Mal

—Mal explains the desperate situation he and his associate are in.**Mal** is a character in **The Walking Dead: Haven** who first appeared in Issue 1. He is a member of the "Strangers" alongside Annie, and makes his camp in a truck located on the interstate.

## Pre-Outbreak

Mal was raised Jewish and had a Bar Mitzvah. He attended the University of Washington, suggesting he lived in or near Seattle, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. Despite these qualifications he only managed to earn a job in a cubicle, coming up with taglines for a toothpaste brand. He states he drank alcohol fairly often which may be down to his failed aspirations.

## Post-Outbreak

### Pursuit of Happiness

Mal is first seen when he sneaks up behind Finn. His surprise appearance causes Finn and Karen to falter, and he succeeds in knocking the former to his knees while ordering his associate, Annie, to stand down. Finn goads him into attempted murder, but when he realises he is out of bullets, Mal opts to knock the man out instead - then orders Annie to do the same to Karen.

Changing his tactics, Mal reads Karen's diary to work out who the two are and what they're like, and decides that the information - coupled with how they walked 'blindly' into his 'territory' - is enough to surmise that they are harmless. When she wakes up, Karen suggests an alliance to find supplies and Mal agrees so long as things are on his terms - but while alone with Annie he explains that he only intends to use Karen and Finn as human shields should they run into the dead. He also alleviates Annie's concerns by promising that if she feels endangered that they will cut and run.

When the two pairs reconvene, Mal gives Karen his knife as a symbol of trust and tells Annie to keep an eye on the newcomers while he gets the rest of his things together. While doing so, Mal reveals that he is secretly carrying a radio - that could possibly mean he is in contact with other groups.

The group later walk through a forest during their search for supplies. Annie observes Finn and Karen fighting and asks Mal why they stick together if they hate each other. Mal puts it down to the fact the duo have history, then tells Annie to keep her eyes and ears out for the dead. The girl admits she can't listen for walkers if Karen and Finn are bickering, so Mal intervenes and attempts to silence the two. When they back-sass him, Annie speaks up which catches Finn's attention. When Mal explains she is trying to listen for walkers, Karen agrees that they should perhaps be quiet. Despite this Mal still separates the two, pushing Finn forwards and leaving Karen with Annie.

Mal later calls out and says they've found something. When Finn approaches him, the scavenger pushes him downhill. Karen calls Mal out for his unnecessary aggression, but the man ignores her and tells Annie to keep an eye on her.

Mal and Finn look up at the building ahead of them. Finn says it doesn't look like much, but Mal tells him he is wrong and asks Annie to explain. The girl tries to think of a reason, initially deciding that it's because people might walk past it at night due to it being off to the side of the road, and later pointing out that there are old tents, suggesting previous occupants. Karen questions this, thinking that the tents must mean the place is already looted. Mal explains there are no signs of people but they left the tents, so the group is likely dead and they hopefully left all their supplies. As they enter, he tells the others to keep an eye out for threats.

Mal puts his backpack down inside, and heads through a doorway with Annie to scope the place out. While he is gone, Karen eyes his bag and asks Finn if he thinks it's a test. Finn agrees but has little respect for Mal and decides to raid the bag to get his supplies back. He finds his hatchet inside, and is surprised to find a radio as well.

When Mal returns and to say the building is clear, Karen asks what happened to the people. He explains it looks like they left but they should keep their guard up as they search the place. Finn uses this as an excuse to jump in and ask if Mal is actually going to help them search instead of telling them what to do while giving them no reason to trust him. Karen warns him, but Mal retorts by saying that Finn should draw his trust from the fact that he has not killed them. Finn says this is a poor reason, and recalls how Mal tried to kill him and would have done had he possessed the bullets, but Mal responds that Finn actively told him to do it. Finn then asks why Mal should be trusted when he has a radio and didn't tell them about it.

Karen turns on her ally as he shoves Mal against the wall and yells in his face, demanding answers. Annie prepares to defend Mal with her spear but Karen blocks her defensively, but when she tries to calm Finn down he takes it as her being on Mal's side. While he is distracted Mal takes the opportunity to punch him in the face and knock him to the ground, stating that Finn should learn to keep his hands to himself. Karen says he shouldn't leave his stuff in the open and Mal admits that it was in fact a test. Annie begins to ask everyone to be quiet, and reluctantly finishes her sentence as the trio are alerted to the sound of a pack of walkers.

As the walkers close in on them, Finn criticises Mal's search of the building. Mal ignores him and says to drop their grudge for a moment while they deal with the walkers. Heading outside, he approaches one of the walkers and reaches for his knife – then realises he previously gave it to Karen. Unarmed, he trips the walker and stamps on its head, then turns and asks if the others expect him to deal with it by himself.

Finn asks where all the walkers came from, but Mal silences him. As the latter backs up to a ditch, a bloated walker crawls out of the mud and takes him by surprise. With an excess of weight behind it, the corpse pushes Mal up against a tree as he desperately tries to keep its face away from him. Karen begs Finn to help the man as he is closer, and is forced to yell when he does not instantly react. Finn begrudgingly hits the walker in the back with his hatchet and draws its attention, allowing Mal to escape.

