American comic books An American comic book is a thin periodical literature originating in the United States, commonly between 24 and 64 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publ ...

published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

, a mutant is a human being that possesses a genetic trait called the X-gene. It causes the mutant to develop superhuman powers that manifest at

puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a female, the testicles i ...

. Human mutants are sometimes referred to as a human subspecies ''Homo sapiens superior'' or simply ''Homo superior''. Mutants are the

evolution Evolution is the change in the heritable Phenotypic trait, characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, re ...

ary progeny of ''

Homo sapiens Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

'', and are actually revealed to be the next stage in

human evolution ''Homo sapiens'' is a distinct species of the hominid family of primates, which also includes all the great apes. Over their evolutionary history, humans gradually developed traits such as Human skeletal changes due to bipedalism, bipedalism, de ...

. The accuracy of this is the subject of much debate in the

Marvel Universe The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Superhero teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardia ...

. Unlike Marvel's mutates, which are characters who develop their powers only after exposure to outside stimuli or energies (such as

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appearance, first appeared in the anthology comic book ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in ...

Captain America Captain America is a superhero created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1, published on December 20, 1940, by Timely C ...

Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...

Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...

), mutants have innate

genetic mutations In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mitosi ...

from birth.

Publication history

Early antecedents

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'' #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'' is the name of an American comic book anthology series, and two one-shot comics, all published by Marvel Comics. The first, which ran from 1959 to 1968, began as a science-fiction anthology that served as a showcase for s ...

'' #6 (November 1959) titled "The Mutants and Me!" was one of the first Marvel (then known as

Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...

) stories to feature a named "mutant". Tad Carter, a mutant with telekinetic powers, is shown in Amazing Adult Fantasy #14, dated July 1962. 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 ''Fantastic Four Annual'' #1, decades after his first appearance. The same is true of

Toro Toro may refer to: Places *Toro, Molise, a ''comune'' in the Province of Campobasso, Italy *Toro, Nigeria, a Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Nigeria *Toro, Shizuoka, an archaeological site in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan *Toro, Zamora, a ''m ...

, partner of the android Human Torch introduced in 1940.

Modern concept and development

The modern concept of mutants as a distinct

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

independent of

homo sapiens Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

began development under Marvel writer and editor-in-chief

Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...

in the early 1960s, as a means to create a large number of

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...

es and

supervillain A supervillain, supervillainess or supercriminal is a major antagonist and variant of the villainous stock character who possesses Superpower (ability), superpowers. The character type is sometimes found in comic books and is often the primary ...

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. Following the 1963 debut of this conception of mutants in the superhero series ''

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...

'', Marvel later introduced several additional mutant superhero teams, including the

New Mutants The New Mutants are a group of fictional mutant superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, generally in association with the X-Men. Originally depicted as the teenaged junior class at the Xavier Institute, sub ...

X-Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...

Excalibur Excalibur is the mythical sword of King Arthur that may possess magical powers or be associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Its first reliably datable appearance is found in Geoffrey of Monmouth's ''Historia Regum Britanniae''. E ...

X-Force X-Force is a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #100 (April 1991 ...

, and

Generation X Generation X (often shortened to Gen X) is the Demography, demographic Cohort (statistics), cohort following the Baby Boomers and preceding Millennials. Researchers and popular media often use the mid-1960s as its starting birth years and the ...

. In early X-Men stories, Xavier and others suggest that mutation is related to nuclear radiation, as his parents worked on the development of the atomic bomb, though later descriptions of mutation would describe it deriving from genetics. The first in-story mention of mutants in this context is in '' The X-Men'' #1, in which Xavier explains his school to the newly admitted Jean Grey: "You, Miss Grey, like the other students at this most exclusive school, are a ''mutant''! You possess an extra power...one which ordinary humans do not!! That is why I call my students...''X-Men'', for ''Ex''-tra power!"''The X-Men'' #1 (1963). Marvel Comics. This issue also features the first reference to mutants as the species "Homo Superior" by

Magneto A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...

. Following the relaunch under writer

Chris Claremont Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is an English-born American comic book writer and novelist. Claremont is best known for his 16-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Clarem ...

