History BadassBookworm / ComicBooks

* In ''ComicBook/DarthVaderDarkLordOfTheSith'', Jedi librarian Jocasta Nu is made an AdaptationalBadass and manages to hold her own against Darth Vader for a time protecting the archives' list of Force-sensitive children from TheEmpire.

* Gina Diggers, in ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'', recently discovered this after being the 'fish' in jail. She forgot that she's been, you know, hanging around superheroes without dying. It tends to work out muscles. She also has a right hook and can do the math to know EXACTLY how much it will hurt. Ancient Gina, her "future me from the past" is even more powerful, being capable of creating a planet.

* Jill Trent, of the obscure [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] feature ''Comicbook/JillTrentScienceSleuth'', is an unusually early female version. Jill mostly relies on her prodigious science and engineering abilities to solve mysteries, as one might expect a Science Sleuth to do. But nearly every adventure ends up with Jill and her [[LesYay gal pal]] Daisy beating the crap out of the bad guys - [[ActionGirl just like contemporaneous male heroes would]]. (A public domain example of the feature can be seen [[http://nedor-a-day.blogspot.com/2008/10/jill-trent-science-sleuth-in-case-of.html here]].)
* Both Dwight and Wallace from ''ComicBook/SinCity'' are very intelligent, well-educated men who are more than capable of bringing down the bad guys.
* Franchise/{{Tintin}}: A highly intelligent young journalist and a force to be reckoned with. Solves crimes and punches out bad guys on a regular basis.
** Professor Calculus. Who would have thought that the meek-looking stereotypical absent-minded scientist is a ''savateur''? And if you make him really angry, he will prove that he's strong enough to lift a much larger man up from the ground and hang him up on a hook on the wall.
* Lilith Calah from ''Webcomic/{{Dreamkeepers}}'' definitely counts, being smart, well-read and having defeated at least two [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]]

* Qubit of ''{{ComicBook/Irredeemable}}'' is the smartest guy in the Paradigm, but as soon as fighting breaks out he's out on the front lines with the rest of the team. Never without his [[GadgeteerGenius gadgets]], of course, but he can also throw a solid punch when he wants to.

