Magneto (
Max Eisenhardt/Eric Magnus Lensherr) is a
fictional character that appears in
comic books published by
Marvel Comics. The character first appears in
X-Men #1 (
Sept. 1963), and was created by
writer Stan Lee and
artist Jack Kirby. A powerful
mutant with the ability to generate and control electromagnetic forces, Magneto has been the X-Men's most prominent enemy ever since his first appearance. In his early appearances, his motives were bent on
megalomania, but writers have since fleshed out his character and origin, revealing him to be a
Jewish Holocaust survivor whose actions are driven by the purpose of protecting the mutant race from suffering a similar fate. His role in comics have varied from
supervillain to
anti-hero to even
hero.
Sir
Ian McKellen portrayed Magneto throughout the entire
X-Men film series. Magneto was ranked number 17 on Wizard Magazine's Top 100 Greatest Villains Ever list
[8] and was ranked as the 9th Greatest Comic Book Character Ever in Wizard Magazine's 200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of all Time list, the second highest villain on the list.
[9] In
IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Villians Of All Time List, he was ranked #1.
[10]
