A mutant is a type of fictional character in a fictional universe created by Marvel Comics. In this world, mutants can be either heroes or villains. A mutant is someone who has different DNA than its parents. These mutations often lead to superpowers. They may also cause physical changes such as wings, blue skin, or a tail.
Mutants were created in the Marvel Universe in the 1960s with the comic book The X-Men. It was a way for them to tell stories that dealt with racism. Racism, hatred and fear of mutants are an important part of their history [1] Archived 2006-05-25 at the Wayback Machine. Two main teams of mutants have been around since the 1960s: The X-Men (heroes) and the Brotherhood of Mutants (villains).
Sometimes a human is born with a certain kind of DNA change. This X-GENE is passed to their children. This genetic change may not create any noticeable difference. It could pass for generations without anyone knowing about it.
Mutants may be born to human or mutant parents, though the odds of a mutant birth are much better for the latter. Likewise, it is rare but possible for mutant parents to have human children, termed "baseline" by characters within the Marvel Universe. Some baseline humans are genetically predisposed towards having mutant descendants such as the Guthrie family (see Cannonball, Husk, and Icarus). Mutant children born to mutant parent(s) will not necessarily have the same power(s) as their parent(s), nor will they necessarily have the same power(s) as any mutant siblings they may have; however, examples of children with the same power(s) as their parents and/or siblings are not uncommon.
There is, however, a chance that mutants may not even be able to reproduce a child at all. The Hayes (Runaways), telepathic mutant doctors, were unsure their mutant heritage could even produce a child; it did, however, take them several years to finally have a child: Molly Hayes.
Marvel's mutants are classified by their level of power.
Note: Only Alpha and Omega have actually been used as classification within comics. The other ranks were created by fans. [source?]
The X-Men were created in the 1960s during a time of civil unrest in the United States. The characters allowed the writer to write stories that showed racism and bigotry without singling out a specific minority.
By classifying Mutants as they did, they also created different aspects of racism. Some mutants are easily recognized by how they look (similar to African-Americans). Some have a few physical characteristics that can make them get noticed (Similar to Jews). Other mutants blend in so well that it nearly impossible to tell they are a mutant unless they use their powers (similar to how people in the LGBT community were thought of in society).
In the Marvel universe normal people often hate and fear mutants. This is because they think mutants may make normal humans extinct. They fear what they do not understand. They are jealous of them having superpowers. Bigotry and xenophobia are also reasons for hatred of mutants. In the Marvel universe, anti-mutant feeling has led to the separation of mutants from society. It has led to mob violence and government sponsored attempts to fight mutants.
The X-Men books have been written as typical superhero comic books. They have epic adventures and battles with super villains. Yet, the idea of mutants as a metaphor for real world minorities who face oppression is shown throughout the series. Some examples: