Edgar Allan Poe is one of the forefathers of modern horror (along with H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, etc.). The Raven is probably his best known work, and has been made into multiple films, including a 1963 adaptation of the poem starring Vincent Price and a young Jack Nicholson. The original work is where Raven, the wrestler (Scott Levy) took his name for the character, though he was no doubt aware of the movies as well. He also borrowed several elements from Point Break's Bodhi (played by the late Patrick Swayze). Still, most people missed the Bodhi connection and focused on Poe's The Raven, especially since he used the catchphrase "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore." Raven, who had been through an earlier WWF run as Johnny Polo, originally pitched the character to Jim Cornette, for Smokey Valley Wrestling. He shot it down, so the next stop was Paul Heyman and ECW. Heyman brought Raven into the fold as a heel for Tommy Dreamer to feud with, and wrestling history was made. Raven would go on to star in one of the biggest angles in ECW history, forming the Raven's Nest. After ECW, he would find success with WCW and the WWE as well (winning the latter's hardcore title 27 times during its 24/7 era).
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
