Mutant (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
In comic books published by Marvel Comics
, a mutant is an organism (usually otherwise human) who possesses a genetic trait
called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities. Human mutants are considered to be of the subspecies Homo sapiens superior, an evolution
ary progeny of Homo sapiens
, and are considered the next stage in human evolution
, though whether this is true or not is a subject of much debate.
Unlike Marvel's mutates
which are characters who develop their powers only after exposure to outside stimuli or energies (such as Hulk
, Spider-Man
, The Fantastic Four, and Absorbing Man
), mutants are born with the genetic potential to possess their powers, although the powers typically manifest at puberty
.
Like mutates, the powers of the vast majority of Marvel's human superheroes are the result of genetic manipulation by the Celestials millions of years in the past.
Roger Carstairs, a mutant who can create illusions, is shown in Man Comics #28, dated September 1953.
A character with superhuman powers, born from a radiation-exposed parent, was seen in "The Man With The Atomic Brain!" in Journey into Mystery
#52 in May 1959; although not specifically called a "mutant", his origin is consistent with one.
A little-known story in Tales of Suspense
#6 (November 1959) titled "The Mutants and Me!" was one of the first Marvel (then known as Atlas
) stories to feature a named "mutant".
The modern concept of mutants as an independent subspecies was created and utilized by Marvel editor/writer Stan Lee
in the early 1960s, as a means to create a large number of superhero
es and supervillain
s without having to think of a separate origin for each one. As part of the concept, Lee decided that these mutant teenagers should, like ordinary ones, attend school in order to better cope with the world, in this case Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
. These mutants first appeared in the superhero series X-Men, which debuted in 1963. Marvel later introduced several additional mutant superhero teams, including The New Mutants
, X-Factor
, Excalibur
, X-Force
, and Generation X
.
Officially, Namor the Sub-Mariner is considered the first mutant superhero whom Marvel Comics ever published, debuting in 1939
. However, Namor was not actually described as a mutant until decades after his first appearance. The same is true of Toro
, a little-known hero introduced in 1940.
.
#208, but was completely unexplained (beyond the obvious implication of it referring to an exceptional level of power). The term was not seen again until the 2001 limited series X-Men Forever
. Some abilities depicted by mutants described as Omega-level include immortality
, extreme manipulation of matter
and energy
, high psionic ability, strong telekinesis, and the potential to exist beyond the boundaries of the known physical universe. No firm definition has been offered in comics. Examples of mutants that have been confirmed as Omega-level include Jean Grey
, Vulcan, Rachel Summers
, Iceman
, Legion
, Elixir
, and Franklin Richards
.
's X-Treme X-Men, a character known as Vargas
claimed to be humanity's natural response to mutants. Vargas was born at the epitome of peak physical skill, having superhuman levels of strength, speed, reflexes, agility, stamina, and durability. Vargas also seemed to be immune to various mutant abilities (such as Rogue's absorption and Psylocke's telekinetic blast).
According to Claremont, "Basically, the notion behind Vargas is that nature, abhorring a vacuum and perceiving one in the appearance of mass numbers of super-powered mutants, is attempting to redress the imbalance by jump-starting Humanity to a level where they can compete with mutants and super-beings on relatively equal terms."
, Externals
are immortal mutants whose powers have allowed them to exist for centuries. Eventually, most of the Externals were killed by Selene
. Gideon
, Selene, and Apocalypse
are examples of Externals.
#429. According to the character Azazel
, the Cheyarafim are a group of angel
-like mutants who were the traditional enemies of the Neyaphem, a demonic-looking group of mutants who lived in Biblical times. The Cheyarafim were fanatic
s who had a strict, absolutist view of morality which led them into conflict with the Neyaphem. This escalated into a holy war
, causing the Neyaphem to be exiled into an alternate dimension. What happened to the Cheyarafim after this has not been revealed.
