My Chemical Romance just dropped a 20th anniversary edition of their iconic 2006 album, The Black Parade. Interestingly, some fans started reporting that they discovered secret horror-themed artwork inside the vinyl packaging. Turns out, that was a surprise planned by the band.
Loudwire reports that James Jean-drawn artwork pieces were included in deluxe-edition vinyl. On some of those, fans have found doodling. Specifically, the doodle inserts were dropped into packaging that was sold directly from the band’s merch site. In addition to being 1-of-1 prints, they are also band-member autographed.
It seems fans became aware after Reddit user u/SingleMaltStereo uploaded an image to the MyChemicalRomance Reddit community of one that they found in their album. The print is titled The Patient, but the doodling is meant to make the image look like the title character from the original The Crow film. “Someone doodled on my signed insert!” the fan exclaimed.
MCR guitarist Frank Iero surprised some lucky fans with exclusive doodle artwork
Eventually, My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero caught wind of the post and dished the details. In an Instagram post, he admitted that he created the “crow variant” as a “loving way of collaborating with the masterful James Jean.”
“I will let you know there are other variants out there,” he added. “13 total. All different, all 1 of 1. Hoping to see them pop up from time to time.” Speculation seems to be that Iero may have just taken it upon himself to do these doodles.
Another Reddit user, u/ForceFatal, later came forward with another unexpected find: a Hannibal Lecter doodle. “My friend received the Frank special on her insert,” the user quipped.
Iero took to Instagram again later, offering some more clarity on the drawings. “I tend to doodle a bit when signing things,” he explained. “So you will see there will be variations out there. Some repeating, but most not.”
Frank Iero says he created more artwork for the ‘The Black Parade’ 20th anniversary deluxe edition vinyl
What fans have found so far is not all that’s out there. Apparently, Frank Iero creatied a bunch more. Below, find a list of what he says is waiting to be found:
For the Long Live: The Black Parade Tour, My Chemical Romance has certainly amped up their on-stage theatrics. They’ve been acting out a fictional dystopian rock opera about a country called Draag. This country is ruled by an oppressive authoritarian leader called the Grand Immortal Dictator. Recently, on October 21, 2026, the band performed their first of five nights at the historic Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. For this kickoff show, the band showcased this rock opera concept with acted-out scenes on stage.
During the band’s performance of “Teenagers”, My Chemical Romance brought out dancers who were dressed as cheerleaders. But not just any cheerleaders, but the most recognizable cheerleaders in the world: the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Later on, during the song “Disenchanted”, authoritarian police hold the band hostage with fake guns. The cheerleaders return to the stage, dropping pom poms for guns to defend the band. Meanwhile, lead singer Gerard Way engages in a knife fight while fake police shoot the cheerleaders on stage in a dramatic battle.
It comes as no surprise that the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have taken issue with this performance. Specifically, the use of their outfits wasn’t pre-approved and contained a violent depiction of the NFL team.
Here Comes The Lawsuit
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ parent company, Silver Star Ltd., was quick to respond with a lawsuit. Following the performance on October 21, the company filed a motion on October 23, seeking a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, and unspecified damages and profits. They claimed that the violent use of their image could potentially damage the brand and confuse fans into thinking they’re the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Silver Star enlisted powerhouse lawyer Alex Spiro to represent the Cheerleaders.
Silver Star Ltd. filed the lawsuit out of Collin County, Texas, against not only the band but also Live Nation. Before a court hearing could be set, the two parties reached an agreement. For a change, the Dallas Cowboys have emerged victorious. Sometime around October 26 or 27, My Chemical Romance agreed to replace the cheerleader uniforms for their theatrical show.
The band can easily pivot, since they’ve added a lot of different theatrics to their concerts in recent years. This isn’t the only time the band has used cheerleader imagery. One example of this occurred on August 23, 2022, when the band performed at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. Gerard Way surprised the crowd, sporting a green cheerleader outfit for the entire performance.
