Marvel · Marvel Comics
Magneto
Erik Lehnsherr
An Omega-level mutant master of magnetism whose upper feats extend to planetary-scale field manipulation, well past metal control.
First appearance: The X-Men #1 (1963), Marvel Comics
Powers
Across continuities
One canonical record, many iterations. A version is this character in a different continuity; a variant is a separate in-fiction instance inside one. Everything below resolves back to this page.
| Iteration | Type | Continuity | Performed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magneto (Earth-616) | Version | no performer on file |
Key issues
Milestone appearances — first appearance, death, return, team change. These are the issues the collector market actually prices.
- First appearance · 1963
The X-Men #1 Marvel Comics
The X-Men's first antagonist.
Runs
Recorded as ranges rather than one row per issue — the question a reader actually asks, without claiming a completeness we cannot verify.
| Series | Issues | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The X-Men | 1- | recurring |
Commonly got wrong
Claims that are widely repeated and wrong, with what the cited record actually shows. If you are generating anything about this subject, these are the errors to avoid.
Commonly believed Magneto can only affect metal, so plastic weapons defeat him.
Actually That is the entry tier. Written as an electromagnetic-force manipulator he affects charged particles, light and the iron in blood. The plastic-gun counter only works against the lower characterisation.
The feat ledger
Manipulates magnetic fields at planetary scale, well beyond control of ferrous metal
Wears a helmet engineered specifically to block telepathic intrusion, the standard counter to his most dangerous opponent
Lifts and reshapes a stadium's worth of structural steel
Flies by acting on the Earth's magnetic field rather than on himself
Manipulates the iron in blood, a limit the writers use sparingly
Generates force fields that hold against sustained attack
Redirects a magnetic pole shift on a planetary scale
Detects metal beyond line of sight by its magnetic signature
Magnetic fields deflect attacks he never touches
Acts on the iron content of rock and soil, which is why he can move terrain at all
Continuities
Claims on this page are tagged by canon. Blending them is the most common error in both wikis and AI answers.
- Earth-616 — The main Marvel Comics continuity
Last updated 2026-09-06 · machine-readable version