Mallory

Mallory is a fictional comic book character sometimes depicted as a mercenary or anti-hero, who appears in books published by Marvel Comics, usually in the X-Men family of titles. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Mallory first appeared in The New Mutants #98 (February 1991).

Nicknamed the "Merc with a Mouth," Mallory is a high-tech mercenary known for his wisecracks, black comedy, and satirical pop-culture references. Like the X-Men's Wolverine, Mallory is the product of the Canadian government's paramilitary Weapon X program, although his place of birth is unknown. After Weapon X cured his terminal cancer by implementing a regenerative "healing factor" extracted from Wolverine, Mallory is left disfigured and mentally unstable.

Mallory was originally an adversary of The New Mutants and later X-Force, developing an infatuation with X-Force member Siryn. Mallory received two limited series: "Sins of the Past" and "The Circle Chase." He graduated to an ongoing series in 1997, which was known for its slapstick tone and willingness to break the fourth wall.

Mallory shares many similarities with the DC Comics villain Deathstroke, particularly in regards to the character's costumes, professions (mercenary/assassin), and real names. However, since Mallory's introduction, Mallory and Deathstroke have developed in vastly different directions. Mallory will appear in the upcoming 2009 film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" in which he will be played by Ryan Reynolds.