Eddie “Claws” Scartino almost laughed in the face of the tiny man when he asked “Do you have a grim and dark origin story?” He did laugh afterward.
Edward Bartholomew Scartino was born in Newark, New Jersey, and lived most of his life there. He came from a very strong, close-knit family. His uncle owned a body shop and he had Eddie help him out. A couple of times some people in suits came in to talk to his uncle and only his uncle, and afterward he was shaken. When his uncle died, his brothers decided to sell the body shop and Eddie was left to be wayward.
However, he wasn’t, as he started hanging around some “Chink’s” house. Wheel – called so because his full name was Hui Lu which, if you said it fast, came out like “wheeloo” – showed him a few karate moves that he learned. He also showed him a few other moves that luckily neither of their parents found out about, or they would have been strung up.
When they both graduated high school, Wheel went off to college while Eddie went into work. They drifted apart.
Eddie got bored doing the same old thing, so he told his parents he was going off to Detroit. He lived with his mother’s aunt for a while before finally getting his own place. Now he could have men over if he wanted.
He wanted to do the heroic thing, so he got himself a costume. He wanted to show some skin. He wanted to attract attention. But he wouldn’t tell anyone his real name, or he would be disowned.
So when Macro Lad suggested he get a hold of Grimaulkin, he thought about it. He would have to give his real name, and look normal. He couldn’t afford that.
Iron Raven he would have to be.