Alpha the Ultimate Mutant

Alpha the Ultimate Mutant
Alpha the Ultimate Mutant Art by Sal Buscema
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Defenders #15 (1974)
Created by	Len Wein (writer) Sal Buscema (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Alpha
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
Abilities	Force field generation, Teleportation, Telekinesis, Telepathy, Continuously increasing intellect

Alpha the Ultimate Mutant is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Alpha the Ultimate Mutant first appeared in The Defenders #15–16 (September–October 1974), and was created by Len Wein and Sal Buscema.

The character subsequently appears in Quasar #14–15 (September–October 1990).

Alpha the Ultimate Mutant received an entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A–Z #1 (2006).

Alpha is a being artificially created by Magneto, a prominent mutant in the Marvel Universe.

Following an epic battle with the Avengers, Magneto is imprisoned in the center of Earth. Magneto manages to escape and propels himself towards the surface. On the way, he finds the underground ruins of a long-lost technologically advanced civilization in New Mexico. Using the machinery and books he finds among the ruins, he began bio-engineering "the ultimate mutant".

Professor X telepathically detects that Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are active in the area of the Carlsbad Caverns, and he summons the Defenders to launch an attack against them. Magneto and the Brotherhood manage to repel the Defenders for enough time to allow the engineering of Alpha to be completed.

Alpha emerges as an oversized humanoid of subhuman intelligence (he was characterized as "neolithic"). Initially he is only capable of creating force fields as a reflex, and of blindly following Magneto's orders. However, each time he uses his powers, Alpha's cranium widens, causing an increase to his intellect.