, narration in stories taking place on Muir Island described

Moira MacTaggert Dr. Moira MacTaggert, more recently known as Moira X, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #96 (Dec. 1975) and was created by writer Chris Claremont and ...

as "second only to Charles Xavier as an authority on genetic mutation."''Uncanny X-Men'' #125 (1979). Marvel Comics. In the New Mutants graphic novel, after witnessing Wolfsbane demonstrate her mutant shapeshifting ability, MacTaggert refers to "an anomalous DNA matrix" in her blood signaling that Wolfsbane "could be a mutant."''Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants'' (1982). Marvel Comics. The cause of mutation was elaborated upon in the first issue of the spin-off series ''X-Factor,'' in which Cameron Hodge refers to "people who possess the X-Factor mutation in their genetic makeup."''X-Factor'' #1 (1986). Marvel Comics. This genetic mutation was later dubbed the X-Gene. At one point, Beast states that the X-Gene is located on the 23rd

chromosome A chromosome is a package of DNA containing part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes, the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with nucleosome-forming packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells, the most import ...

;''Astonishing X-Men'' (Vol. 3) #25 (2008). Marvel Comics. the process described is that the gene activates mutation producing a protein stimulating chemical signals which induce mutations on other genes.''Astonishing X-Men'' (Vol. 3) #27 (2008). Marvel Comics. Mutations are depicted as generally manifesting during adolescence,''New X-Men'' #118 (2001). Marvel Comics. however this is not universal. Some mutants, such as Nightcrawler, are visibly mutated from birth,''Uncanny X-Men'' #177 (1984). Marvel Comics. while others like Magneto do not develop their abilities until adulthood.''Classic X-Men'' #12 (1987). Marvel Comics. Some mutants are not even aware of their latent mutations unless deliberately activated, such as

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...

, whose manifestation was triggered with technological aid.''X-Men'' #50 (1968). Marvel Comics.

Later developments

In the 2022 storyline, '' A.X.E.: Judgment Day'', mutants are discovered by Eternals to be an offshoot of the Deviant race, triggering efforts by the Eternals' leader Druig to wipe them out, giving the mutants an explicit link to the

Celestials The Celestials are fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Depicted as cosmic beings, they debuted in the Bronze Age of Comic Books and have reappeared on numerous occasions. They also appeared in the ...

and to the publisher's cosmic storylines. In the series' conclusion, new Prime Eternal Zuras confirms the end of hostilities with the mutants and proposed a formal treaty alliance, explaining to

Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstor ...

, "You mutants share some DNA with Deviants? It's of little matter. Until a mutant triggers our physiological 'excess deviation' response, you're not Deviants in the way that counts. You're just human."

Mutant Subtypes

Omega-level mutants

Changelings

Introduced in the second series of ''X-Factor'', a changeling is a mutant whose powers manifest at birth.

Jamie Madrox James Arthur Madrox, also called the Multiple Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Len Wein, he first appeared in '' Giant-Size Fantastic Four'' #4 (February 1975). ...

and Damian Tryp are examples of this sub-class.

Cheyarafim and Neyaphem

Cheyarafim and Neyaphem first appear in ''

Uncanny X-Men ''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the List of X-Men comics, X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of super ...

'' #429. According to the character

Azazel In the Hebrew Bible, the name Azazel (; ''ʿĂzāʾzēl'') represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the Jewish views on sin, sins of the Jews was sent during Yom Kippur. During the late Second Temple period (after the Development ...

, the Cheyarafim are a group of

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

-like mutants who were the traditional enemies of the Neyaphem, a demonic-looking group of mutants who lived in

Biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...

times. The Cheyarafim were fanatics 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.

Angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

and

Icarus In Greek mythology, Icarus (; , ) was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete. After Theseus, king of Athens and enemy of King Minos, escaped from the labyrinth, Minos suspected that Icarus and Daedalu ...

are said to be descended from Cheyarafim, while Nightcrawler is supposedly the son of a Neyaphem, Azazel.

Chimeras

In the pages of "

House of X and Powers of X ''House of X'' and ''Powers of X'' (abbreviated as ''HOX'' and ''POX'') are two 2019 comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics featuring the X-Men by writer Jonathan Hickman and artists Pepe Larraz, R. B. Silva, and Marte Gracia. Both bo ...

