He went rogue after being offered $250,000 to kill a visiting foreign politician who was visiting Canberra.  Edwards saw the opportunity as the next logical step in his career, always knowing that he was destined for bigger things.  His employer turned out to be a front for the international criminal organisation, VENOM.  He failed to kill the politician after being opposed by the Southern Knights, but VENOM saw his potential and offered him further work in the United States.

For several months he continued to work for VENOM as a 'grunt' but although the work was often exciting he soon realised that he would never be anything more important than a sniper or an agent holding a gun.  He was exposed to super human combat and knew he was out-classed.  Rather than accept his fate, Edwards contacted Dr Song who was now a fugitive living in Malta.  He paid for the chance to undergo dangerous genetic engineering at the hands of Mastermind.  Most of Mastermind's subjects were only ever partial successes (or more often, stone cold corpses) but Edwards was one of the few overwhelming successes.

With enhanced physical attributes to compliment his incredible ego and sense of self-importance, Blake Edwards became Redback and joined the inner circle of VENOM, as well as working occasionally for Mastermind as one of his minions.

Edwards is always looking for the next big break, the next opportunity which presents itself so he can grab it with both hands and squeeze it dry.  He has progressed from a precocious university student to an intelligence analyst, from a field agent to a rogue agent, from a lackey to a super villain.  And he doesn't believe things will stop there.

He is very cocky and determined to stand out (interestingly, it's something his height has undermined.  being 5'6" has its drawbacks.).  He never fully trusts anyone except himself and believes that there is always something to be gained through betrayal and he knows it works both ways.  He is willing to betray and knows others would do the same to him.  Even amongst the other members of VENOM, Redback is a loner.  He appears friendly and outspoken but it is a veneer.  Underneath he is a loner and prefers it that way.  It is simpler to only have to depend upon yourself.  He avoids social complications, but seems to be challenged and excited by any other kind of complication.

"Strewth, mate, that left hook o' yours looks is scandalous!  Go get some lessons, you bloody wanker."

Redback's physiology has been altered by Mastermind and he is now one of the most agile ubers on the planet.  However, he doesn't just rely on his speed and co-ordination in combat.  He utilises his weapons training with a modified web-gun, the tangleweb launcher.  The weapon can fire a polymer-based web which hardens within seconds and is usually strong enough to keep even uberhumans in place.  He always carries a back-up weapon or two, including a snub-nosed blaster pistol and a knife.

The Redback armour is made of high-tech material and has a reinforced back plate.

Edwards is very Australian, almost to the point of caricature, and this has been exaggerated since he began to work more and more overseas.  He is frequently swearing although most people don't understand the words he uses, but even at his worst there is a roguish charm about Blake Edwards.  He has sparkling blue eyes and wavy blonde hair and is handsome in a boyish way.  He is obviously immature and reckless, but he carries this with such confidence that he can't fail but impress most spectators.

As Redback he wears a hardened black and steel-grey armour with a red spiderweb pattern.  It includes a red glazed visor and silver helmet with a redback insignia.  His tangleweb launcher looks like a high-tech weapon and is a modified weapon from Southern Cross International.  He has a short-nosed pistol in a holster on his belt and carries his blade in his left write panel.