The X-Men #112
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeX-Men #112 marks the moment the 'All-New, All-Different' X-Men graduated from a bimonthly reprint schedule back to monthly original publication — a concrete sign that Marvel editorial recognized the title had become one of its strongest ongoing properties. The issue also delivers one of the most psychologically resonant Magneto stories of the Bronze Age: rather than simply imprisoning or threatening to kill the team, he strips each member of motor control and speech, forcing them to experience the same infant helplessness he endured when the X-Men previously de-aged him — a villain motivation grounded in cause-and-effect character logic that Claremont would continue to deepen. The debut of Nanny, Magneto's robotic caretaker, and the first glimpse of his plans to rebuild Asteroid M give the arc a scope that would pay off across subsequent issues and cement Magneto's status as the X-Men's defining antagonist. Claremont's deliberate seeding of Jean Grey's Phoenix-power limits — shown here as a conscious internal restraint rather than a plot convenience — also plants a narrative thread that runs all the way through the Dark Phoenix Saga.
Find on ebay
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The issue was written by Chris Claremont, penciled by John Byrne, inked by Terry Austin, lettered by Bruce Patterson (with Gaspar Saladino on the opening page), colored by M. Titus, and edited by Jim Shooter — the core creative unit responsible for the book's critical ascent in the late 1970s. The cover, featuring Magneto looming over the defeated X-Men and a prominent Wolverine figure, was painted by George Pérez and Bob Layton and was reportedly based on a preliminary sketch by Dave Cockrum. Byrne has noted in various interviews that he was a devoted reader of the original X-Men series from its earliest issues and used this arc as an opportunity to re-integrate as much of the classic lineup as possible, which is why Beast appears here alongside the new team despite not being a regular cast member at the time.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published August 1978 (on-sale May 16, 1978); cover-dated August 1978; the story is titled 'Magneto Triumphant!' and is Part 2 of a 3-part arc.
- With this issue, X-Men returned to monthly publication for the first time since issue #66, ending a roughly eight-and-a-half-year stretch as a bimonthly or reprint-only title.
- First appearance of Nanny (Vincent), Magneto's robotic 'governess' designed to tend to the helpless, chair-bound X-Men — a character who reappears across multiple later Uncanny X-Men issues.
- First appearance of Asteroid M (in the context of Magneto's plans to reconstitute his orbital base), a location that becomes a recurring setting in X-Men mythology.
- Magneto reveals that the villain who previously allied with Mesmero against the original X-Men (in issues #49–52) was actually a robot imposter — officially ret-conning those encounters and establishing the real Magneto had never met Mesmero.
- Magneto demonstrates an expanded and inventive use of his powers throughout the issue: turning Storm's blizzard into a superconducting weapon against her, generating a magnetic 'bottle effect' to contain Phoenix's power, and forcing Wolverine's adamantium claws to turn against their owner.
- The creative team for the interior story is Chris Claremont (script), John Byrne (pencils), and Terry Austin (inks); the cover is by George Pérez and Bob Layton, reportedly based on a preliminary layout by Dave Cockrum.
- The issue has been reprinted multiple times, including in Classic X-Men #18 (1988), Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 3, The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 1 (2006), and the X-Men Epic Collection: Proteus (2020).
Cast · 13 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Magneto subdues the X-Men and takes them to his lair under an active volcano. As revenge for his being reverted to a child, Magneto places his X-Foes in a helpless state as they are shackled to special chairs that keep them from even speaking and their needs are tended by a robotic nanny.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
Key issues in The X-Men
Variants (1)
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.