[[AC:Creator/DCComics]]
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
** ComicBook/{{Bane}} is a good villain example. In prison, he spent nearly all his time reading tons of books, learned six languages and educated. All while training himself.
** Barbara Gordon is one. Even as ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}},'' she is a bookworm, physically unimposing and underestimated and a literal librarian in her secret identity. As ComicBook/{{Oracle}}, [[HandicappedBadass she's in a wheelchair and still capable of kicking the ass of various muggers, five Men In Black and the elite secret agent Spysmasher on different occasions]], in addition to being a master strategist with a photographic memory, founder and leader of a [[ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey superhero team]]. unmatched computer skills and genius-level intellect.
*** In ''ComicBook/ElseworldsFinestSupergirlAndBatgirl'' Barbara is a successful novelist, a computer whiz with an eidetic memory... and a superhero and crimefighter.
** Barbara's villain counterpart, The Calculator, was rebooted as one of these. He is even able to outwit ''Batman himself'' as a knowledge broker.
** Tim Drake, third [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]] and third ComicBook/RedRobin. He devotes his free time to developing electronic gadgets and new chemical compounds for crime-fighting purposes, when he's not actively trying to [[spoiler: clone his dead friends back to life]]. He's been established as being way less agile than [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]], and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cass Cain]] can wipe the floor with him (the single time he managed to beat her was an extreme case of her FightingFromTheInside), but he's still pretty awesome and can beat Killer Croc ''while having the flu''.
** Jason Todd, ComicBook/{{Robin}} II/Red Robin II[=/=]ComicBook/RedHood II, was unquestionably the [[ReadingIsCoolAesop biggest bibliophile]] out of Bruce's children and [[HighSchoolRocks loved school]]. Even when he was [[StreetUrchin eking out a living on his own in Crime Alley]] he kept a collection of books, and he was star struck by the library at Wayne Manor. This element of his character was lost in his [[DependingOnTheWriter incredibly inconstant]] appearances as Red Hood, but had it not he probably would have been rather offended to realize Tim dropped out of school when Jason was never able to graduate due to dying.
* ''Franchise/TheFlash'':
** Barry Allen, whose powers also come with the benefit of giving him a faster working brain, and were caused by him playing with chemicals. He's one of the most powerful superhumans in Franchise/TheDCU, but he's also a scientist by trade.
** [[ComicBook/{{Impulse}} Bart Allen]] of ComicBook/YoungJustice is more of a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} by personality, but he may qualify for this trope on a technicality for using his super-speed to ''read every book in the San Fransisco Library in a single afternoon.'' Since then, his usual 'wing it' strategy has been interrupted by occasional bouts of scholarly tactics.
* ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'': Both the heroic and villainous iterations of Dr. Light are physicists which combined with their [[LightEmUp photokinesis]] makes them very dangerous opponents.
* ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'': [[ComicBook/MisterTerrific Mr. Terrific]] is the third smartest man on the planet. He has a knack for having knacks. He also has an Olympic gold medal and six black belts.
* And ComicBook/{{Static}} is certainly no slouch in this area either. He's a science nerd who happens to kick plenty of metahuman ass. His methods are often very simply effects that are accomplished through impressive knowledge of physics and electromagnetism.
* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':
** While it isn't what she's most [[GagBoobs (in)famous for]], ComicBook/PowerGirl is a great scientist, having been taught to understand data and figures very well thanks to an A.I she was raised by. She even founded her own research and development company, Starware Industries.
** ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'': Supergirl's different Secret Identities (pre-Crisis Linda Lee, post-Crisis Linda Lang, ''[[Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth Rebirth]]'' Kara Danvers) always look like a glass-wearing, small, physically unimposing, highly smart nerdy girl... who can lift millions of tons with ease.
** A certain mild-mannered reporter named [[{{Superman}} Clark Kent]] can be quite safely stated to be one of the biggest Badass Bookworms of them all.
* ComicBook/VandalSavage, although he [[WickedCultured deplores fisticuffs]], is a ContemporaryCaveman with enhanced strength, endurance, and reflexes. He will ''wreck you'' if you insist on a fistfight (as many superheroes throughout the decades have discovered).
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: Byrna Brilyant is a mild mannered stuttering school teacher, who is also a genius level roboticist, very clever chemist, a supervillain who goes toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman and the only known individual to properly subvert a Venus Girdle while wearing one given that she secretly builds a better version of her PoweredArmor while wrongfully imprisoned on Reformation Island.

* Lucien, the librarian of the world of dreams from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''. When [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Dream]] is indisposed and the Furies begin ripping apart the Dreaming, some of Dream's more dangerous prisoners escape their captivity and try to wreak havoc. A few try to do so in the library, but those who ''tried'' didn't take Lucien into account.
** Thessaly as well. She's a several-thousand-year-old Greek witch who's first introduced as Barbie's nerdy neighbor. She then kills a man, forces his spirit to come back so she can interrogate him via ''his face which she cut off his skull and nailed to a wall.'' She then goes into the Dreaming to help Barbie. In "The Kindly Ones" she tracks down Lyta Hall, brews a potion and kills a lamb to protect her. After Lyta comes to she sees Thessaly reading a book and warning her a lot of people are angry about what she did. Thessaly calmly warns her to run, because those people want revenge. ''And Thessaly's one of them.''
* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Although the second Nite Owl isn't as tough or smart as [[GeniusBruiser Ozymandius]], he's still a caped crimefighter with enough technical wizardry to build his own crimefighting weapons. He doesn't look threatening and is effectively a comic book geek living out a childhood fantasy.

[[AC:Creator/MarvelComics]]
* Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} is a [[HandicappedBadass blind]] lawyer who just happens to be a martial arts master.
* Comicbook/DoctorStrange likes to spend his free time in his study, usually in a LevitatingLotusPosition about four feet off the ground. He can also take you down with a single spell or a [[KungFuWizard well-placed kick]], his choice.
* The version of Reed Richards in ''ComicBook/UltimateFantasticFour''. His stretch powers were regarded as the suckiest of the four right up to the point where he decided to pitch in anyway. Cue Doctor Doom getting thrown into scenery, Annihilus getting shot in the mouth (with his own gun!), and Diablo getting his Supervillain Lair blown up.
* ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'': The original Reed Richards at times possesses this as well. He punched out Blaastar and Klaw, beat Doom in a one-on-one time travel duel, killed a couple of dinosaurs.... He's done his bit for the cause of badassery.
* ComicBook/DoctorDoom is an OmnidisciplinaryScientist first, TinTyrant second, EvilSorceror third, but he is also this fourth. He has trained with the best fencers in Europe, routinely engages in personal combat with superhuman, demonic and even godlike foes (with PowerArmor, but he still demonstrates skill and experience even with trained and overpowered enemies), and in one story, with stripped of armour and resources, once actually killed a lion ''with a single bare-fisted punch''.
* [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Amadeus Cho]] in the MarvelUniverse is the epitome of this trope. When he isn't making SHIELD look like a bunch of fools with his mad hacking skills, he manages to take down foes with pebbles because of his understanding of physics and angles. He isn't called the seventh smartest person on the planet for nothing. And it's an open question among fans whether he's really ''only'' the seventh smartest.
* [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] is ''the'' Badass Bookworm you wouldn't want to make angry! Perhaps not 100% applicable because the Hulk is a different personality, but overall they're the same person, and can certainly scrap ''any'' of the others. Not so long ago Bruce lost his powers (again) because of ComicBook/RedHulk. Every sign on [[WordOfGod heaven]] or earth shows that Bruce is so Badass Bookworm that taking away his Hulk persona can make him even '''more''' dangerous. It's easy to forget he turned into The Hulk to begin with because he had a career building super-weapons for the government, which as Banner, he's intelligent enough to use and improve upon.
--> '''Bruce:''' ''You know, it just now occurs to me that maybe the real reason I became the Hulk... was to protect the world from Banner.''
* Tony Stark, the titular ComicBook/IronMan. He also kicks ass without the use of his suit or any advanced technology, considering ComicBook/CaptainAmerica taught him to fight.
* ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}}, AKA Dr Bobbi Morse, was originally a biologist and SHIELD researcher, until Nick Fury decided she'd make a great spy and trained her. She's since became one of the most badass, if undersated, Avengers around.
* Franchise/SpiderMan:
** Peter Parker. Science nerd. Photographer. Spider-Man. Once punched {{Wolverine}} through an unbreakable plate glass window to fall to the street 15 stories below when he was mad. The epitome of this trope due to being the first known teenage outcast super hero. He's the master of this trope because, despite being a nerd, he gets all sorts of awesome powers and is a straight up ChickMagnet. Second only to Tony Stark in that area (also a fellow Badass Bookworm), but Parker is the original Nerd {{Superman}}.
** Spiderman's villain, The Shocker. Smart guy and puts up a good fight. Has updated and improved his costume and blast gauntlets based upon past encounters with Spider-Man. Also one of the most professional villains in the rogue's gallery, having an alright win-loss ratio considering that he fights ''Spider-Man''.
** [[ComicBook/DoctorOctopus Otto Octavius]] is a highly trained nuclear physicist and roboticist who is a very dangerous physical threat to Spider-Man.
** The Vulture is skilled in the fields of electronics and mechanical engineering which allowed him to create the suit that allows him to fly.
** Then there's ComicBook/NormanOsborn, who took a drug to boost his own intellect, becoming insane and super strong in the process. His successors (his son Harry Osborn and Roderick Kingsley, the first Hobgoblin) followed suit.
* ''Comicbook/XMen''
** Hank Mcoy aka ComicBook/{{Beast}}, ScienceHero, who reads Shakespeare, quotes poetry, [[SuperStrength can lift well over 10 tons]] and once flipped freaking TheJuggernaut on his head. There is a good reason Hank is TropeCodifier (and picture) for GeniusBruiser.
** Sage, who explicitly has AwesomeByAnalysis as her superpower. Combine this with a strong ActionGirl streak and you have a badass who will beat you up while explaining what you are doing wrong.
** ComicBook/KittyPryde. Not only is she an electronics genius as a teenager, but she then gets ninja training from {{Wolverine}} and develops her phasing power so that she can hit you whilst she's phasing through somebody else.
** Surprisingly ComicBook/{{Rogue}} is this as well, when she's not the X-Men's FlyingBrick Rogue often spends her off-time curled up with a book in her room. Rogue also shows her intelligence in combat smartly by using her PowerParasite ability to counter foes, one time she took ComicBook/{{Colossus}}'s [[{{Extraoredinary}} powers]] and figured out she could use it in conjunction with her {{Flight}} and SuperSpeed to go at terminal velocity and attack her opponent with the force of meteorite.
** ComicBook/{{X 23}}. Although not a savant or genius-level, she's nonetheless highly-educated, multilingual, and once told Storm she's [[SmartPeoplePlayChess never lost a chess match]]. She's also an ''incredibly'' skilled fighter and deadly assassin, and ''ComicBook/AvengersArena'' reveals she applies AwesomenessByAnalysis and SherlockScan to plan how to kill everyone around her immediately upon entering a room.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Byrna Brilyant is a mild mannered stuttering school teacher, who is also a genius level roboticist, very clever chemist, a supervillain who goes toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman and the only known individual to properly subvert a Venus Girdle while wearing one given that she secretly builds a better version of her PoweredArmor while wrongfully imprisoned on Reformation Island.

* Gina Diggers, in ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'', recently discovered this after being the 'fish' in jail. She forgot that she's been, you know, hanging around superheroes without dying. It tends to work out muscles. She also has a right hook and can do the math to know EXACTLY how much it will hurt. Ancient Gina, her "future me from the past" is even more powerful, being capable of creating a planet.
* Barbara Gordon in Franchise/TheDCU is one. Even as ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}},'' she is a bookworm, physically unimposing and underestimated. As ComicBook/{{Oracle}}, [[HandicappedBadass she's in a wheelchair and still capable of kicking the ass of various muggers, five Men In Black and the elite secret agent Spysmasher on different occasions]], in addition to being a master strategist with a photographic memory, founder and leader of a [[ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey superhero team]]. unmatched computer skills and genius-level intellect.
** In ''ComicBook/ElseworldsFinestSupergirlAndBatgirl'' Barbara is a successful novelist, a computer whiz with an eidetic memory... and a superhero and crimefighter.
* Barbara's villain counterpart, The Calculator, was rebooted as one of these. He is even able to outwit ''Batman himself'' as a knowledge broker.

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Although the second Nite Owl isn't as tough or smart as [[GeniusBruiser Ozymandius]], he's still a caped crimefighter with enough technical wizardry to build his own crimefighting weapons. He doesn't look threatening and is effectively a comic book geek living out a childhood fantasy.
* Franchise/SpiderMan:
** Peter Parker. Science nerd. Photographer. Spider-Man. Once punched {{Wolverine}} through an unbreakable plate glass window to fall to the street 15 stories below when he was mad. The epitome of this trope due to being the first known teenage outcast super hero. He's the master of this trope because, despite being a nerd, he gets all sorts of awesome powers and is a straight up ChickMagnet. Second only to Tony Stark in that area (also a fellow Badass Bookworm), but Parker is the original Nerd {{Superman}}.
** Spiderman's villain, The Shocker. Smart guy and puts up a good fight. Has updated and improved his costume and blast gauntlets based upon past encounters with Spider-Man. Also one of the most professional villains in the rogue's gallery, having an alright win-loss ratio considering that he fights ''Spider-Man''.
** [[ComicBook/DoctorOctopus Otto Octavius]] is a highly trained nuclear physicist and roboticist who is a very dangerous physical threat to Spider-Man.
** The Vulture is skilled in the fields of electronics and mechanical engineering which allowed him to create the suit that allows him to fly.
* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'': Supergirl's different Secret Identities (pre-Crisis Linda Lee, post-Crisis Linda Lang, ''[[Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth Rebirth]]'' Kara Danvers) always look like a glass-wearing, small, physically unimposing, highly smart nerdy girl... who can lift millions of tons with ease.
* While it isn't what she's most [[GagBoobs (in)famous for]], ComicBook/PowerGirl is a great scientist, having been taught to understand data and figures very well thanks to an A.I she was raised by. She even founded her own research and development company, Starware Industries.
* ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'': [[ComicBook/MisterTerrific Mr. Terrific]] is the third smartest man on the planet. He has a knack for having knacks. He also has an Olympic gold medal and six black belts.
* [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Amadeus Cho]] in the MarvelUniverse is the epitome of this trope. When he isn't making SHIELD look like a bunch of fools with his mad hacking skills, he manages to take down foes with pebbles because of his understanding of physics and angles. He isn't called the seventh smartest person on the planet for nothing. And it's an open question among fans whether he's really ''only'' the seventh smartest.
* Tony Stark, the titular ComicBook/IronMan. He also kicks ass without the use of his suit or any advanced technology, considering ComicBook/CaptainAmerica taught him to fight.
* Tim Drake, third [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]] and third ComicBook/RedRobin. He devotes his free time to developing electronic gadgets and new chemical compounds for crime-fighting purposes, when he's not actively trying to [[spoiler: clone his dead friends back to life]]. He's been established as being way less agile than [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]], and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cass Cain]] can wipe the floor with him (the single time he managed to beat her was an extreme case of her FightingFromTheInside), but he's still pretty awesome and can beat Killer Croc ''while having the flu''.
* Jason Todd, ComicBook/{{Robin}} II/Red Robin II[=/=]ComicBook/RedHood II, was unquestionably the [[ReadingIsCoolAesop biggest bibliophile]] out of Bruce's children and [[HighSchoolRocks loved school]]. Even when he was [[StreetUrchin eking out a living on his own in Crime Alley]] he kept a collection of books, and he was star struck by the library at Wayne Manor. This element of his character was lost in his [[DependingOnTheWriter incredibly inconstant]] appearances as Red Hood, but had it not he probably would have been rather offended to realize Tim dropped out of school when Jason was never able to graduate due to dying.
* ComicBook/{{Bane}} is a good villain example. In prison, he spent nearly all his time reading tons of books, learned six languages and educated. All while training himself.
* And ComicBook/{{Static}} is certainly no slouch in this area either. He's a science nerd who happens to kick plenty of metahuman ass. His methods are often very simply effects that are accomplished through impressive knowledge of physics and electromagnetism.
* [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Both the heroic and villainous iterations]] of Dr. Light are physicists which combined with their [[LightEmUp photokinesis]] makes them very dangerous opponents.

* [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] is ''the'' Badass Bookworm you wouldn't want to make angry! Perhaps not 100% applicable because the Hulk is a different personality, but overall they're the same person, and can certainly scrap ''any'' of the others. Not so long ago Bruce lost his powers (again) because of ComicBook/RedHulk. Every sign on [[WordOfGod heaven]] or earth shows that Bruce is so Badass Bookworm that taking away his Hulk persona can make him even '''more''' dangerous. It's easy to forget he turned into The Hulk to begin with because he had a career building super-weapons for the government, which as Banner, he's intelligent enough to use and improve upon.
--> '''Bruce:''' ''You know, it just now occurs to me that maybe the real reason I became the Hulk... was to protect the world from Banner.''

* Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} is a [[HandicappedBadass blind]] lawyer who just happens to be a martial arts master.

* A certain mild-mannered reporter named [[{{Superman}} Clark Kent]] can be quite safely stated to be one of the biggest Badass Bookworms of them all.
* Comicbook/DoctorStrange likes to spend his free time in his study, usually in a LevitatingLotusPosition about four feet off the ground. He can also take you down with a single spell or a [[KungFuWizard well-placed kick]], his choice.

