Top 10 Greatest Mutant Superheroes in Marvel Comics

The word mutant is as synonymous with Marvel as the word Gotham is to DC. Marvel has built an entire world that revolves around them and has used them to tell some of the greatest stories in existence. God Loves, Man Kills, Dark Phoenix Saga, Days of Future Past, Age of Apocalypse, Gifted, E Is For Extinction. Mutants first appeared inside the pages of X-Men #1 back in 1963. Although they took a while to catch on with readers, once caught they exploded in popularity. The turning point of the race was Giant-Sized X-Men #1 when, after multiple failed attempts to popularize the group, Marvel Comics introduced mutants from all corners of the globe.

The main group of mutants (X-Men) grew from the original six (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Beast, Iceman, and Professor X) to thirteen. The species grew from a few dozen to millions…and that’s what sparked this list. With so many mutants under the Marvel brand, I thought it best to sit down and figure out who was the best of them. Although this list could’ve included hundreds, I pared it down to just ten. Now, let’s take a look at our list of the top 10 greatest mutants in Marvel comics.

10. Hope Summers

Hope Summers. Oh, how do I love you? Hope, you are the most powerful of the X-Men. You can mimic any power that you come into contact with. This means that you can do what Charles Xavier can do all the while becoming a perfect copy of Storm.

Hope, you are the reason that the X-Men went to war with the Avengers and are the reason that mutants all over the world regained, well, hope after House of M. Hope Summers, although not everyone would agree, you are the best thing to happen to the X-Men since Giant Sized X-Men. For all the reasons I’ve listed and more, your place on this list is extremely deserving. 

9. Cyclops 

Say what you want about Cyclops but his spot on this list of the greatest mutants is undeniable. Cyclops is the leader of the X-Men and has been so since practically day one. He has led them into some of the greatest battles and almost always leads them out of them.

His power allows him to open a portal to another dimension. Once open, he can channel the energy escaping that dimension and shoot a concussive blast through his eyes. Cyclops’s mutation is different from others in the sense that he cannot control it. This is so much that he must wear a special visor over his eyes.

8. Gambit

Gambit was the by-product of creating as many new characters as possible in as little time as possible…or as comic fans know it, the 1990s. Luckily for Gambit, he was one of the very few that actually became popular enough to stick around.

Gambit has the power to charge up objects thereby turning them into an explosive. He’s also a master thief, a charmer with women, one of the best fighters on the X-Men, and a role model for many of the new students at the Xavier  School for the Gifted. Although you may not agree with me, Gambit is one of the coolest characters to come from a time period known mostly for terrible characters. 

7. Wolverine

As one of, if not the most popular mutant ever created, it was easy to put Wolverine on this list of the greatest mutants in history. 

Wolverine is what happens when a creator blends a beer-drinking Canadian with a bad temper, an ability to heal from anything, and a body fused with Adamantium. Aside from perhaps Spider-Man, Wolverine is the most recognizable superhero that lives under the Marvel brand. In fact, very few characters have appeared in more forms of media, merchandise, and memorabilia than Wolverine.

Further to the above, Wolverine was the focal point of Fox’s X-Men franchise, the reason that Fox made money on their movies, and the most anticipated mutant to make their debut in the MCU since Disney bought Fox. 

6. Cable

Cable is arguably one of the most powerful mutants who hail from the future.  Not only is he an incredible telepath but as a result of him carrying the techno-organic virus, his full power is never used. And why? Cable has to use a portion of his power to keep the virus from spreading.

Cable is the offspring of Scott Summers and Madelyne Prior. As their son, it was foretold that he would be the one to bring down Apocalypse. To prevent Apocalypse from finding and killing their son, the two sent him to the future. Although they didn’t know it, the future was a grim dystopia where mutants were hunted and killed. This environment caused Cable to become one of the most powerful and greatest mutants in history.

5. Magik

As far as X-Men go, Magik has one of the most bizarre stories in history. She’s the younger sister of Colossus and remained that way for most of her life. Eventually, she wound up trapped in the Limbo Dimension. While there Magik became immensely powerful and created what’s known as the Soulsword.

The Soulsword is the by-product of Magik causing her own energy to physically form in front of her. When this happens, she draws the Soulsword from it. On its own, the sword is a formidable weapon. However, if used as a weapon, it’s only doing half of what it can do. The Soulsword is able to disrupt magical spells and beings, usually causing both to disappear. Better yet, the more the sword is used, the more powerful it becomes.

4. Storm

Storm is everything that good mutants should aspire to be. She believes in peace before war, love over hate, and harmony rather than resistance. As her name implies, Storm can control the weather. This, however, isn’t limited to blizzards and rainfalls. Storm is able to control the weather on an atmospheric level. As a result of her power, Storm is classified as an Omega Level Mutant.

An Omega Level Mutant for reference means that her power is undefinable. Storm first appeared back in 1975 and has been one of the greatest mutants in existence ever since.

3. Iceman

My love for Iceman has only grown over the years. When he was first introduced, he was nothing more than a glorified snowman. Over the years and through a ton of hard work, Iceman managed to transform himself into something more…one of the greatest mutants in existence.

Iceman is an Omega Level Mutant who can control water and the molecular level. If that doesn’t make sense to you, understand that he can cause cells to freeze from the inside out. This means that he can literally kill a person from within. Iceman is also one of the first mainstream superheroes to come out as gay. As such, he has become a figurehead and a voice for a traditionally ignored segment of the market.

2. Emma Frost

Emma Frost is, without a doubt, one of the most influential X-Men of the last 30 years. She first appeared as a founding member of the Hellfire Club and a sworn enemy of the X-Men. Over the next many years, however, Emma began to reform and change her ways. She realized that even though her methods didn’t align with those of Charles Xavier, what the two wanted was the same. As a consequence, Emma joined the X-Men and became the voice that they desperately needed.

Emma Frost is one of the top 10 telepaths in Marvel Comics. Because of this, she’s able to see into the minds of everybody around her thereby making free thought unsafe. In addition to her incredible telepathy, Emma possesses a second mutation that allows her to transform herself into a diamond-like substance. When in this form, she’s practically invulnerable to any attack.

1. Kitty Pryde

If you find it surprising that Kitty Pryde is number one on this list of the top 10 greatest mutants, give me a chance to explain. Kitty, unlike most other mutants, possesses powers that are defensively based and not offensively based. With them, she can infiltrate basis, take others out of harm’s way, and disrupt electrical equipment. Kitty is one of the only Jewish characters in comics. Because of this, she has become Marvel’s outlet for talking about extremely important matters.

Just think about her interaction with Magneto at the Washington National Holocaust Memorial. Together, the two, Magneto as a survivor of the Holocaust and Kitty as a descendant of survivors, reflected on the destructive force of hatred. In their own beautiful way, the two come to a similar conclusion…that the world needs heroes and heroes who are not inherently gifted or special. Kitty as a voice for a greater cause is why she’s number one on this list of the greatest mutant superheroes in history. 

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