", the Chimeras are genetically altered humanoid mutants who are combined from the DNA of past mutants so that they would have combinations of their power set and also propagate the mutant population. Third generation Chimeras have a 10% failure rate making them unable to be warriors. Fourth generation Chimeras have a corrupted hive mind. They were more common in

's ninth life where they were created in Mister Sinister's Breeding Pits on Mars.''Powers of X'' #1. Marvel Comics. Sometime after the "

X of Swords "X of Swords" (pronounced "Ten of Swords") is a comic book crossover story arc set during the larger " Krakoan Age" storyline, which debuted in September 2020, published by Marvel Comics. It was part of Marvel's "Dawn of X" relaunch of its ''X-M ...

" storyline, Mister Sinister created his first Chimera by splicing his own DNA samples with the DNA samples of an Arraki named Tarn the Uncaring. When the experiment proved to be a failure and the Quiet Council of

Krakoa Krakoa is a fictional living island appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in '' Giant-Size X-Men'' #1 and was created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. While often depicted as an antagonist, Krakoa later fe ...

found out about it, Sinister is undeterred in his next plans to research the Chimeras. Later in the "

Sins of Sinister "Sins of Sinister" is a 2023 comic book crossover storyline during the Krakoan Age published in the X-Men franchise of books by Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Wal ...

" storyline, Sinister was in an alternate timeline where he created his Chimeras after taking over the world with his Sinister gene.''Sins of Sinister'' #1. Marvel Comics. The following are the known Chimeras: * Cardinal - Created from the genetic templates of

Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...

, Nightcrawler, and

Rachel Summers Rachel Anne Summers is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-plotter John Byrne (comics), John Byrne. In her first appearance, the cha ...

. * North - Created from the genetic templates of

Emma Frost Emma Grace Frost is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne (comics), John Byrne, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny ...

and

. * Rasputin IV - Created from the genetic templates of Colossus,

Kitty Pryde Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. The character First appearance, first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (January 1980) and was ...

Quentin Quire Quintavius Quirinius "Quentin" Quire, also known as Kid Omega, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in those featuring the X-Men. Quire first appeared in '' New X-Men'' #134 (January 2003). ...

, Unus the Untouchable, and X-23. An alternate version was created by Mister Sinister from the same genetic templates during the "

" storyline.''Immoral X-Men'' #2. Marvel Comics. * Legion of the Night - The Legion of the Night are Chimeras made from the genetic template of Nightcrawler and several other genetic templates. The other members consist of:''Nightcrawlers'' #1. Marvel Comics. ** Wagnerine - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and X-23. ** Auntie Fortune - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and

Domino Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also called '' pips'' or ''dots'' ...

. ** Wallcrawler - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and

. ** Lost-in-Shadow - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and Lost.''Nightcrawlers'' #2. Marvel Comics. ** Chamber Nocturne - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and Chamber. ** Summernight - Created from the genetic templates of Nightcrawler and Cyclops. He is the lover of Wagnerine. * High Summers - A group of Chimeras created from the genetic templates of Cyclops, Havok, and Vulcan.''Storm & the Brotherhood of Mutants'' #3. Marvel Comics. * Loud Hallers - A group of Chimeras created from the genetic templates of Siryn and Lodus Logos. * Hot Claws - A group of Chimeras created from the genetic templates of

Feral A feral (; ) animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in som ...

, Thornn, Mercury, and Pete Wisdom. * Sage Advisors - A group of Chimeras created from the genetic templates of Artie Maddicks,

Captain Britain Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in ''Captain Britain'' #1 by writer Chris Cl ...

, Multiple Man, and Sage.

Dominant Species/Lupine

Maximus Lobo claims to be a part of a mutant sub-species of feral wolf-like mutants, whom he calls the Dominant Species. He later tries to recruit Wolf Cub into his ranks to no avail. A few years later, another mutant named

Romulus Romulus (, ) was the legendary founder and first king of Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus and his contemporaries. Although many of th ...

claims that some human mutants evolved from canines instead of primates. Romulus' sister Remus would later consider his claim to be a hoax when she meets Wolverine. *

Daken Akihiro is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Akihiro was created by writer Daniel Way and artist Steve Dillon and first appeared in ''Wolverine: Origins'' #5 (August 2006). Akihiro is the Mutant ...

