other than 2 badly-seated screws? Which, by the way, some monster used hex head screws on, which means you can only remove them with a socket wrench, which would be fine except that the dryer's body makes it super difficult to get a wrench in there. Animals. Fucking animals.

It's just like your body. "Wait, wait. You're telling me that this tiny little pile of flesh is entirely responsible for making it possible for me to not have a bunch of bullshit in my blood? That seems way too important. Shouldn't this thing be, like, I don't know, twice as big and covered in chrome?"

Cover it in chrome. Both the solution to home stuff and biology.

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the art.

The concept is neat and I feel a lot could have been done with it but instead we get a very rushed plot with too many themes crammed in. We've got capitalism and the takeover of culture by corporate conglomerates, cults of consumerism, responsibility for mass shootings, aliens, failure to take care of the vulnerable in pursuit of profit, fear of death and what someone will do to escape it. Just so much put out there and nothing coherent said about any of it. Also, no explanation for why Loo has powers.

I almost liked it, almost! But while it talked a lot, nothing was said. And I really wished more had been said about Loo's supposed role in not stopping the school shooter but the narrative tacitly says, or at least doesn't deny, that she messed up. A bit more on society's need to blame someone, to scapegoat someone convenient, instead of face the fact that sometimes bad things happen and no one person is at fault would have been nice. If that's where it was going and not just taking the view that one underpaid guidance counselor should have intuited what would happen when there were no red flags.

[October Murilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last few collected editions of comic book series that I have read have suffered from the all too common affliction of 'page count bloat." Every comic book series has to run for at least 6 issues because that's how many it takes to fill a trade paperback. Doesn't matter if it's only one issue's worth of story, you are going to stretch that sucker out for another 120 pages if it kills you to do so. Just throw in a lot of really big panels, full page pin-ups if you're feeling it.

This book suffers in an extremely opposite manner. I had a great time reading it, but yeah, there were too many ideas and too little space for them to flourish. Everything is crammed in at breakneck speed and the ending is rushed like floodwaters after a dam breaks. Again, I very much enjoyed the story, but I walked away disappointed that it wasn't given enough room to really make an impact.

[sarah frost ❄️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

a very gerard way concept between a female protagonist experiencing a psychological break and aliens and a evil corporation run by face sucking alien monkeys. very weird and out there. but i run into the same issues i run into with a lot of gerard way comics, which is that they’re too brief to build these things out and it comes across like we’re throwing a bunch of crazy stuff at the wall to see what sticks and i think i could’ve done with more substantial characterization. definitely enjoyed it though, loved the alien nurse hybrid that gives the garden its magical healing power and i loved the alien (couple?) side characters.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

O elevado realismo do traço de Chris Weston cria uma brilhante dissonância nesta história profundamente surreal de Gerard Way. Num lar de terceira idade frequentado por estranhos pacientes, numa casa que parece estar viva, entra uma cuidadora amnésica cujo trabalho a levará a enfrentar os seus traumas. Mas o médico de serviço procura a imortalidade, e estabelece um acordo com uma seita capitalista que se disfarça com máscaras de macacos de desenho animado. Uma brincadeira muito surreal com as tropes dos comics, entre super-heróis adoentados, alienígenas caridosos e cabalas secretas.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gerard Way returns to comics for what would have been a Vertigo comic back in the day. It's about an elder care facility that could have been in Top Ten with all kinds of aliens and mutants in it. There's a secret plot to turn it over to a wannabe Mickey Mouse in exchange for immortality. I'd have to like to see more of the backstory here explored but it's fine. I do like Chris Weston's detailed art. I feel like we don't get enough of that kind of thing these days with the influx of manga influenced artists who don't bother with backgrounds at all.

[C.S. Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy buen concepto e historia. Me gustaría que hubieran más partes o que hubiera un poco más de contexto sobre la historia de Loo. El arte de Chris Weston va muy bien con lo rara que es la historia y los personajes.

Se siente un poco apresurado el final, ya que todo se resuelve en los últimos 2 issues de la serie. Sin embargo, creo que es un cómic bueno y que definitivamente pudo haber tenido otros volúmenes de así haber sido planeado.

"Sometimes death is just the beginning" - I see what you did there Gee Way...

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonkers and brilliant

Makes me miss the great collaborations between Grant Morrison and his frequent collaborator Chris Weston.

Weston as detailed, unsettling and creative as ever here.

Satisfying sticking of the landing with most questions asked, makes a change from most modern writers bullshit of not bothering to explain anything, which is just laziness hidden behind the guise of ‘open to interpretation’.

Refreshing !

[Mik Cope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starved of Gerard Way's unique comics, I was glad to get the tip about his newest title. But it was a pretty big disappointment. None of the whimsical madness of The Umbrella Academy, this was a cute idea about a rest home whose actual grounds have healing effects. Various aliens and a wayward superhero are thrown into the mix and there's a savage parody of the Kingdom of the Mouse, but, ultimately, there's not much in the way of a story.

[Maria Tag · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To put the past behind you, you must bring the dark into light. Only light can cleanse the blackness of the soul."
"Sometimes death is just the beginning."

I absolutely loved this. This was both a completely new story, and also combined a lot of elements and themes from The Umbrella Academy and the Black Parade, which I absolutely adored. There is a lot going on in this narrative and I will have to re-read it a few times to really get the full picture. I love the mind of Gerard Way.

[John Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intricate, paranoid, and tragic. Chris Weston's art, as always, is a smorgasbord of detail and expression that is almost overwhelmingly well-done.

It's a also very much a re-reader. I am going to have to go back through this a couple more times at least to fully apprehend everything. This is not something quickly zipped through, this will engage you. I highly recommend this.

[cringekid · Rating 4 out of 5]

gerard way and shaun simon really said "Disney is an evil soulless corporation that will destroy art (and the planet) to extract every dollar from you" AND "you cannot heal from your trauma by living in escapist fantasies" and they're simply icons for that!! fuck the mouse!! create your own art!! let being yourself heal and save you!!!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird for the sake of weird, not always for the sake of the story. I do expect this from Way but, still. The art is beautiful, even when it's weird; lots of detail and interest. A solid story that could have benefitted from trying to confuse and impress less, and hook readers more.

[Tatum Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm rounding up, 3.5. It was an interesting read. I loved the artwork and the weird randomness of characters but the story needs was lacking. I think a follow up novel would probably answer my questions, otherwise there were several unneeded characters.