Once the walker starts advancing on Finn, Mal yells for him to throw him his hatchet. Finn is unable to get a decent hit on the zombie and eventually relents, throwing Mal the hatchet. The zombie rears up over him, but Mal kills it with the axe before it can attack.

Mal passes the hatchet back and tells Finn they're even. Karen and Annie approach them, the former saying that she and Finn are worth keeping around, otherwise Mal and Annie could have died. Mal tells her not to get too cocky, then tells them they'll camp inside overnight and then move on tomorrow – but Finn holds him back and tells him to explain the radio before he can continue.

Mal informs him that he found the radio on a corpse and discovered the frequency of a settlement a few miles north. While Nebraska still had plenty of supplies, he would listen for the locations they marked worthy for looting and would get there before the group did. Finn doesn't believe the story, but Mal tells him to believe what he likes and says he wants to hear no more of it.

Later, Mal drops a duffel bag in front of Karen and Annie as they sit by a campfire – explaining he found it behind a radiator. He reveals a bottle of rum and a juice box, the latter of which he gives to Annie. After taking a sip himself, he passes the rum to Karen, then restrains himself and asks if she's twenty-one. She tells him she can hold her liquor, but begins coughing once she takes a sip and Mal retrieves the bottle, claiming he had plenty of practise before the outbreak. This causes Karen to ask what he did as a job, but he brushes it off. When she pursues the question he tells her it isn't interesting but Annie claims he's embarrassed because it ruins his 'image' and also tells him to reveal his secret.

When it seems like they'll never give in, Mal tells Karen he was a 'cubicle slave' – working in the advertising department of a toothpaste company. Karen thinks he's joking and double checks with Annie, who is already laughing at what Mal has said. Karen then asks if Mal had to wear a tie and he responds that he did every day except for “business casual Friday”, which makes Annie break out in hysterics before asking what business casual actually is. Karen explains and the two share a laugh as Mal grumbles to himself about how he spent four years at the University of Washington getting a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. As Karen teases him further, the two share an ambiguous glance before Karen looks away and changes the subject – saying that someone should switch out with Finn who is on watch.

Mal approaches Finn and tells him he can come off watch, but Finn says he isn't fussed – going on to say that they're not friends just because they worked together to kill the walkers. He informs Mal that once they get a cut of whatever supplies they find, he and Karen are gone. Mal agrees, but tells Finn to get out of the way so he can take watch.

The following day, Karen and Finn meet with Mal outside, who tells them to keep an eye out as there may be more walkers around. The trio unite with Annie who is keeping watch. As the girl says she hasn't seen anything, the group's attention is drawn by rustling behind them. Finn grips his hatchet and Mal stands defensively in front of Annie as a one-handed man approaches them, telling them not to panic and asking them for their help.

### Safety in Numbers

Mal, Annie, Finn and Karen face the stranger as he tells them he just wants to talk. Annie interrupts, asking if he is bit – as he is missing an arm – but the man tells her not to worry and introduces himself as Sergeant Raymond Kemp. Mal orders the man to leave, but the latter tells the group he scoped them out and has supplies he's willing to share with them if they help him with something.

Karen asks for proof of the supplies before hearing him out, and Ray acknowledges he thought they might ask that. He looks over his shoulder and calls to someone out of sight. As he admits that he hopes they feel the same way about travelling with children as he does, he is approached by two boys – one a teenager, the other under ten – whom he quickly introduces as his sons. The elder son backs his father up by saying he is not lying as he puts a duffel bag filled with supplies on the ground. Ray tells the group there are only enough to last a day, but the group can have more if they help him. Mal explains Nebraska is running on empty in terms of free supplies an admits they don't really have a choice, so he asks what Ray wants from them. Ray tells them he needs help rescuing his daughter. He emphasises how he has supplies and his elder son begs for their help, which secures Karen's sympathy.

Ray asks Mal and Annie for their help. Though Mal is hesitant, Annie says she wants to help, stating how she feels indebted to Karen – who previously saved her life – adding that it would be wrong not to help a child in need. Mal reluctantly agrees to hear Ray out.

When asked, Finn says he has no choice but to come as Mal has his gun and Karen has the remainder of his supplies. As Finn turns away, Ray's eldest son offers a handshake to Mal, introducing himself as Austin and his brother as Noah, but the gesture is rejected. Karen swoops in and accepts the handshake in Mal's stead, introducing her own group, but is concerned when Austin keeps hold of her hand for slightly too long and she has to tell him to let go.

Ray beckons the group to follow him and Austin and Noah swiftly trail after their father, picking up the duffel bag of supplies as they go. Mal and Karen linger back for a moment as the former asks the latter if she still has his knife, then notes it's good she does.

The group arrives at a small house situated in the woods around sunset. Mal remains extremely distrustful of Ray. He notes a walker sitting in a car outside the house, which Ray explains is used as a guard dog – if they come back to find it killed, they know someone is in the area and to be on their guard. Mal seems to think Ray got the idea from somewhere but the latter says it is his own creation before heading inside with his sons.

