Izzy

Izzy is a member of the infamous Black Bear family and serves as its ferocious leader. Born on March 14, 1887, in Birmingham, England, Izzy's backstory is a mix of English heritage, brutal wartime history, and a desperate struggle with identity. He grew up in the slums of Small Heath, Birmingham, as the firstborn son of Grizz and his unnamed mother. His father, a gambling con man and boxer, founded the early version of the Black Bear gang but abandoned the family entirely after the loss of his wife. Following these events, Izzy was raised by his matriarchal aunt, Growler Gray. Grizz had initially forced him to inherit the family business and gang, introducing him to bare-knuckle boxing, and neighborhood turf wars at a young age. Izzy also served in WW1. He enlisted in the British Army and served on the front lines in France, operating as a tunneler, or "claykicker," beneath the battlefields of Verdun and the Somme. This terrifying, claustrophobic underground warfare left him with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When he returned home to Birmingham in 1919, his trauma manifested as explosive, uncontrollable rage, severe panic attacks, and a dependence on certain things simply to function. Izzy accepted his role as the tough leader of the gang—remaining deeply loyal to his family while forever haunted by his past and a yearning for a peaceful life he could never quite attain.