Comic Book Questions Answered – where I answer whatever questions you folks might have about comic books (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brianc@cbr.com).

Reader Dan Q. wrote in to ask, "So, are Cloak and Dagger mutants or mutates? Is there a difference?"

When Cloak and Dagger debuted in "Spectacular Spider-Man" #64 (by Bill Mantlo, Ed Hannigan and Jim Mooney), it wasn't made explicit what the deal was with their powers, besides experimental drugs kicked in something in them...

Later on, when they were part of "Strange Tales," it seemed as though they were mutants (like when Dagger went evil in "Strange Tales" #18)...

This led to a new series for "Cloak and Dagger" where they specifically called it a mutant book...

The book makes it clear that they were latent mutants when the drug kicked in...

But in 2010's "Cloak and Dagger" one-shot (by Stuart Moore, Mark Brooks and Walden Wong), there is a definitive answer finally...

So there ya go, Dan! They're not mutants!

Thanks for the question! If anyone else has a question, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!