Though he worked on character designs for more than a year, ultimately the task of illustrating the book went to the Brazilian artist Gabriel Ba. "I didn't want this to look like an American comic," Way said. He was also realistic about the time commitment and feared "the book would always be late" if he were the artist. In the end, he was happy. "I can't draw nearly as well as Gabriel," he said.
Way cites several inspirations for Umbrella Academy, ranging from the director Fritz Lang to the X-Men to the prolific comic book writer Grant Morrison (Doom Patrol). "When I was in high school, working in a comic shop, I discovered his work on the Doom Patrol," he said. "I realized there was this other way of telling superhero comics, almost anti-superhero comics."
Like the X-Men, the Doom Patrol is a team of misfits, mistrusted by the world they seek to protect. One of Morrison's most noteworthy creations for the team is Crazy Jane, a woman suffering from multiple-personality disorder, each with its own superpower. Way said he concentrated on giving his characters equally strange nontraditional abilities. The academy members include a half-man, half-ape and another who is eternally a boy but who can travel in time.
Way said the book was ultimately about being forced to aid humanity and living up to parental expectations. "Did Superman really want to save the world?" Way asked, recalling Clark Kent's Kansas upbringing. "Wouldn't he rather be a farmer?"
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