Magnus the Sorcerer is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

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The character was an ally of the first Spider-Woman

Spider-Woman

Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee, said in 1978, shortly after Spider-Woman's debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 Spider-Woman is the codename of several fictional characters...

, Jessica Drew

Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...

.

Publication history

Magnus first appeared in Spider-Woman #2 in May 1978, and was created by Marv Wolfman

Marv Wolfman

Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...

 and Carmine Infantino

Carmine Infantino

Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...

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The character subsequently appears in Spider-Woman #3-7 (June-October 1978), #10-13 (January-April 1979), Avengers #186-187 (August-September 1979), Spider-Woman #50 (June 1983), Avengers #240-241 (February-March 1984), Amazing Spider-Man Annual #22 (1988), X-Men Annual #12 (1988), Web of Spider-Man Annual #4 (1988), and Secret Defenders #22 (December 1994).

Fictional character biography

Magnus was the lover and student of Morgan Le Fay

Morgan le Fay (Marvel Comics)

Morgan le Fay is a fictional character in the , based loosely on the Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend. In this version of the character, she is the half-faerie half-sister of the mythic Arthur. Her elven heritage granted her immortality, and she used this time to master the mystic arts. She...

 in the 6th-century AD, in the time of King Arthur. He stole the Book of the Darkhold

Darkhold

The Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, is a fictional book in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:The Darkhold was co-created by Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog. The Darkhold was first mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3 but first shown in Marvel Spotlight #4...

 from her and placed it in a tower which no one with evil intent could enter.

In the 20th-century, as a ghost

Ghost

In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...

, the centuries-old sorcerer

Magician (fantasy)

A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...

 could possess the bodies of the living. Magnus' spirit took possession of Jonathan Drew and aided the High Evolutionary

High Evolutionary

The High Evolutionary is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The High Evolutionary was first mentioned in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #133 , and first appears in The Mighty Thor vol. 1 #134 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...

 in organizing the Knights of Wundagore

New Men (Marvel Comics)

The New Men are a fictional Marvel Comics universe group of hyper-evolved animals created by the High Evolutionary . They are also known as the Knights of Wundagore.-Fictional group history:...

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Still later, Magnus took the form of a London clothier and often aided Drew's daughter Spider-Woman

Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Spider-Woman is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 , and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed...

against foes of a supernatural nature, especially the threat of his ancient former lover, Morgan Le Fay.