* Lucien, the librarian of the world of dreams from ''ComicBook/TheSandman''. When [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Dream]] is indisposed and the Furies begin ripping apart the Dreaming, some of Dream's more dangerous prisoners escape their captivity and try to wreak havoc. A few try to do so in the library, but those who ''tried'' didn't take Lucien into account.
** Thessaly as well. She's a several-thousand-year-old Greek witch who's first introduced as Barbie's nerdy neighbor. She then kills a man, forces his spirit to come back so she can interrogate him via ''his face which she cut off his skull and nailed to a wall.'' She then goes into the Dreaming to help Barbie. In "The Kindly Ones" she tracks down Lyta Hall, brews a potion and kills a lamb to protect her. After Lyta comes to she sees Thessaly reading a book and warning her a lot of people are angry about what she did. Thessaly calmly warns her to run, because those people want revenge. ''And Thessaly's one of them.''
* [[Franchise/TheFlash Barry Allen]], whose powers also come with the benefit of giving him a faster working brain, and were caused by him playing with chemicals. He's one of the most powerful superhumans in Franchise/TheDCU, but he's also a scientist by trade.
** [[ComicBook/YoungJustice Bart Allen]] is more of a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} by personality, but he may qualify for this trope on a technicality for using his super-speed to ''read every book in the San Fransisco Library in a single afternoon.'' Since then, his usual 'wing it' strategy has been interrupted by occasional bouts of scholarly tactics.
* ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}}, AKA Dr Bobbi Morse, was originally a biologist and SHIELD researcher, until Nick Fury decided she'd make a great spy and trained her. She's since became one of the most badass, if undersated, Avengers around.
* Then there's ComicBook/NormanOsborn, who took a drug to boost his own intellect, becoming insane and super strong in the process. His successors (his son Harry Osborn and Roderick Kingsley, the first Hobgoblin) followed suit.
* ComicBook/VandalSavage, although he [[WickedCultured deplores fisticuffs]], is a ContemporaryCaveman with enhanced strength, endurance, and reflexes. He will ''wreck you'' if you insist on a fistfight (as many superheroes throughout the decades have discovered).

* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'': Supergirl's different Secret Identities (pre-Crisis Linda Lee, post-Crisis Linda Lang, ''[[Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth Rebirth]]'' Kara Danvers) always look like a glass-wearing, small, physically unimposing, highly smart nerdy girl... who can lift millions of tons with ease.

* ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'': Although the second Nite Owl isn't as tough or smart as [[GeniusBruiser Ozymandius]], he's still a caped crimefighter with enough technical wizardry to build his own crimefighting weapons. He doesn't look threatening, and is effectively a comic book geek living out a childhood fantasy.

** Spiderman's villain, The Shocker. Smart guy and puts up a good fight. Has updated and improved his costume and blast gauntlets based upon past encounters with Spider-Man. Also one of the most professional villains in the rogues gallery, having an alright win-loss ratio considering that he fights ''Spider-Man''.

* Barbara Gordon in Franchise/TheDCU is one. Even as ''ComicBook/{{Batgirl}},'' she is a bookworm, physically unimposing and underestimated. As [[ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey Oracle]], [[HandicappedBadass she's in a wheelchair and still capable of kicking the ass of various muggers, five Men In Black and the elite secret agent Spysmasher on different occasions]], in addition to being a master strategist with a photographic memory, unmatched computer skills and genius-level intellect.

* Batgirl's villain counterpart, The Calculator, was rebooted as one of these. He is even able to outwit ''Batman himself'' as a knowledge broker.

* ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'': Mr. Terrific is the third smartest man on the planet. He has a knack for having knacks. He also has an Olympic gold medal and six black belts.

