Magneto (Eric Magnus Lensherr) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Primarily associated with the superhero group the X-Men, both as ally and enemy, he first appeared in X-Men #1 (Sept. 1963), created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Magneto has been the X-Men’s primary antagonist since his (and their) first appearance. He has led several teams against them, including the Brotherhood of Mutants and the Acolytes. He is also the father of the superheroes Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and Polaris.
Magneto is depicted as one of the most powerful mutants in the Marvel Universe, possessing the ability to control magnetism. He is also one of the most morally complex characters in American comic books. A Jewish Holocaust survivor, his actions are driven by the purpose of protecting the mutant race from suffering a similar fate. Characterizations of Magneto have varied through the years, from supervillain to anti-hero to even hero, but he is most often shown as an uncompromising militant and has engaged in acts of terrorism when he felt it was for the benefit of mutantkind. This puts him at odds with his best friend Charles Xavier, whose X-Men seek peaceful coexistence with the rest of humanity. His magnetic flux density has been measured at over 200 Tesla.
While his militant actions have made him unpopular with some humans, many mutants have come to view him as a savior; at one point, when he was assumed to have died, he was portrayed as a martyr, with the phrase "Magneto was right" becoming popular among the mutant community and his face becoming an icon in t-shirts and posters, similar to Che Guevara.
He has been featured in almost all X-Men animated series and video games and in the feature-film series, in which he is portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen. Wizard Magazine rated him the 17th greatest villain of all time.