Mal approaches Karen again, and attempts to apologise for “testing” her and Finn the day prior. Karen notes it was a dumb idea but he isn't the only one who has had them recently – noting her plan to make a deal with Mal himself was somewhat ridiculous. Mal tries to explain something further but halts himself, saying that he'll tell her when they're done with Ray. He says he wants to make sure that she'll side with him and Annie over the Kemps if it comes to it, and Karen says she will.

Inside the house, Ray tells Karen and Mal to take a seat. Mal says Ray does not seem very concerned about his daughter, which he takes as an insult. Finn interjects by asking Ray what his daughter's name is in an attempt to catch him out, but Ray quickly provides a very detailed history of his daughter, Phoebe, then tells them he wouldn't be risking his neck – or his sons' - with strangers if his child wasn't in danger. Karen tells Finn not to jump to conclusions. When Ray thanks her she states it is more for her own benefit – noting that while Finn is harsh, he has a point that anyone can make up a sob story.

Ray explains that he joined a large group to keep his kids safe, but realised they were dangerous – explaining they had harsh punishments for the smallest of offences. They planned an escape, but in a resulting struggle Phoebe was captured. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Ray decided he could not risk Austin and Noah as well lest any or all of his children wind up dead. Karen asks how he knows the group has not already hurt Phoebe, and Ray says he doesn't but has to try to get her back. He proposes the group aid him in rescuing the girl and in return they can have a fair share of what he stole from the enemy group during his escape, but Finn notes that they are terribly unequipped for such a venture – prompting Ray to look at his AK-47 and ask if they really thought he only stole food.

Later, Mal and Finn arm up in the living room, still very irritable towards each other. Mal notes how Finn could leave at any time had he just asked for his supplies, but Finn responds that they had few supplies regardless and Ray's offer was too good to pass up even if he does trust the man less than Mal.

Mal admits that something about Ray concerns him but he cannot figure out what, which does not please Finn – who emphasises the desperation of the situation. Mal attempts to make amends by subtly suggesting they ally with each other rather than Ray as they have the same goal and face the same risks, and though Finn half-heartedly agrees, he notes that he is armed and if Mal puts one foot out of line he won't hesitate to retaliate. Finn then leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

Mal enters in the kitchen and asks Karen to round up the kids. Karen initially protests but is halted by Ray who says they need all hands on deck, which makes her leave.

As soon as Karen leaves, Ray begins to single Mal out, noting how Karen isn't bad to look at and he'd hate to see her taken advantage of. Mal once again notes that Ray doesn't seem all that concerned by his daughter's absence, which the amputee plays off as confidence – something he suggests Mal try to find. Ray's jabs begin to irritate Mal, who threatens the man and says that peoples' lives are at stake... but Ray recognises that Mal is only in it for himself, then tells the man that they can't possibly fail their task of rescuing Phoebe. Mal says he hopes Ray is right, the soldier cutting him off as he turns around asking if he will kill him if he isn't – recognising that Mal is a killer and he'd do it without a second thought, perhaps even in front of Austin and Noah. Mal says Ray is fucked up and Ray notes this was not a denial of his point, then slings his good arm around the bandit's shoulder and suggests they regroup with the others.

As everyone gathers in the living room, Mal approaches Annie and hands her a Walther PPK as a late tenth birthday present. The bandit tries to ensure she'll use it carefully but the child assures him she knows what she's doing. Mal asks her to keep an eye on Ray, which she agrees to do with no questions asked.

Later, Mal, Ray and Annie scout out the community allegedly holding Phoebe hostage. Annie sits atop a tree, looking at the community they need to infiltrate. She deciphers that the community has taken refuge in a Megamart superstore, and that some of them are trading in a parking lot with another group. Mal is angered that Ray did not inform him of other groups and threatens to leave, but Ray holds the promise of food over him.

Once Annie notices the trader group leaving, they decide to regroup and follow through with rescuing Phoebe.

## Relationships

### Annie

Mal treats Annie as a student of sorts. She appears to put a great amount of trust in Mal and defers to him, following his orders without question. Mal listens to and considers Annie's concerns, and shows affection for her. The two appear to have known each other for a long time as it is said they have history.

### Karen

Mal appears to have mixed feelings regarding Karen. He quickly agrees to make a pact with her, but also insists she prove her worth. Despite this, he instantly trusts her far more than he does Finn, going as far as to give her his knife as a gesture of good will. Later he shares a drink with the woman and opens up about his past on the insistence of Annie.

### Finn

Mal and Finn have a heavy dislike of each other, and this worsens as time goes on. They eventually come to blows but are halted by the appearance of walkers, and though Finn and Mal save each others' lives in the chaos Finn insists that it doesn't mean he cares about Mal or that it makes them 'friends'.

## Appearances

### Volume 1: Pursuit of Happiness

* Issue 1
* Issue 2
* Issue 3
* Issue 4

### Volume 2: Safety in Numbers

* Issue 5
* Issue 6
* Issue 7