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Kurt Wagner
Kurt Wagner

Kurt Wagner

1,549 appearances · Bronze Age · 1972–2026 · 85 key issues
Who is Kurt Wagner?

Born with blue fur, yellow eyes, and a prehensile tail, Kurt Wagner was chased by a terrified mob in Bavaria before Charles Xavier recruited him as one of the "All-New, All-Different" X-Men. He uses his teleportation ability — announced by a thunderous BAMF — to fight for human-mutant coexistence.

Few Marvel characters have woven themselves as deeply into the fabric of the X-Men universe as Kurt Wagner, the acrobatic, blue-furred mutant who first leapt onto the Bronze Age scene in The Defenders #1 back in 1972, courtesy of Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema. Over more than five decades — stretching an astonishing 1,251 catalogued appearances across Uncanny X-Men, The X-Men, and beyond — he's proven himself one of Marvel's most enduring figures, sharing countless adventures alongside legends like Wolverine, Storm, and Colossus. A proud X-Men stalwart, Kurt brings a singular presence to every page he graces, and with 85 key-issue appearances to his name, serious collectors know his runs are essential reading. If you're building a definitive Marvel collection, this Bronze Age original is absolutely worth your attention.

Identity

Real name. Kurt Wagner

Powers. Teleportation (BAMF), wall-crawling/adhesion, prehensile tail, enhanced agility and reflexes, near-invisibility in shadow

Teams & affiliations
X-Men
★ First appearance
Giant-Size X-Men #1
May 1975

Trivia

  • Nightcrawler was originally conceived as a DC Comics villain before Marvel editor Roy Thomas stepped in and suggested recasting him as a mutant, ultimately folding him into the X-Men roster.marvel.com
  • His instantly recognizable silhouette was deliberately engineered around a demon aesthetic — pointed tail, fangs, and fur included — so he would read as a nightmare figure on the page even though the character himself was written as deeply sympathetic.marvel.com
  • Nightcrawler went on to become one of Marvel's best-known openly devout Catholics, a rare distinction in mainstream superhero comics and a cornerstone of his long-term identity that extends well beyond his powers.marvel.com
  • Chris Claremont has written more of Kurt Wagner's comics than any other writer in our catalog — 275 issues.

Top series

Covers through the years — 1972–2023

The Defenders #1 1972
The Defenders #1
The X-Men #97 1976
The X-Men #97
X-Men Annual #4 1980
X-Men Annual #4
Marvel Fanfare #12 1984
Marvel Fanfare #12
X-Men Annual #14 1990
X-Men Annual #14
Marvel Super-Heroes #10 1992
Marvel Super-Heroes #10
X-Man #12 1996
X-Man #12
X-Men #94 1999
X-Men #94
New X-Men #134 2003
New X-Men #134
New Avengers: Illuminati #3 2007
New Avengers: Illuminati #3
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man Fallout #[nn] 2011
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man Fallout #[nn]
Wolverines #6 2015
Wolverines #6
Marauders #1 2019
Marauders #1
Legion of X #7 2023
Legion of X #7

Appearances (451–600 of 1,549, oldest first)

2099 (1993)
#3
Damage Control (1989)
#4
X-Men, Les étranges (1989)
Un Récit Complet Marvel (1989)
Classic X-Men (1986)
Titans (1989)
Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem (1989)
Quasar (1989)
X-Men Annual (1970)
Serval (1990)
X-Men Saga (1990)
The Uncanny X-Men (1981)
Mighty Mouse (1990)
#1
Thor (1966)
Marvel Holiday Special (1991)
What If...? (1989)
The New Warriors Annual (1991)
#1
The Very Best of Marvel Comics (1991)
The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular (1990)
#2
Best of What If (1991)
Crossover Classics: The Marvel / DC Collection (1992)
X-Men Classic (1990)
Excalibur: XX Crossing (1992)
Marvel Swimsuit Special (1992)
Marvel Super-Heroes (1990)
#10
Captain America (1968)
Marvel Collector's Edition [X-Men Stri-Dex Custom Comic] (1993)
#1
M.A.X. Yearbook (1993)
#1
X-Factor Annual (1986)
#8
The Invaders (1993)
#2
The Marvel Masterpieces Collection (1993)
#3
Daredevil Annual (1967)
#9
Doom 2099 (1993)
#8
Spider-Man 2099 (1992)
#13
X-Men vs. Dracula (1993)
#1
X-Men Ashcan Edition (1994)
X-Men Ashcan (1994)
X-Men Unlimited (1993)
X-Men - Rescapé du futur (1994)
The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans (1995)
#1
X-Men: Rarities (1995)
Wolverine '95 (1995)
#1
Serval-Wolverine (1989)
#36
Spider-Man 2099 Meets Spider-Man (1995)
X-Men Archives Featuring Captain Britain (1995)
#7
X-Men Firsts (1996)
#1
X-Man (1995)
#12
Battlezones: Dream Team 2 (1996)
#1
X-Men: Danger Room Battle Archives (1996)
Deadpool (1997)
#3
Marvel Vision (1996)
Uncanny Origins (1996)
Beast (1997)
#1
Wolverine (1997)
Essential X-Men (1996)
ClanDestine vs. The X-Men (1997)
Wolverine: Days of Future Past (1997)
#2
Star Trek / X-Men: 2nd Contact (1998)
#1
X-Men / Alpha Flight (1998)
Marvel Exklusiv (1998)
#9
Avengers (1998)
#10