No Marvel character deserves their own animated series more than the Master of Magnetism, Magneto. Depending on the era in the comics, he was portrayed as a supervillain, anti-hero, and superhero. This alone makes him a unique and compelling character. Magneto’s first appearance in comics was just one year after the introduction of Spider-Man, who has had several of his own animated series. However, Magneto would frankly be a more complicated, darker, and unique character for audiences old and new.
Unlike most villains, Magneto comes across as a fairly sympathetic character. This is because he endured the Holocaust, losing his family and friends in the multi-year historic tragedy. The graphic novel Magneto: Testament demonstrated that Magneto’s mutant powers, though nascent, are present during his childhood in a concentration camp. Using elements of Magneto: Testament would make for powerful flashbacks in a possible Magneto animated series.
Though live-action X-Men films have briefly explored Magneto’s past as a Holocaust survivor, and powerfully so. However, an animated series could dedicate an entire episode or two to this endeavor, and demonstrate that he is the most sympathetic villain not only in Marvel’s arsenal, but in all of comic book lore. Because Magneto endured a childhood that no one deserves, his later evil actions are more easily explained. He is not an alien hellbent on intergalactic imperialism, nor a grinning anarchistic clown that finds delight in committing crimes. His actions make a sort of sense: he was once at the mercy of men barking orders, and has decided that he will not ever be at the mercy of men again. The cost be damned.
Due to Magneto’s power set (the ability to manipulate metal and magnetic fields), his tragic backstory, and his fluid status between villain and hero, he is the most compelling supervillain in comic book history. Though he has been featured in several films, there is still so much of his story to tell. A series that creates a dramatic arc between his status as childhood Holocaust victim to the greatest X-Men threat would be not only powerful, but potentially groundbreaking.
A Magneto series would reel in the rest of the X-Men universe, laying the groundwork for the X-Men’s debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). That means featuring Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and other heavy hitters that haven’t starred in an animated series together since the 1990s. The nostalgia factor here could be huge for older viewers and a compelling introduction for newer ones.
In Magneto’s quest to rid Mutants of all that threatens them (namely, humans) Marvel could bring in more than just the X-Men, but the Avengers and other super-teams as well. Magneto is simply that great of a threat. After all, the beating heart of this planet has metal at and near its core. Guns are made of metal. Cities are metal canyons for all intents and purposes. The whole world is at Magneto’s mercy, should he choose to flex his powers to their fullest potential.
These powers put to animation would make for the most striking visuals. In X-Men: First Class, a younger Magneto is able to reverse the flight patterns of hundreds of missiles. What would a matured, conflict-hardened Magneto be able to do, manipulate nuclear missile silos? Destroy or manipulate satellites in orbit? The possibilities are almost endless, and would make for compelling narratives and combat sequences. As a bonus for Marvel Studios, they would save money on making some of these epic sequences animated rather than live-action. Drawing is cheaper than live-action computer-generated imagery, after all.
It would be wise for the creative team at Marvel Studios to use a fairly recent Magneto comic book run to inspire this animated series. Cullen Bunn’s Magneto, which ran from 2014-2015, explores Magneto as a one-man wrecking ball against threats to Mutants. He is not at the height of his powers, which makes the combat more even-handed. Additionally, the story arcs are very compelling, and the audience is made to cheer on Magneto.
Even as he slaughters, Bunn artfully manipulates the readership to side with Magneto and his mantra that what he does is for the greater good of his people. There are also occasional flashback sequences to his childhood that explain why Magneto is such a ruthless foe in the present day. He has no time for victims who will not fight against their oppressor, and has no pity for the oppressors that he puts in the ground. It is a dark series, particularly for a Marvel series that does not feature The Punisher, but it is unique for the publisher and tells a worthwhile tale.
The X-Men in general are compelling figures in comics and film because they represent society’s marginalized communities. Perhaps no figure among Mutants encapsulates this aspect, as well as the saying, ‘Hurt people hurt people’ more than Magneto. He deserves his own animated series to complement what audiences have already seen of the man on the silver screen.