The X-Man Angel is said to be descended from Cheyarafim, while Nightcrawler
is supposedly the son of a Neyaphem, Azazel.
claimed to be a part of a mutant sub-species of feral, wolf-like mutants, whom he called The Dominant Species. He later tried to recruit Wolf Cub
into his ranks, to no avail. A few years later, another mutant, Romulus claimed that some human mutants evolved from canines instead of primates. Mutants who were a part of this group were Romulus, Wolverine
, Daken
, Sabretooth
, Wolfsbane
, Wild Child
, Thornn, Feral
, and Sasquatch
. Other likely candidates being X-23
and The Native
. These groups appear to be one and the same.
are examples of this sub-class.
, Longshot
, Ultra Girl
, and Warlock
are examples of mutant aliens.
minority
, mutants are often used as extended metaphor
s for real-world people and situations. In 1982, X-Men writer Chris Claremont
said, "[mutants] are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry and prejudice."
Danny Fingeroth
writes extensively in his book Superman on the Couch about the appeal of mutants and their meaning to society. He writes:
An obvious parallel between homosexuality and mutation is drawn in the feature film X2
, where Iceman
's mother asks, "Have you tried not being a mutant?" This question (or various forms thereof) is common among parents who find out their children are gay
. In the 2011 film X-Men: First Class
, Hank McCoy (later known as Beast), upon being outed to a colleague as a mutant, responds, "You didn't ask, so I didn't tell."
In his article Super Heroes, a Modern Mythology, Richard Reynolds writes:
#1 it is revealed that super-powered "mutants" in the Ultimate Marvel
universe were artificially created via genetic modification by the Weapon X
program in a laboratory in Alberta
, Canada
in October 1943. The project was an attempt to produce a supersoldier
, inspired by the existence of Captain America
. James Howlett was the first individual to be so modified. At some later point the mutant trigger was released into the environment worldwide, leading to the appearance of mutants in the general population (this may have occurred during Magneto's confrontation with his parents). Following the events of Ultimatum, information concerning the origins of mutancy was made public and steps were taken in the US to make being a mutant illegal. While the move apparently has majority support among the non-mutant population, a vocal minority has voiced concern that it will lead to witchhunts and genocide.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
, a mutant is an organism (usually otherwise human) who possesses a genetic trait
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities. Human mutants are considered to be of the subspecies Homo sapiens superior, an evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
ary progeny of Homo sapiens
Homo sapiens (Marvel Comics)
Within the Marvel Universe, the species Homo sapiens, and its genus Homo, is far more prolific and active than in the real world. The branching of the species Homo sapiens came with the arrival of the Celestials on Earth, the Space Gods of genetic engineering; the Celestials as a race have their...
, and are considered the next stage in human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
, though whether this is true or not is a subject of much debate.
Unlike Marvel's mutates
Mutate (comics)
The term Mutate refers to most non-mutant superbeings in the Marvel Comics universe. See below for other uses.-History:Mutate is a term used to refer to superhumans who acquired their superpowers by exposure to some mutagenic compound or energy...
which are characters who develop their powers only after exposure to outside stimuli or energies (such as Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, The Fantastic Four, and Absorbing Man
Absorbing Man
The Absorbing Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Journey into Mystery #114 The Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first...
), mutants are born with the genetic potential to possess their powers, although the powers typically manifest at puberty
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
.
Like mutates, the powers of the vast majority of Marvel's human superheroes are the result of genetic manipulation by the Celestials millions of years in the past.
Background
A March 1952 story in Amazing Detective Cases #11 called "The Weird Woman" tells of a woman describing herself as a mutant who seeks a similarly superhuman mate.Roger Carstairs, a mutant who can create illusions, is shown in Man Comics #28, dated September 1953.
A character with superhuman powers, born from a radiation-exposed parent, was seen in "The Man With The Atomic Brain!" in Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery was an American comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. It featured horror, monster, and science fiction stories...
