Eddie Edwards Inspires In New Book
“Anything Is Possible: The Eddie Edwards Story” is available now.
As Eddie Edwards lied unconscious on the floor of the Rebel Complex, his wife Alisha pleaded with Moose to stop the carnage. After all, he was former partners with Edwards and more importantly, good friends. But as soon as Moose speared her husband and then swung a chair into his throat, Alisha realized something had snapped inside the former NFL player.
She had seen a similar change in her husband over the past year, after he was smashed in the face with a baseball bat by Sami Callihan. Edwards’ thirst for vengeance compelled him, fueling a mental breakdown that he has yet to recover from. As his sanity crumbled, so did his marriage.
Until something snapped inside Alisha, too. Irate, confused and helpless, she slapped the 6’5, nearly 300-pound monster who had betrayed her husband. It was the riskiest thing she had ever done – no one could have protected her from Moose’s wrath. But love can make a woman do crazy things, and despite the turbulence in their relationship over the past several months, Alisha had always cared for her man.
Family has played a pivotal role in Edwards’ career. His younger brother actually lent him the money to attend Killer Kowalski’s wrestling school. “How he had more money than me I’ll never know,” Edwards told The Wrestling Estate. “I’m the middle child – of course, I’m the middle one to be in the wrestling business. Surprisingly, my younger brother doesn’t throw it in my face too much. I’m sure when he reads the book; he’ll remind me much more often.”
That book is “Anything Is Possible: The Eddie Edwards Story” which is now available online and in bookstores everywhere. Edwards has teamed up with co-writer and DC Comics artist Mark Poulton (as well as SevenHorns Publishing) to share his journey from learning the ropes as a junior in high school, to living and training in a Japanese dojo, to making a name for himself in the United States independent scene before making history as the only man to win the Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor and GHC World Heavyweight Championships.
“Anything is possible is something I’ve always told myself, trying to keep that positivity throughout my career,” Edwards said. “In the wrestling world, there are some high highs and some low lows, but if you keep that positive outlook and remember that anything is possible, in the end, it’s cliché, but your dreams can come true.”
A huge wrestling fan, Poulton had been following Edwards’ career since the American Wolves days in ROH. He felt the 16-year veteran was the ultimate good guy, a lovable underdog. “His win against Lashley is one of the most exciting title changes I’ve ever seen,” Poulton said.
That underdog character resonated with the author, who after becoming a father, wanted to create more stories that his son could read. He had previously co-written SAVAGE HAWKMAN for DC Comics during the New 52 and relaunched Rob Liefeld’s AVENGELYNE at Image Comics in 2011.
But his children’s books were gaining critical acclaim – A CAT NAMED HAIKU was nominated for Best Single Issue Story in the 2011 Eagle Awards and was adapted as an animated short for Top Buzz starring DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s Kiefer O’Reilly as Haiku and Mark as Haiku’s owner. His latest book – the all ages graphic novel PIZZA TREE – was co-written with his 7-year-old son Chase and was recently nominated for Best Kids Graphic Novel in the 2018 Ringo Awards.
Poulton knew there had to be a way to connect all three of his passions: comic books, children’s books and pro wrestling. The New Jersey native fell in love with the latter after flipping through channels one night and stumbling upon Jimmy Snuka leaping off Andre the Giant’s shoulders. He would then travel to the Philadelphia Spectrum throughout the 1980s, hoping to brush shoulders with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. “Pro wrestlers are the closest thing to real-life superheroes,” Poulton said. “The costumes, the outrageous behavior. They always seemed larger than life to me.”
In February, Poulton had tickets to attend a WrestlePro show in North Jersey, and Edwards happened to be on the card. He took a break from drawing a children’s book he was working on to sketch his favorite Impact Wrestling star. Then he tweeted his work to Edwards.
I took a break from the children’s book I’m drawing to sketch my favorite @IMPACTWRESTLING star @TheEddieEdwards. Colors by my friend Anthony George. Now there’s a kids book I’d love the draw, Dream Big: The Eddie Edwards Story. What do say, Eddie? pic.twitter.com/xPO8OLwzLU
— Mark Poulton (@KoniWaves) February 1, 2018
Wow that is awesome man!!
And I would definitely be down for that , thanks for the support !— Eddie Edwards (@TheEddieEdwards) February 1, 2018
“In the wrestling world, there have been things in the past where offers and opportunities, you say yeah, but if it happens, it happens,” Edwards said. “I almost didn’t want to jinx it by telling people about it because I wasn’t sure if it would happen. But Mark threw it out there and absolutely ran with it.”
Over the next few months, they communicated through text and email as Poulton inquired about Edwards’ childhood and training. Having already studied his career, he knew exactly how to structure Edwards’s story, hitting all the high points. He also tried to incorporate some comedy to keep kids engaged.
However, as Poulton crafted this feel-good tale about a Boston boy achieving his childhood dream, the main character in the story was going through a not so family-friendly transformation on TV. Viewed as a quiet technician for the entirety of his career, now Edwards had become unhinged, accusing friends of sleeping with his wife and vowing to kill his enemy in the woods. He had gone from P.G. to Rated-R quicker than a snapmare.
Poulton certainly wasn’t going to include that in the story, but he did appreciate that Edwards was finally getting to show more personality and connect with the audience in a different way. And the man himself couldn’t be happier with his character’s progression.
“I’m having a great time doing it,” Edwards said. “It was definitely the freak accident that had it come about, but I’ve always wanted to do some different things in the wrestling world. It’s a lot more character-driven and I get to do a lot more vignettes and promos. Anybody who has followed the story has been able to invest emotionally into it. Everybody can relate to that anger and hatred inside of you that you never want to come out. But at some point, whether someone is messing with your family or whatever, it comes out.”
That anger will be unleased on a man he considered family this Sunday at Bound For Glory. In front of a sold-out New York City crowd, Edwards will finally get his hands on Moose. He may not have the height or weight advantage, and he may need eyes in the back of his head for Killer Kross and Austin Aries.
But if Edwards has proven one thing throughout his career, it’s that anything is possible.
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