Gerard Way’s unmade Batman: Kingdom of the Mad revealed through concept art

The Umbrella Academy creator Gerard Way once pitched dark Batman series to DC that was approved but never made

Gerard Way, creator of The Umbrella Academy and co-founder of My Chemical Romance, once developed an unmade Batman mini-series for DC titled Batman: Kingdom of the Mad.

Way, who began his career with ambitions in comics before forming the band with his brother Mikey Way, later returned to the medium following the success of My Chemical Romance.

Mentored by Grant Morrison, he went on to write The Umbrella Academy with artist Gabriel Bá and co-created Spider-Verse character Peni Parker.

DC approved Batman: Kingdom of the Mad for its Vertigo imprint as a six-issue limited series, but the project was never completed. Way has since shared concept art and story details, outlining a reimagined Bruce Wayne.

According to Way, the first issue would have been titled “Rats”, referencing a version of Batman who survives on them and believes he is a bat. He said this character could transform into a bat and possessed clairvoyant abilities that others doubted.

The designs also featured a younger Joker, aged 19, depicted in black and white and wearing what appeared to be a hospital gown. Rumours have suggested the story may have involved Bruce Wayne being confined to Arkham Asylum, though Way has not confirmed this.

Other reworked villains included Two-Face as a police officer, a masked Riddler with a plastic bag over his head, and a Penguin styled as a Victorian mayoral figure. Mr Freeze was envisioned with armour constructed from the car in which his wife died.

Way also planned to include Robin as the only character who was not “mad”, alongside a significantly altered Alfred Pennyworth.

In a deleted Instagram post, Way described the story as “a very dark story” and said writing Batman required accessing “a very dark place”, suggesting this may have contributed to the project remaining unfinished.