The blue carpet at the NAACP Creative Honors was buzzing with talk of legacy and the future of storytelling, but few voices were as seasoned or as direct as writer Rob Edwards. With a resume spanning from the writer’s room of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to the high-stakes world of the MCU, Edwards isn’t just observing the industry; he’s looking for the next fire to put out.
Edwards, a two-time NAACP nominee this year, has spent his career navigating the vast landscape of Black stories. While he is currently celebrating his work on Captain America: Brave New World, he remains deeply rooted in history with his graphic novel, The Story of Robert Smalls.
The project follows the incredible true story of an enslaved man who stole a Confederate boat, surrendered to the Union, and eventually bought the house he was once enslaved in to run for Congress. For Edwards, writing these stories is a direct act of resistance against the erasure of Black history in libraries and databases. “The only vehicle we have to combat that is to write more,” he shares.
Despite his success with Captain America, Edwards has his sights set on another iconic Marvel hero: Blade. The film, which was set to star Mahershala Ali, has famously faced a “fizzling” production cycle that has left many fans, and Edwards, heartbroken.
“I wish they… I want somebody to call me about Blade,” Edwards shared. “I could have fixed the hell out of Blade. I don’t think anybody would be unhappy if I did Blade.”
As a self-proclaimed comic book lover, Edwards believes his specific “contribution” to the genre is exactly what the Daywalker needs to get back on track. He noted that it is “time to bring that thing back” and encouraged the powers that be at Marvel to make the call.
For Black creatives attempting to navigate their space in a crowded industry, Edwards offers some advice. He encourages creators to find their edge by identifying the unique perspective or knowledge they possess that no one else has.
“I think it’s it’s a matter of like figuring out what you know that nobody else knows. What take do you have that nobody else has? Are you funny? Are you good with action?” he advises. “If you can do that, and you just see yourself through, don’t take no for an answer. Just do it. Do it as well as you possibly can. I think there’s a good pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.”
Check out the full interview.
