richard63 wrote:
One of my least favorite issues of the X-Men is #150, where Claremont started the reformation/watering down process for the character. In his previous appearance in #111-113, he was a total rat bastard, evil personified (this being after that Defenders issue). Then comes #150, and it's "oh my god, I hurt a little girl!". Completely inconsistent with how Magneto had been portrayed the previous 18 years of his comic book existence.
If I remember correctly, UXM #150 is where Magneto commits his worst crimes -- the sinking of a Russian submarine that kills all aboard, and destroying a Russian town with a volcano.  The bit with Kitty Pryde had more to do with her reminding him of his own daughter who had died, which I thought made for a good "come to jesus" moment for the character.  To me, Magneto has always been far more interesting as a "Malcolm X" counterpoint to Xavier's "MLK" then just another stock super-villain bent on world domination.