* Romulus * Sabretooth * Thornn * Wild Child * Wolf Cub * Wolfsbane *

Wolverine The wolverine ( , ; ''Gulo gulo''), also called the carcajou or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species, member of the family Mustelidae. It is a muscular carnivore and a solitary animal. The w ...

Externals

Created by

Rob Liefeld Robert Liefeld (; born October 3, 1967) is an American comic book creator. A prominent writer and artist in the 1990s, he is known for co-creating the character Cable (comics), Cable with writer Louise Simonson and the character Deadpool with wri ...

Externals The Externals are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Considered a rare subspecies of mutants, most of them were X-Men antagonists. The original, unused name for the group was to be Th ...

are immortal mutants whose powers have allowed them to exist for centuries. Eventually, most of the Externals are killed by

Selene In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Selene (; , meaning "Moon")''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη is the goddess and personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene (), she is traditionally the daughter ...

, and later by

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre originating in Judaism in the centuries following the Babylonian exile (597–587 BCE) but persisting in Christianity and Islam. In apocalypse, a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a ...

. *

Absalom Absalom ( , ), according to the Hebrew Bible, was an Israelite prince. Born to David and Maacah, who was from Geshur, he was the only full sibling of Tamar. He is described in the Hebrew Bible as being exceptionally beautiful, as is his siste ...

* Burke * Candra * Crule * Gideon * Nicodemus *

Saul Saul (; , ; , ; ) was a monarch of ancient Israel and Judah and, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament, the first king of the United Monarchy, a polity of uncertain historicity. His reign, traditionally placed in the late eleventh c ...

''"Homo superior superior"''

Introduced in

's ''X-Treme X-Men'', a character known as Vargas claims 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 seems to be immune to various mutant abilities (such as Rogue's absorption and

Psylocke Psylocke is the name of two connected characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the X-Men. Both characters are portrayed as Mutant (Marvel Comics), mutants, a subspecies of humans born w ...

's telekinetic blast).

Hybrids

Mutants have been shown to successfully crossbreed or a result of crossbreed with Humans (Homo sapiens), Atlanteans (Homo mermanus), fairies, and other humanoid aliens like

Shi'ar The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium) is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Em ...

, etc. * Abigail Brand * Kamala Khan *

Lifeguard A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, beach, spa, river and lake. Lifeguards are trained in swimming and Cardiopulmonary ...

* Meggan *

Namor Namor McKenzie (), also known as the Sub-Mariner, is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Bill Everett for comic book packager Funnies Inc., the character first appeared in '' Moti ...

Namora Namora () (Aquaria Nautica Neptunia) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artists Ken Bald and Syd Shores, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Marvel Mystery Comics'' #82 (May 194 ...

Namorita Namorita Prentiss is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer and artist Bill Everett, the character first appeared in ''Sub-Mariner'' #50 (June 1972). Namorita belongs to the subspecies of humans ...

Pixie A pixie (also called pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, piskie, or pigsie in parts of Cornwall and Devon) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are speculated to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas around Devon and Cor ...

Slipstream A slipstream is a region behind a moving object in which a wake of fluid (typically air or water) is moving at velocities comparable to that of the moving object, relative to the ambient fluid through which the object is moving. The term slips ...

* Xandra Neramani

Non-human mutants

Humans are not the only species to have mutant subspecies.

Extraterrestrial mutants

* Ariel * Broo * Cerise *

Deathbird Deathbird (Cal'syee Neramani) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Keith Pollard, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Ms. Marvel'' #9 (September 1977). Cal'sye ...

* Longshot *

Thanos Thanos () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-artist Jim Starlin, the character first appeared in '' The Invincible Iron Man'' #55 (cover date February 1973). An Eternal– Devia ...

* Ultra Girl *

Warlock A warlock is a male practitioner of witchcraft. Etymology and terminology The most commonly accepted etymology derives '' warlock'' from the Old English '' wǣrloga'', which meant "breaker of oaths" or "deceiver". The term came to apply special ...

Non-human Earth mutants

* Crosta * Devil Dinosaur * Don the Lobster * Moon-Boy * Val-Or Mutant animals have been shown, including cats, primates, bees, as well as alternate universes with humans descended from other species such as dinosaurs and insects. Robots such as Wild Sentinels and Sentinel 2 have been stated to have mutations.

Mutants as metaphor

As a fictional oppressed minority, mutants are often used as extended

metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...

s for real-world people and situations. In 1982, ''X-Men'' writer

said, " utantsare 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: 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:

Other versions

Earth X

Within the ''

Earth X ''Earth X'' is a 1999 comic book Limited series (comics), limited series published by American company Marvel Comics. ''Earth X'' was written by Jim Krueger with art by John Paul Leon. Based on Alex Ross' notes, the series features a dystopian v ...

'' universe, the powers of the vast majority of Marvel's human superheroes were revealed to have been the result of genetic manipulation by the

millions of years in the past.

Ultimate Marvel

In the

Ultimate Marvel Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe, later known as the ...

universe within the pages of the '' Ultimate Origins'' #1, it is revealed that super-powered "mutants" were artificially created via

genetic modification Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including th ...

by the

Weapon X Weapon X is a fictional government genetic research facility project appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They were conducted by Department K, which turned willing and unwilling beings into living weapons to carry out c ...

program in a laboratory in

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

in October 1943. The project was an attempt to produce a

supersoldier A super soldier (or supersoldier) is a concept soldier capable of operating beyond normal human abilities through technological augmentation or (in fictional depictions) genetic modification or cybernetic augmentation. Soldiers that obtain greate ...

, inspired by the existence of

. James Howlett was the first individual to be so modified. At some later point, possibly during a confrontation between Magneto and his parents, the mutant trigger was released into the environment worldwide, leading to the appearance of mutants in the general population. Following the events of the ''

Ultimatum An ; ; : ultimata or ultimatums) is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a coercion, threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance (open loop). An ultimatum is generally the ...

'' storyline, 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 witch-hunts and genocide.

In other media

''X-Men'' film series

Mutants appear throughout the

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

'' film series and animated media and games based on ''X-Men'', most of which closely adhere to the comic book explanations of mutant origins as humans born with a genetic difference that gives them special powers, the fact of which engenders discrimination from other humans due to the pitfalls of

human nature Human nature comprises the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of Thought, thinking, feeling, and agency (philosophy), acting—that humans are said to have nature (philosophy), naturally. The term is often used to denote ...

. One liberty the films often take with ''X-Men'' characters is to simplify non-mutant characters in the X-Men franchise into mutants for simplicity's sake, as was the case with Deadpool and

Juggernaut A juggernaut (), in current English usage, is a literal or metaphorical force regarded as merciless, destructive, and unstoppable. This English usage originates in the mid-nineteenth century. ''Juggernaut'' is the early rendering in English ...

in the film series.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Following

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

's acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019, the film rights to the X-Men and other mutant characters reverted to

Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television ser ...

. When asked if his use of the term "mutants" meant the film would be avoiding the term "X-Men", Marvel Studios president

Kevin Feige Kevin Feige ( ; born June 2, 1973) is an American film and television producer. He has been the president of Marvel Studios and the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise since 2007. The films he has produced have a co ...

clarified that he was using the two terms interchangeably. He added that Marvel Studios' approach to the characters would be different to Fox's franchise. Since 2022, members of the mutant race have appeared in various media set within the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...

(MCU) media franchise: * Mutants are first implicitly introduced through a variant of

Charles Xavier Professor X (Prof. Charles Francis Xavier) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 ( ...

from the alternate universe Earth-838 in the film ''

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ''Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'' is a 2022 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Doctor Strange. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel ...

'' (2022).

Patrick Stewart Sir Patrick Stewart (born 13 July 1940) is an English actor. With a career spanning over seven decades of Patrick Stewart on stage and screen, stage and screen, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Patrick Stewart, variou ...

reprises the role from Fox's ''X-Men'' film series. * The first mutant belonging to the main reality of the MCU is Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel (portrayed by Iman Vellani), which is stated in the final episode of the television series '' Ms. Marvel'' (2022). This differs from the comics where she is originally an Inhuman. A musical excerpt of the '' X-Men: The Animated Series'' (1992–1997) theme is featured in both ''Ms. Marvel'' and ''Multiverse of Madness''. * The television series '' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'' (2022) features numerous implicit references and allusions to mutants from throughout Marvel Comics. A website article insinuating James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine being active in the MCU is an

easter egg Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are commonly used during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The ...

in the episode " Superhuman Law", where he is indirectly described in an online news article regarding a man who "fights with metal claws" during a bar brawl. Additionally the series features supporting appearances from David Hollis / Mr. Immortal ( David Pasquesi) and Alejandro Montoya / El Águila (Joseph Castillo-Midyett), both of whom identify as mutants in the comics. The main-on-end credits of the episode " Mean, Green, and Straight Poured into These Jeans" depicts a visual of Augustus Pugliese displaying his sneaker collection to his colleague Nikki Ramos, with some designs derived from the appearances of Wolverine,

Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''Th ...

