The Mutants is a fictional street gang appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The group first appeared in the series The Dark Knight Returns, which took place in an alternate future. A version of the Mutants later appeared in the main DC continuity.
In The Dark Knight Returns, set in a potential future, the Mutants are a youth gang that formed sometime after Bruce Wayne retired as Batman. A decade later, Wayne becomes Batman again after crime rates spike. Although Batman defeats the Mutants, the Mutant Leader ends up goading him into a fight. Batman is able to match the Leader in strength, but is severely injured due to being out of practice. Carrie Kelley creates a diversion, allowing Batman to immobilize the Mutant Leader, and the two of them escape. The Gotham City Police Department arrive and arrest the Mutant Leader and his associates. While in police custody, the Mutant Leader is visited by the unnamed mayor of Gotham City, who wants to negotiate with him. The Mutant Leader kills the mayor by tearing out his throat, causing deputy mayor Stevenson to be sworn in as the new mayor of Gotham City. Batman manages to defeat the Mutant Leader in a rematch, causing the Mutants to disband. Some of the Mutants members form a new group called the "Sons of Batman", using excessive violence against criminals, while others splinter off into separate gangs.
In The New 52 continuity reboot, the Mutants appear as allies of Leviathan. Later on, when Booster Gold accidentally brings Jonah Hex to the present, he finds a family being endangered by the Mutants, who Hex confronts.