The Mutant Factor. Transformations and Mutations of the Monstrous in Contemporary Ibero-American Texts

This dissertation explores recent changes in the category of the monstrous by extrapolating the biological notion of mutation into the context of Ibero-American novels, comic books, and films. By analyzing late twentieth century and early twenty-first century textual and visual narratives from Spain and Latin America, this study proposes a reformulation of the monster paradigm and signals specific contemporary representations that move away from a monolithic and fixed category to a more relative one. Consequently, this dissertation suggests a new sensibility towards grand narratives in the figure of the mutant, a symptom of imminent change, heterogeneity, and variety. Conceived as a collection of different mutations, this transatlantic study focuses on the mutant figure not as a revolting organism but as a producer of new meanings, challenging cultural and aesthetic regimes of truth through its variation potential and molecular liquidity. The following theoretical model and interpretations can guide subsequent research in postmodern theory and cultural studies.