Photo credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Among silver-screen romances, the Blake Lively-led odyssey across time, “The Age of Adaline,” isn’t exactly the most revered. Really, it’s barely even acknowledged, much to my campaign’s chagrin. The film is, however, one of my genre favorites for several reasons. First, it’s an old-fashioned love story with a fantastical twist: Lively’s character dies in a car crash but is revived when she’s struck by lightning, only to stop aging forever. Second, it marks a solid finale for a genre largely relegated to streaming, because for some odd reason, film executives don’t understand how powerful a collective romantic experience outside your living room can be. The guys making mid-to-high six-figure salaries aren’t connected with the average lovelorn, longing moviegoer — go figure!
But what I really love about “The Age of Adaline” is that it understands the heart. It’s a film that knows yearning doesn’t cease no matter how long we live, and that it’s all too easy to let fear complicate what should be easy. All this is wrapped up in one great line: “It’s not the same without growing old together. Without that, love is just heartbreak.” After it’s all said and done, isn’t this what guides our desires, the hope that we can find someone whose very presence can turn the innate tragedy of losing one another in death into something beautiful?
“Wicker” weaves a tale as sensual and honest as any classic love story, with such grace that it’s easy to forget the supernatural elements are there at all. The man might be made of wicker from head to head — if you catch my drift — but his love is intrinsically human.
Married writer-directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson have achieved something just as tender in their lovely new film, “Wicker,” a welcome return to the theatrical romance that, unlike many of its contemporaries, uses its gimmick to delightful effect. Based on Ursula Wills’ unpublished short story, “The Wicker Husband,” the film follows the headstrong but lonely Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman), an angler who catches and sells fish at her provincial town’s market, as she pushes against increasingly matrimonial norms. Everyone in town seems to be getting married off, with the women resigning themselves to the conventional duties of a loveless union. Tired of their cries of “spinster!” as she traipses through town with her catches, Fisherwoman asks the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) to make her a spouse. She fancies it a joke to get the townspeople off her back, rubbing their traditions back in their faces. But part of her longs for a companion without fins and scales.
(Black Bear Pictures) Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård in “Wicker”
Other organic materials should have to suffice. In a month, the Basket Weaver returns with a Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgård), a man whose large, seductive frame and sinewy muscles are made entirely of, well, wicker. What’s more, the Wicker Husband is alive, something the Fisherwoman and townspeople all find strange, but not inherently terrifying. What really sparks curiosity is his natural, undemanding kindness, and the bond forming between him and his new bride — a far cry from the strained marriages that make up the quaint but judgmental village.
Naturally, such an effortless romantic connection begets hard, wall-pounding, bed-destroying sex. In the grand tradition of supermarket romantasy novels, Fischer and Wilson are unafraid to go full-tilt erotic. They understand that part of the Harlequin romance genre’s appeal is its unabashed depiction of older women’s sexual desire. Those stories may occasionally adopt the fantastical and beastly into their narratives, but at their core, they focus on love in its most fundamental, gratifying forms. “Wicker” is no different, weaving a tale as sensual and honest as any classic love story, with such grace that it’s easy to forget the supernatural elements are there at all. The man might be made of wicker from head to head — if you catch my drift — but his love is intrinsically human.
Though, one would be forgiven for getting stuck on the question of sex. Wouldn’t it hurt? How is it possible? Can he . . . break? Fischer and Wilson do well to avoid getting trapped in the logistics. That’s the best part of the film’s fantasy aspects: Realism gives way to idealism, letting the story concentrate on its heart rather than its loins. Though the loins are admittedly impressive, too, marvelously detailed to make the design look disconcerting yet still quite sexy. But the film sneakily tucks its questions about romance between the gaps in Skarsgård’s impressive makeup and practical effects. Think of it like a cornucopia: all the rich, colorful stuff is hidden beneath the wicker.
As the relationship between the Wicker Husband and the Fisherwoman blossoms, so does the townspeople’s fervent envy, especially the Tailor’s Wife (Elizabeth Debicki), the Fisherwoman’s longtime acquaintance. Like the rest of the villagers, her jealousy stems from a seemingly harmonious yet ultimately unfulfilling relationship, providing just enough humor and stakes for “Wicker” to glide amiably. Occasionally, the film veers a bit too far off course in pursuit of laughs that are realistically only good for chuckles, leaving me to wonder how much more affecting the already moving story would be if it operated entirely with a straight face.
