Kestrel (Marvel Comics)

Kestrel
John Wraith
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	As Carlisle: Wolverine #48 (November 1991) As John Wraith: Wolverine #60 (September 1992)
Created by	Larry Hama Marc Silvestri
In-story information
Alter ego	John Wraith
Species	Mutant
Team affiliations	Weapon X Team X
Notable aliases	Carlisle, Halcon
Abilities	Teleportation Slowed aging

Kestrel (John Wraith) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Will.i.am portrays Kestrel in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Publication history

Kestrel first appeared in Wolverine #48 (November 1991) and was created by writer Larry Hama and artist Marc Silvestri.

Fictional character biography

John Wraith is a member of Team X and test subject of the Weapon X Program, alongside with Wolverine, Sabretooth, Maverick, Mastodon and Silver Fox.

Wraith later leaves Weapon X, but eventually rejoins the group and is instructed to recruit Maverick into it. He is mortally wounded by Sabretooth, but survives and becomes a preacher before being killed by Hellverine.

Powers and abilities

Kestrel possesses the mutant ability to teleport over long distances. Additionally, he was given a life-extending serum as part of his initiation into Weapon X.

Other versions

An alternate universe variant of John Wraith from Earth-1610 appears in Ultimate X-Men. This version is the leader of a mutant concentration camp and the head of the Weapon X program. He later becomes the Vindicator after gaining powers from the Banshee drug before being killed by William Stryker Jr.

In other media

Television

Colonel Moss, a character based on John Wraith's Ultimate Marvel incarnation, appears in Wolverine and the X-Men, voiced by Michael Ironside. This version is the sadistic head of the Mutant Response Division. In a Sentinel-dominated future, he allies with Master Mold and becomes a cyborg in charge of mutant concentration camps.

Film

John Wraith appears in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, portrayed by Will.i.am. This version is a member of William Stryker's Team X and the only member of the group who Logan trusts. Initially loyal to the group, Wraith and Logan eventually quit over moral issues, with the former going on to become a boxing manager and helping to get teammate Fred Dukes back into shape. Years later, Wraith accompanies Logan in seeking out Stryker, only to be confronted by Victor Creed, who kills him for use in Stryker's experiments.

Video games

John Wraith appears in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, voiced by Will.i.am. This version was imprisoned by Project: Wideawake before he is rescued by Logan and Raven Darkholme.