MUTATES

Classification: Extratemporal human mutates

Location/Base of Operations: Earth-6943; temporarily transported to modern-day New York City of Earth-616

Known Members: Their leader and at least fifteen others (all unidentified)

Affiliations: Huntsman, Pluto

Enemies: Champions of Los Angeles (Angel, Black Widow (Romanova), Ghost Rider (Blaze), Hercules, Iceman), Sif, Thor, US military, Venus

First Appearance: (BTS) Thor I#162 (March, 1969); (seen) Thor I#163 (April, 1969)

Powers/Abilities: On an alternate future Earth (Earth-6943) devastated by several atomic wars, the Mutates were once normal humans whose genetic structure had been altered by radiation. A warrior race, the Mutates were savage, brutish creatures with large pointed ears, and three toes on each foot.

Along with metal clubs, the Mutates were armed with conventional futuristic weapons from the era from which they came, which they had scavenged from the wreckage. The weapons were capable of disintegrating military tanks and destroying buildings.

Traits: The Mutates despised humans, whom they considered to be weak because they would not fight.

History:
(Thor I#163 (fb) - BTS) - Following several nuclear wars on their world, some of mankind was mutated into a separate race -- the Mutates. The Mutates began to overpower the remnants of humanity on their world.

(Thor I#163 (fb)) - The Olympian god Pluto viewed across time and space with his "eterna-screen" and saw the Mutates subjugate the last of humanity on their world. He decided that the Mutates would make good allies for him in conquering Earth.

(Thor I#163 (fb)) - To rid himself of anything that might aid 21st century mankind in resisting him, Pluto stole a complex of buildings at the Advanced Science Research Center in New York City (where the greatest scientific secrets were kept) with a mystic "time funnel" and sent the buildings to the world of the Mutates.

(Thor I#162 (fb) - BTS) - In Asgard, Odin's cosmic counselor sensed a great danger on Earth. As Thor was occupied by other matters, Sif went to Earth in his place to investigate and was captured by the Mutates.

(Thor I#162 - BTS) - Thor later learned from the counselor that Sif had departed for Earth and went to find her.

(Thor I#163) - Seeing military forces gathered around the "time funnel" surrounding the research center, Thor went to investigate. After hearing from the soldiers that Sif had been captured, Thor himself was grabbed by a group of the Mutates inside the funnel and transported to their world. Thor engaged in a brief struggle and defeated them, but was next confronted by the Mutates' leader. Following that battle, Thor drove the leader off and freed the captive Sif.
  The two gods explored the wreckage of the barren landscape and found the remains of a museum, which had displays of futuristic weaponry and "nuclear soldiers" from Atomic War II, and saw a poster warning of mankind's transformation into Mutates -- it was then that Thor realized they were in the future.
  Walking further, Thor and Sif saw the research center that had vanished with a lone figure standing in front of it, and found that figure to be Pluto, lord of the netherworld.
  As Pluto told the two Asgardians how he was responsible for the disappearance of the buildings, Thor and Sif were ambushed from behind by the Mutates, who rendered the gods unconscious with a blast from their weapons.
  Craving more weak humans to attack, the leader of the Mutate horde asked Pluto when they could attack the 21st century, and Pluto promised him that it would be soon.

(Thor I#164) - After reviving, Thor and Sif once more clashed with Pluto and the Mutates. Thor used the power of his hammer to transport himself, Sif, and the research center back home to New York City in the 21st century, but Pluto and the Mutates were transported as well. Joined by Balder (whom Odin had sent moments earlier to delve into the disappearance of the two gods) and the forces of the U.S. Army, Thor and Sif renewed their battle with Pluto and the Mutate warriors.
  Meanwhile, on Mount Olympus, Zeus was alerted of the threat of Pluto menacing the human race. The power of Zeus caused the invaders to vanish in a sudden burst of light, sending Pluto back to his netherworld and (presumably) returning the Mutates to their world.

(Champions#1) - As Richard Fenster of UCLA spoke with Hercules giving a speech (Fenster deprecated Roy Thomas, whom he had engaged as a speaker before), the Mutates appeared and attacked Hercules. Ghost Rider escorted Hercules away, and Venus neutralized the Mutates.

(Champions#2 - BTS) - Pluto returned the Mutates to Olympus.

(Champions#3) - The Mutates taunted Hercules about his upcoming forced marriage to Hippolyta. Later, the Huntsman called upon the Mutates to face the Champions.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

It's hard to say what the extent of the Mutate population was because I only counted a total of sixteen in one panel. Also, all the Mutates shown appeared to be male -- maybe that radiation-induced transformation only affected those with XY chromosomes (i.e. males).

And the commander of the armed forces opposing the Mutates in New York looked a lot like General Thaddeus Ross, but more than likely he was probably Lt. General Fredricks making another appearance.

Thanks to Someone for pointing out the Mutates' appearances in Champions and to Per Degaton for the synopsis to those appearances.

Profile by John Kaminski

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Mutates have no known connections to

• Exiles of Central City, created by Harvey Jessup @ Fantastic Four I#293
• Magneto's mutates, fought Inhumans @ Amazing Adventures II#9
• mutates, created by Edward Lansing @ Champions#4
• mutates, mutated by Greedy Killerwatt @ Howard the Duck II#3
• Mutates, created by Doc @ Savage She-Hulk#24
• Savage Land Mutates, Swamp Men mutated by Magneto @ X-Men I#62
• or any other mutates

The Mutate leader has no know connection to:

• Leader, (Samuel Sterns) Hulk nemesis @ Tales to Astonish I#62

Mutate leader

The chief of the Mutates (because none could match his power), he was said to be the deadliest of all. He held Sif prisoner on "attracto-spheres" as he and Thor clashed. But even the leader's great strength was no match for the thunder god, who used his hammer to create a shock-wave that stunned the Mutate and freed Sif. Regrouping with his forces, the leader led his army at Pluto's command and attacked 21st century New York City.

He was armed with a battle-staff with a bludgeon at one end and a hook at the other.

--Thor I#163 (Thor I#163-164

images: (without ads)
Thor I#163, p20, pan (main image)