Mutants in fiction

Mutants appearing in fictional stories The concept of a mutant is a common trope in fiction. The new phenotypes that appear in fictional mutations generally go far beyond what is typically seen in mutants in reality, and often result in the mutated life form exhibiting superhuman abilities or qualities. Role in Cultural Perceptions Scholars have argued that mutants in fiction have been used as a device that reflect broader cultural perceptions surrounding technoscience topics. Mutants' depiction in fictional media has often followed global events that have sparked mass public concern, such as events spreading radioactive material and developments in genetic engineering. Furthermore, it is argued that fictional mutants stemming from these events symbolize public perceptions associated with scientific advancement. For example, in the 1954 film Them! ants mutate into civilization threatening monsters as a result of atomic bomb testing in New Mexico. The film's release follows real world atomic bomb testing that took place at the Trinity Site in New Mexico. DC Comics In DC Comics, the term was first used in the 1980s by a fictitious race of extraterrestrials known as the Dominators whe