Mutate (comics)
Encyclopedia
The term Mutate refers to most non-mutant
superbeings in the Marvel Comics
universe
. See below for other uses.
and Eternal
genes in other cross-sections.
In Disney's Gargoyles
Within the story of Disney's Gargoyles melodramatic TV series, the primary series antagonist David Xanatos
, observing the gargoyle Wyvern Clan's unwillingness to be a pawn in his own nefarious business dealings, hires master geneticist Dr. Anton Sevarius to create a team of "mutates." Using genetic manipulation, Sevarius creates such a force for Xanatos' needs, beginning with NYPD detective Elisa Maza
's brother Derek, Maggie Reed from Ohio, and two other unnamed males, using genetic materials from electric eel
s, bat
s, and various big cat
species for electromagnetic, flight and strength powers respectively, to create a team of "mutates", which initially occurs during the second season episode "Metamorphosis".
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
superbeings in the Marvel Comics
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...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. 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 (either accidentally or deliberately). Unlike Marvel's Mutants, Marvel's Mutates require external stimuli to acquire their powers (e.g. they weren't born with the potential to manifest powers). Unknown to nearly the entire population of the Marvel Universe, the powers and abilities of Earth's Mutates and Mutants alike are the direct result of the genetic manipulations of the Celestials in humanity's distant past, who placed dormant genes within one cross-section of humanity, and the active DeviantDeviant (comics)
The Deviants are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics' universe. They are an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth instigated by the alien Celestials, and wage war against their counterparts, the Eternals...
and Eternal
Eternals (comics)
The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
genes in other cross-sections.
- The majority of Marvel's most popular and well-known characters such as the HulkHulk (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-ManSpider-ManSpider-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...
, DaredevilDaredevil (Marvel Comics)Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
, and the Fantastic FourFantastic FourThe Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
gained their powers after exposure to radiationRadiationIn physics, radiation is a process in which energetic particles or energetic waves travel through a medium or space. There are two distinct types of radiation; ionizing and non-ionizing...
. - The first group explicitly called Mutates were the Savage Land MutatesSavage Land MutatesThe Savage Land Mutates are a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain group based in the Savage Land, a hidden Antarctic environment of dinosaurs and primitive people in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional team biography:...
; a group of humans native to the Savage LandSavage LandThe Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
that were genetically altered using technology created by MagnetoMagneto (comics)Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
. - WakandanWakanda (comics)Wakanda is a fictional nation in the Marvel Universe. It is the most prominent of several fictional African nations in the Marvel Universe. Wakanda is located in Northeastern Africa, although its exact location has varied throughout the nation's publication history: some sources place Wakanda in...
Mutates were created by prolonged exposure to the Great Vibranium MoundVibraniumVibranium is a fictional metal that appears in the Marvel Universe. It is most commonly known as one of the materials used to construct Captain America's shield, but it is also noted for its connection to the Black Panther and his native homeland of Wakanda .-Publication history:Vibranium first...
. - Some Mutates were altered by exposure to the Universal Wellspring, such as Midnight's FireMidnight's FireMidnight's Fire is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in New Warriors #2, , and was created by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley...
, Speed DemonSpeed DemonSpeed Demon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears as the Whizzer - a member of the team the Squadron Sinister - in the final panel of Avengers #69 Speed Demon (James Sanders) is a fictional character that appears in comic books...
, JoystickJoystick (comics)Joystick is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Virtually nothing is known of the past of Janice before she first appeared as Joystick, including the origin and nature of her apparent superhuman powers...
, and members of the Folding CircleFolding CircleThe Folding Circle is a team of comic book supervillains in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe. They were created by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley in New Warriors Volume 1 #21...
. - Some, like the GrapplersGrapplers (comics)The Grapplers are a fictional organization in the Marvel Comics universe. It was a loosely-organized band of female wrestlers, most of whom gained superhuman strength after their first published appearances, through the group known as Power Broker, Inc....
, were mutated by Power BrokerPower BrokerPower Broker is the name of two characters in Marvel Comics.Power Broker, Inc. is a fictional criminal corporation in the Marvel Universe which provides individuals with superhuman physical abilities for a price...