#52 in May 1959; although not specifically called a "mutant", his origin is consistent with one.
A little-known story in Tales of Suspense
Tales of Suspense
Tales of Suspense is the name of an American comic book series and two one-shot comics published by Marvel Comics. The first, which ran from 1959 to 1968, began as a science-fiction anthology that served as a showcase for such artists as Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and Don Heck, then featured...
#6 (November 1959) titled "The Mutants and Me!" was one of the first Marvel (then known as Atlas
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
) stories to feature a named "mutant".
The modern concept of mutants as an independent subspecies was created and utilized by Marvel editor/writer Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
in the early 1960s, as a means to create a large number of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es and supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s without having to think of a separate origin for each one. As part of the concept, Lee decided that these mutant teenagers should, like ordinary ones, attend school in order to better cope with the world, in this case Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
. These mutants first appeared in the superhero series X-Men, which debuted in 1963. Marvel later introduced several additional mutant superhero teams, including The New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
, X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
, Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
, X-Force
X-Force
X-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
, and Generation X
Generation X (comics)
Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
.
Officially, Namor the Sub-Mariner is considered the first mutant superhero whom Marvel Comics ever published, debuting in 1939
1939 in comics
-Year overall:* A boom year for the burgeoning American comic book industry, as Archie Comics, Fawcett Comics, Fox Feature Syndicate, Lev Gleason Publications, Marvel Comics, Nedor Comics, Quality Comics, and Timely Comics all begin publishing.-January:...
. However, Namor was not actually described as a mutant until decades after his first appearance. The same is true of Toro
Toro (comics)
Toro is the name of two characters from Marvel Comics. The first Toro was originally featured in Timely Comics and later as a Marvel Comics superhero who appeared as the partner of the original Human Torch.-Publication history:...
, a little-known hero introduced in 1940.
Secondary mutations
Some mutants have shown the ability to develop a secondary mutation. See Secondary MutationSecondary mutation
In the fictional Marvel Universe, secondary mutation is a global phenomenon among mutants that seems inexplicable, with many previously established mutant characters suddenly developing new or vastly expanded powers. Henry McCoy hypothesizes that, since the mutant population was entering the...
.
Omega-level mutants
An Omega-level mutant is one with the most powerful genetic potential of their mutant abilities. The term was first seen in the 1986 issue Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#208, but was completely unexplained (beyond the obvious implication of it referring to an exceptional level of power). The term was not seen again until the 2001 limited series X-Men Forever
X-Men Forever
X-Men Forever is the name of three comic book series published by Marvel Comics based on the mutant superhero group The X-Men. The first is a 2001 miniseries, unrelated to the others. The second and third are the work of writer Chris Claremont....
. Some abilities depicted by mutants described as Omega-level include immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
, extreme manipulation of matter
Matter
Matter is a general term for the substance of which all physical objects consist. Typically, matter includes atoms and other particles which have mass. A common way of defining matter is as anything that has mass and occupies volume...
and energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
, high psionic ability, strong telekinesis, and the potential to exist beyond the boundaries of the known physical universe. No firm definition has been offered in comics. Examples of mutants that have been confirmed as Omega-level include Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
, Vulcan, Rachel Summers
Rachel Summers
Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne for Marvel Comics....
, Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
, Legion
Legion (Marvel Comics)
Legion is a Marvel Comics character, created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bill Sienkiewicz.David is the mutant son of Charles Xavier and Israeli Holocaust survivor Gabrielle Haller...
, Elixir
Elixir (comics)
Elixir , is a fictional character, a mutant in the and a student at the Xavier Institute. He first appeared in New Mutants, vol. 2 #5, and he is one of only a few students to retain his powers in the wake of House of M....
, and Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards
Franklin Richards is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in Fantastic Four.Franklin is an Omega-Level mutant with vast psionic and reality-manipulating powers...
.