Want more from culture than just the latest trend? The Swell highlights art made to last. Sign up here
Loneliness and jealousy have an ironic way of coming up when relationships are at their best. How defeating it can be to feel these things in the midst of true tenderness, especially in one’s first love. As the Fisherwoman admits after a transgression that threatens this happiness, “It’s easier to believe the bad than the good.”
There’s an understandable temptation to let the fantasy buoy the film. But “Wicker” works best when it strips back, letting Colman and Skarsgård connect. Despite the latter’s ornate makeup, the pair’s chemistry is palpable and sincere. Skarsgård particularly makes a memorable impression in relatively few soft-spoken lines. Between this film and last year’s wonderful “Pillion,” he’s proven himself a daring performer, willing to approach love from its strangest, most complicated and genuine sides. While the material is lighter here, his work is no less touching, posing questions about differences within a relationship that go beyond the obvious, surface-level titular joke.
In its most poignant moments, Wilson and Fischer use the film’s unconventional setup to approach old questions with new flair. As the Fisherwoman and her Wicker Husband grow even closer, developing their own rhythm and a true, deep love, the possibility that something might affect their kinship becomes dreadful to imagine. Seeing someone pulled out of their shell by another person’s love is one of life’s most worthwhile joys, and also one of its most crushing sources of spite. And it’s not only the townspeople who bear this malice. Loneliness and jealousy have an ironic way of coming up when relationships are at their best. How defeating it can be to feel these things in the midst of true tenderness, especially in one’s first love, or when it’s been some time since they’ve been loved back. As the Fisherwoman admits after a transgression that threatens this happiness, “It’s easier to believe the bad than the good.”
“Wicker” might not spend all its time in those complex feelings, but it lingers within them long enough to cast a spell. And when it moves toward that big, life-defining, “Age of Adaline” quote moment, the film strikes resonance that lets it linger far longer than any movie whose central question is “what happens with the wicker penis?” should. “Wicker” wisely uses its silly conceit to its advantage, rather than letting it dominate the film’s central conversations. Here, love, sex and romance are woven into one sturdy new creation that reminds us fantasy can look exactly like reality, so long as we don’t overthink it.
My Chemical Romance have never been afraid to push the envelope and dig into controversy. However, that mindset can also lead to a litany of legal issues. Now, they’ve drawn the ire of an extremely unexpected group.
In a report from TheWrap, Pro Silver Star Ltd., the owner of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, was particularly upset by the band’s performance at the Hollywood Bowl. They had an over-the-top performance depicting an evil dictatorship with armed conflict and lots of American iconography.
One detail to make their messaging airtight was the use of cheerleaders that looked eerily similar to the Dallas Cowboys. With blue and white outfits, dance numbers, and eventually arming themselves with prop rifles, they thought My Chemical Romance degraded the brand.
“Audience members and online commentators understandably believed that the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and said so in social media posts that continue to circulate,” a legal document read.
Consequently, Pro Silver Star Ltd. filed a temporary restraining order. In the document, they stressed that they don’t really care about MCR’s music or the message they’re depicting. They just don’t want their performers to even remotely resemble the Dallas Cowboys. “The universe of alternative costume designs is effectively unlimited,” they said.
My Chemical Romance Draws the Ire of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Brand and Gets Threatened With a Lawsuit
“Their refusal threatens ongoing and irreparable harm to the reputation and goodwill Silver Star has cultivated in the DCC brand,” they continued. “Silver Star thus is left with no choice but to bring this action to protect itself.”
They concluded, arguing that there is no possible way that anyone could be confused by their imagery. As a result, Pro Silver Star Ltd is seeking an undisclosed amount of money from My Chemical Romance in damages to the brand.
“That recognition is no accident,” they stressed. “Silver Star built it through decades of investment and has protected it just as long by regularly monitoring and policing unauthorized uses of the DCC Uniform.”
Legal woes and all, fans seem to be loving the performances from My Chemical Romance. If the leaks are any indication, they’re bound to see them even more. Back in September 2026, rumors swirled online with an alleged album and tour at some point in 2027.
To further add to their enthusiasm, Gerard Way himself said that if anyone deserves new music, it’s their fans. “You guys, honestly, you guys kept us alive so long. You guys deserve another record, and we’d love to do that. I don’t know when it’ll be, but it’ll be awesome,” Way said during a recent concert.
Photo by Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Login