, Inc. - Some humans have been altered by exposure to Terrigen Mists. Terrigenesis was previously used by the InhumanInhumanInhuman may refer to:*Inhuman, a member of the fictional Marvel Comics race, the Inhumans*Inhuman , an album by Desecration*Inhuman Games, a game companyIt may also refer to:*Inhuman Condition, an EP from the band Massacre...
race. - Deadpool fits into this category as he gained his healing factor from genetic alteration from the Weapon-X program (derived from Wolverine's).
- On the island nation of GenoshaGenoshaGenosha is a fictional country that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe. The fictional nation served as an allegory for slavery and later for South...
, mutantsMutant (Marvel Comics)In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
who were discovered by the government were often genetically altered by the Genegineer into nearly mindless slaves known as Mutates. These Genoshan mutates were permanently sealed into "skinsuits" which recycled bodily wastes into nutrition and prevented sexual contact, and when not working were kept in a concentration camp out of sight of the public. Though these "mutates" started as mutants, they are considered mutates due to the outside alteration of their abilities; for example, the mutate Jennifer Ransome's genetic potential was for healing, but the Genegineer altered her ability to shaping rock and metal rather than flesh, and granted her superhuman strength and durability in the process. - A few other famous Marvel superheroes are also sometimes controversially included in the "mutate" category, e.g. Ant-Man/Giant ManHenry PymDr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...
(permanently mutated by prolonged absorption of "Pym particles") and Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain 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...
(altered by the super-soldier serum, the results of which have sometimes been attributed to genetic alteration, and in other storylines have been described as a symbiotic prionPrionA prion is an infectious agent composed of protein in a misfolded form. This is in contrast to all other known infectious agents which must contain nucleic acids . The word prion, coined in 1982 by Stanley B. Prusiner, is a portmanteau derived from the words protein and infection...
-like substance or organism replicating in each cell in his body.) - In the post M-day, Forge created a team of “New Mutants” by artificially bonding functioning X-genes to the chromosomes of test subjects. Side effects included noticeable decline of the cognitive abilities of the test subjects.
- Some mutants are mutates as well such as BeastBeast (comics)Beast , Dr. Henry Philip "Hank" McCoy, is a comic book character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the mutant team of superheroes known as the X-Men...
- Mutates differ from "normal" people in the way their bodies respond to the mutagenic influence. While most people would die from gamma radiation (The Incredible Hulk #296), people like Hulk and the AbominationAbomination (comics)The Abomination is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics...
become transformed instead. Exceptions occur in more controlled forms such as genetic engineering.
In Disney's GargoylesGargoyles (TV series)Gargoyles is an American animated series created by Greg Weisman. It was produced by Greg Weisman and Frank Paur and aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. Gargoyles is known for its dark tone, complex story arcs and melodrama...
Within the story of Disney's Gargoyles melodramatic TV series, the primary series antagonist David XanatosDavid Xanatos
David Xanatos is one of the primary characters of the animated series Gargoyles. In the series, he is the founder, owner and CEO of Xanatos Enterprises and a member of the Illuminati...
, observing the gargoyle Wyvern Clan's unwillingness to be a pawn in his own nefarious business dealings, hires master geneticist Dr. Anton Sevarius to create a team of "mutates." Using genetic manipulation, Sevarius creates such a force for Xanatos' needs, beginning with NYPD detective Elisa Maza
Elisa Maza
Elisa Maza is a fictional character from the Disney animated television series Gargoyles, voiced by Salli Richardson. She is the main human character of the series, the steadfast ally of the Manhattan Clan of gargoyles...
's brother Derek, Maggie Reed from Ohio, and two other unnamed males, using genetic materials from electric eel
Electric eel
The electric eel , is an electric fish, and the only species of the genus Electrophorus. It is capable of generating powerful electric shocks, of up to six hundred volts, which it uses for both hunting and self-defense. It is an apex predator in its South American range...
s, bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, and various big cat
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
species for electromagnetic, flight and strength powers respectively, to create a team of "mutates", which initially occurs during the second season episode "Metamorphosis".
Non-human mutates
- The term "Mutates" has also been used by the Deviants to refer to those of their race who are considered too severely deformed or otherwise not believed genetically suitable for reproduction. These Deviant Mutates are often sentenced to fight to the death in gladiatorGladiatorA gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
arenas for the amusement of the Deviant populace.