"Homo Superior Superior"
Introduced in Chris ClaremontChris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
's X-Treme X-Men, a character known as Vargas
Vargas (comics)
Vargas is a fictional comic book supervillain in the Marvel Universe and an enemy of the X-Treme X-Men who first appeared in X-Treme X-Men #1.- Fictional character biography:...
claimed to be humanity's natural response to mutants. Vargas was born at the epitome of peak physical skill, having superhuman levels of strength, speed, reflexes, agility, stamina, and durability. Vargas also seemed to be immune to various mutant abilities (such as Rogue's absorption and Psylocke's telekinetic blast).
According to Claremont, "Basically, the notion behind Vargas is that nature, abhorring a vacuum and perceiving one in the appearance of mass numbers of super-powered mutants, is attempting to redress the imbalance by jump-starting Humanity to a level where they can compete with mutants and super-beings on relatively equal terms."
Externals
Created by Rob LiefeldRob Liefeld
Rob Liefeld is an American comic book writer, illustrator, and publisher. A prominent artist in the 1990s, he has since become a controversial figure in the medium....
, Externals
Externals
The Externals were a fictional group of X-Men antagonists and subspecies of mutants.-Background:All of the Externals were originally portrayed as immortal and important, playing an extremely major role in the future and Apocalypse's rise to power , but eventually most were killed off. Only Selene,...
are immortal mutants whose powers have allowed them to exist for centuries. Eventually, most of the Externals were killed by Selene
Selene (comics)
Selene Gallio is a fictional character, a comic book supervillainess from the Marvel Comics universe. She is a mutant, and an enemy of the X-Men often associated with the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle.-Publication history:...
. Gideon
Gideon (comics)
Gideon is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza...
, Selene, and Apocalypse
Apocalypse (comics)
Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
are examples of Externals.
Cheyarafim and Neyaphem
Cheyarafim and Neyaphem first appear in Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#429. According to the character Azazel
Azazel (Marvel Comics)
Azazel is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics and is the biological father of Nightcrawler. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #428, during "The Draco" storyline, written by Chuck Austen...
, the Cheyarafim are a group of angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
-like mutants who were the traditional enemies of the Neyaphem, a demonic-looking group of mutants who lived in Biblical times. The Cheyarafim were fanatic
Fanaticism
Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in some cases sports, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby...
s who had a strict, absolutist view of morality which led them into conflict with the Neyaphem. This escalated into a holy war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
, causing the Neyaphem to be exiled into an alternate dimension. What happened to the Cheyarafim after this has not been revealed.
The X-Man Angel is said to be descended from Cheyarafim, while Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
is supposedly the son of a Neyaphem, Azazel.
Dominant Species/Lupine
Maximus LoboMaximus Lobo
Maximus Lobo is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #417.-Fictional character biography:...
claimed to be a part of a mutant sub-species of feral, wolf-like mutants, whom he called The Dominant Species. He later tried to recruit Wolf Cub
Wolf Cub (comics)
Wolf Cub is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. A mutant, Wolf Cub is an Xavier Institute student and X-Men trainee.-Early life:...
into his ranks, to no avail. A few years later, another mutant, Romulus claimed that some human mutants evolved from canines instead of primates. Mutants who were a part of this group were Romulus, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, Daken
Daken
Akihiro, also codename as Daken is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Daken is the mutant son of Wolverine and his deceased wife Itsu...
, Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
, Wolfsbane
Wolfsbane (comics)
Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
, Wild Child
Wild Child (comics)
Wild Child alternately spelled Wildchild and also known as Weapon Omega and Wildheart, is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics publications. The character has been active as both a superhero and a supervillain. He has been a member of Alpha Flight, X-Factor, and Weapon X...
, Thornn, Feral
Feral (comics)
Feral is a fictional character that appears in the Marvel Universe. She has been both a superhero and a supervillain and most recognizably associated as a member of X-Force.-Fictional character biography:...
