History
This is the first version - changes are possible, expansions are certain, suggestions are welcome.
The history of the world was largely the same through 1996. There were some individuals who could qualify as heroes in that time frame (mostly magical and enlightened characters), but they did most of their work behind the scenes and against similar forces. The net effect was to leave the world largely unchanged until 1996.
In 1996, the first mutants appeared. It is unclear what catalysed this event and there are many different theories on the subject, none of which has ever been conclusively proved. Interestingly, much of what is called Super-Science also developed in approximately the same time frame. It is unknown why no mutants existed before this time.
Most mutants manifest their powers at puberty, although some have been much older before their powers surfaced. Generally, a mutant's powers lie dormant unless the mutant is placed in a life-threatening situation. Although on the rise, mutants still account for less than 1 in 10,000 people in the US. Of those who register as mutants, less than 5% have mutant abilities which have an obvious effect. For every mutant who can throw fire or smash a bus, there are 20 who are mildly above average in some way.
The first recorded incident involving a mutant occured in mid-1996. A mutant, now believed to be The Spectre was able to penetrate high security areas regulated by the Department of Defense. His efforts became known when he began publishing (and selling) some of his stolen information through the Internet. To this day, he has never been captured and no one has been able to positively pin the theft or sale on him.
The United States rapidly began formulating plans to deal with the "mutant threat". In their preliminary investigation, they were concerned primarily with the ability to prevent mutants from accessing secure areas. They founded the Paranormal Research Institute(PRI) with the goal of creating new security systems capable of handling mutants. Almost from the beginning, PRI has been the object of a great deal of criticism from both the private and public sector.
In 1997, with the number of mutants steadily increasing, the United Nations, working with PRI, expanded the role of the United Nations Tribunal on International Law (UNTIL) to include the creation of Violent Mutant Response Teams (VMRTs). Initially, the VMRTs were soldiers equipped with state of the art weapons courtesy of PRI. As time progressed, it became clear that the VMRTs were sometimes overmatched. In response, UNTIL began accepting mutants as members of VMRTs beginning in early 1998.
The first recorded appearance of a super-hero came in late 1997, in New York City. Two mutants, calling themselves Hellspawn and Dark Angel, seize control of the CBS studios in New York. They plan to hold the building unless $10 million is deposited in a Swiss account. Efforts by the New York Police do not work and UNTIL is unable to send a VMRT in time. Another group of mutants, calling themselves The Righteous, arrives on scene and defeats the pair. The Righteous instantly become media darlings and are soon granted official status in the state of New York.
This spurs several events. First, the US becomes disillusioned with UNTIL and forms their own group, Primary Response and Interdiction Military Unified Service (PRIMUS). Members of PRIMUS are drawn from the most gung ho members of the US Military. While not officially opposed to UNTIL, the US rarely asks for VMRT assistance, instead relying on PRIMUS for most of its needs.
Second, other mutants, seeing the attention given to The Righteous, begin operating as heroes with varying efffects. Some are little more than vigilantes while others actively pursue, and are in some cases granted, official sanction. Today, most towns with populations of over 500,000 can boast of at least one world-class hero and several have more than one.
Public outcry against mutants begins in 1999, with some pointing to their coming as a sign of the apocalypse while others simply fear their enhanced capabilities. Many cities enact ordinances regulating the activities of mutants within their city limits, but few of them have proven to be legally enforceable. Some heroes and hero teams retire amidst the furor while others continue to work to help change the mindset of the average person. To date, being a mutant is generally the same as being a member of any minority group.