* Tim Drake, third [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]] and third ComicBook/RedRobin. In a very Batman-like vein, he devotes his free time to developing electronic gadgets and new chemical compounds for crime-fighting purposes, when he's not actively trying to [[spoiler: clone his dead friends back to life]]. He's been established as being way less agile than [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]], and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cass Cain]] can wipe the floor with him (a single time when he managed to beat her is largely considered FanonDiscontinuity, for too many reasons), but he's still pretty awesome and can beat Killer Croc ''while having the flu''.
* Jason Todd, ComicBook/{{Robin}} II/Red Robin II[=/=]ComicBook/RedHood II, was unquestionably the biggest bibliophile out of Bruce's children and loved school. Even when he was eking out a living on his own in Crime Alley he kept a collection of books, and he was star struck by the library at Wayne Manor. This element of his character was lost in his incredibly inconstant appearances as Red Hood, but had it not he probably would have been incredibly offended to realize Tim dropped out of school when Jason was never able to graduate due to dying.

* Jason Todd, Robin II/Red Robin II/ComicBook/RedHood II, was unquestionably the biggest bibliophile out of Bruce's children and loved school. Even when he was eking out a living on his own in Crime Alley he kept a collection of books, and he was star struck by the library at Wayne Manor. This element of his character was lost in his incredibly inconstant appearances as Red Hood, but had it not he probably would have been incredibly offended to realize Tim dropped out of school when Jason was never able to graduate due to dying.

* Tim Drake, third [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]. In a very Batman-like vein, he devotes his free time to developing electronic gadgets and new chemical compounds for crime-fighting purposes, when he's not actively trying to [[spoiler: clone his dead friends back to life]]. He's been established as being way less agile than [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]], and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cass Cain]] can wipe the floor with him (a single time when he managed to beat her is largely considered FanonDiscontinuity, for too many reasons), but he's still pretty awesome and can beat Killer Croc ''while having the flu''.
** ComicBook/{{Bane}} is a good villain example. In prison, he spent nearly all his time reading tons of books, learned six languages and educated. All while training himself.

* [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] is ''the'' Badass Bookworm you wouldn't want to make angry! Perhaps not 100% applicable because the Hulk is a different personality, but overall they're the same person, and can certainly scrap ''any'' of the others. Not so long ago Bruce lost his powers (again) because of VillainSue ComicBook/RedHulk. Every sign on [[WordOfGod heaven]] or earth shows that Bruce is so Badass Bookworm that taking away his Hulk persona can make him even '''more''' dangerous. It's easy to forget he turned into The Hulk to begin with because he had a career building super-weapons for the government, which as Banner, he's intelligent enough to use and improve upon.

* Tim Drake, third [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]. In a very Batman-like vein, he devotes his free time to developing electronic gadgets for crime-fighting purposes, when he's not actively trying to [[spoiler: clone his dead friends back to life]]. He's been established as being way less agile than Dick Grayson, and Batgirl can wipe the floor with him (a single time when he managed to beat her is largely considered FanonDiscontinuity, for too many reasons), but he's still pretty awesome and can beat Killer Croc ''while having the flu''.

** Professor Calculus. Who would have thought that the meek-looking stereotypical absent-minded scientist is a ''savateur''?

* ''Comicbook/FantasticFour'': The original Reed Richards at times possesses this as well. He punched out Blaastar and Klaw, beat Doom in a one-on-one time travel duel, killed a couple of dinosaurs.... He's done his bit for the cause of {{badass}}ery.
* DoctorDoom is an OmnidisciplinaryScientist first, TinTyrant second, EvilSorceror third, but he is also this fourth. He has trained with the best fencers in Europe, routinely engages in personal combat with superhuman, demonic and even godlike foes (with PowerArmor, but he still demonstrates skill and experience even with trained and overpowered enemies), and in one story, with stripped of armour and resources, once actually killed a lion ''with a single bare-fisted punch''.

* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'': Supegirl's different Secret Identities (pre-Crisis Linda Lee, post-Crisis Linda Lang, ''[[Comicbook/SupergirlRebirth Rebirth]]'' Kara Danvers) always look like a glass-wearing, small, physically unimposing, highly smart nerdy girl... who can lift millions of tons with ease.

** Her villain counterpart, The Calculator, was rebooted as one of these. He is even able to outwit ''Batman himself'' as a knowledge broker.