, and Sasquatch
Sasquatch (comics)
Sasquatch is a fictional character, a superhero in Marvel Comics' universe. He first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 and was created by John Byrne.-Fictional character biography:Dr...
. Other likely candidates being X-23
X-23
X-23 is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring the X-Men. X-23 is a female clone of Wolverine.-Publication history:...
and The Native
Native (comics)
The Native is a Marvel Comics character. She first appeared in Wolverine vol. 3 #13, and was created by Greg Rucka and Darick Robertson.-Fictional character biography:...
. These groups appear to be one and the same.
Changelings
Introduced in the second series of X-Factor, a changeling is a mutant whose powers manifest at birth. Jamie Madrox (Multiple Man) and Damian TrypDamian Tryp
Damian Tryp is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in X-Factor vol. 3 #2.-Fictional character biography:left|thumbnail|Ancient Tryp...
are examples of this sub-class.
Mutant aliens
Humans are not the only species to have mutant subspecies. ArielAriel (comics)
Ariel is a fictional character, an extraterrestrial mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in Fallen Angels #1...
, Longshot
Longshot
Longshot is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero best known as a member of the X-Men. He was created by writer Ann Nocenti and artist Art Adams.-Publication history:...
, Ultra Girl
Ultra Girl
Ultra Girl , also known as Ultra-Girl, is a fictional superhero published by Marvel Comics...
, and Warlock
Warlock (New Mutants)
Warlock is a fictional character, a cybernetic alien superhero published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants vol. 1 #18 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.-Publication history:...
are examples of mutant aliens.
Mutants as metaphor
As a fictional oppressedOppression
Oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. It can also be defined as an act or instance of oppressing, the state of being oppressed, and the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, and...
minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
, mutants are often used as extended metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s for real-world people and situations. In 1982, X-Men writer Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
said, "[mutants] are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry and prejudice."
Danny Fingeroth
Danny Fingeroth
Daniel "Danny" Fingeroth is an American comic book writer and editor, better known for a long stint as group editor of the Spider-Man books at Marvel Comics.-Career:...
writes extensively in his book Superman on the Couch about the appeal of mutants and their meaning to society. He writes:
An obvious parallel between homosexuality and mutation is drawn in the feature film X2
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
, where Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
's mother asks, "Have you tried not being a mutant?" This question (or various forms thereof) is common among parents who find out their children are gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. In the 2011 film X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics starring the X-Men.-Publication history:The original series was an eight-issue limited series. It began in September 2006 and ended in April 2007. It was written by Jeff Parker and penciled by Roger Cruz...
, Hank McCoy (later known as Beast), upon being outed to a colleague as a mutant, responds, "You didn't ask, so I didn't tell."
In his article Super Heroes, a Modern Mythology, Richard Reynolds writes:
Ultimate Mutants
In Ultimate OriginsUltimate Origins
Ultimate Origins is a comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics, released in June 2008. It falls under Marvel's Ultimate Marvel imprint. It was written by Brian Bendis and illustrated by Butch Guice...
#1 it is revealed that super-powered "mutants" in the Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
universe were artificially created via genetic modification by the Weapon X
Weapon X
Weapon X is a fictional clandestine government genetic research facility project in the Marvel Universe conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K, which turns willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. The project often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their...
program in a laboratory in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in October 1943. The project was an attempt to produce a supersoldier
Supersoldier
Supersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal human limits or abilities. Supersoldiers are common in science fiction literature, films, TV programs, computer, conspiracy theories, and video games, but have also made appearances in other related genres, such as...
, inspired by the existence of Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
. James Howlett was the first individual to be so modified. At some later point the mutant trigger was released into the environment worldwide, leading to the appearance of mutants in the general population (this may have occurred during Magneto's confrontation with his parents). Following the events of Ultimatum, information concerning the origins of mutancy was made public and steps were taken in the US to make being a mutant illegal. While the move apparently has majority support among the non-mutant population, a vocal minority has voiced concern that it will lead to witchhunts and genocide.