Created by writer Joe Kelly and artist Walter A. McDaniel, the character first appeared in Deadpool #14 (March 1998).

[1] Years later, Freeman resurfaces under the name Ajax and kills many members of Weapon X to exact revenge on Deadpool.

[3] Blackheart later releases Ajax from Hell in an attempt to prevent Deadpool and Thanos from meddling in his plot to overthrow Mephisto.

[5] According to co-writer Rhett Reese, the character was selected to serve as the film's antagonist due to his "sadistic quality and his imperviousness to pain and what that implied about him" which "lands very hard on Wade Wilson and creates the fun antagonism".

After Wade corners and injures him, Francis escapes when Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead distract his attacker.