10 Unluckiest Comic Book Characters

Magneto (Max Eisenhardt) is a popular character with fans - however, in-world he is often the brunt of hatred from both sides of the human/mutant divide. Magneto deserves a spot on this list for his horrific childhood during the greatest real-world atrocity of our time, the Holocaust.

Even before his mutant powers were activated, Max was targeted as an outsider, being Jewish in pro-Nazi Germany. He was subjected to anti-Semitic abuse when he was victorious against a German boy in a javelin competition. He was accused of being a cheater, expelled from school, and savagely beaten by other pupils.

Despite the Eisenhardt’s best efforts to escape, the family were captured by Nazi soldiers. Max’s father Jakob saved him from the firing line by pushing him into a pile of corpses unseen.

However, Max was later captured and sent to Auschwitz. To survive he joined the Sonderkommando, assigned with the grim task of cleaning out the crematoria furnaces.

Max reconnected and saved his childhood love Magda. They both escaped Auschwitz and started a family together in Vinnitsa. However, after publicly displaying his mutant powers, the KGB burned down Max’s home with his daughter Anya still inside. His wife fled, leaving Max isolated and consumed with rage - explaining why he turned into the character we know today.