, Gambit and

Cable Cable may refer to: Mechanical * Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof * Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...

. The series' finale " Whose Show Is This?", which depicts protagonist Jennifer Walters

breaking the fourth wall The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th centu ...

by travelling to

to have the episode altered, features a conversation between herself and " K.E.V.I.N.", a fictionalized algorithm based on company president and producer

. Walters asks K.E.V.I.N. when the

themselves would debut in the MCU, to which it declines to answer. * In '' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' (2022),

(portrayed by

Tenoch Huerta Mejía José Tenoch Huerta Mejía (; born January 29, 1981) is a Mexican actor. He has appeared in a number of movies in Latin America and Spain, starring in both feature films, short films, and '' Narcos: Mexico'', credited as Tenoch Huerta. He is f ...

) retains his comics background as a mutant. In the film, his mother ingested a vibranium laced plant while pregnant, giving him abilities that his people who consumed it did not due to his mutation, including pointed ears, winged ankles, the ability to breathe air and water, extended longevity, and his trademark ability to fly, which he calls ''sky-swimming''. For his abilities, his subjects, called ''Talokanil'', worship him as not merely a king, but rather an incarnation of a god. * Kamala Khan returns in '' The Marvels'' (2023). In the mid-credits scene, a version of Hank McCoy / Beast meets

Monica Rambeau Monica Rambeau is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' #16 (October 1982). Monica Ram ...

after she enters a portal into a parallel universe.

Kelsey Grammer Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained fame for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984–1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993–2004, and again F ...

reprises the role from Fox's ''X-Men'' films. * ''

Deadpool & Wolverine ''Deadpool & Wolverine'' is a 2024 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Deadpool and Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed ...

'' (2024) integrated Fox's ''X-Men'' film series' iterations of Wade Wilson / Deadpool and

into the continuity of the MCU, reprised by

Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian and American actor, producer and businessman. Known for starring in comedic and superhero films, he was the List of highest-paid film actors, world's second-highest-paid actor in 202 ...

and

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian and British actor, singer, and producer. Beginning in theatre and television, Jackman landed his breakthrough role as Wolverine in the ''X-Men'' film franchise and the Marvel Cinem ...

respectively. Other mutants featured in the film include Cassandra Nova ( Emma Corrin), Pyro ( Aaron Stanford), X-23 ( Dafne Keen), Gambit (

Channing Tatum Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his Breakthrough role, breakthrough with the sports comedy film ''She's the Man'' (2006) and t ...

), Sabretooth (

Tyler Mane Daryl Karolat (born December 8, 1966) is a Canadian actor and retired professional wrestler, better known by the name Tyler Mane. He is known for playing supervillain Sabretooth in ''X-Men'' (2000), and '' X-Men: The Official Game'' (2006), Ajax ...

), as well as the characters

Lady Deathstrike Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama), occasionally spelled Deathstryke, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a foe of the X-Men, especially Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Her father Lord Dark Wind ...

Toad Toad (also known as a hoptoad) is a common name for certain frogs, especially of the family Bufonidae, that are characterized by dry, leathery skin, short legs, and large bumps covering the parotoid glands. In popular culture (folk taxonomy ...

and Blob. *'' Avengers: Doomsday'' (2026) will feature mutants that have appeared in both the MCU and the Fox ''X-Men'' film series. * A new ''X-Men'' film produced by Marvel Studios was reported by ''

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. It is updated several times a day, with en ...

'' to be in development in September 2023 following the conclusion of the

2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on Strike action, strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, ...

, with executive meetings being internally held at the studio to take pitches from various writers before a selection is made sometime in early 2024.

References

{{Stan Lee Fictional species and races Superhero fiction themes X-Men