History CombatPragmatist / ComicBooks

* ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'': Parodied in ''Asterix in Britain''. The Romans, observing that the British take a regular break every afternoon to have tea, decide to attack at tea-time.

* General Ching, the token Chinese Communist member of the Exiles (no relation to [[ComicBook/{{Exiles}} the other Exiles), minor allies of the ComicBook/RedSkull nobody really liked, attempted to be this. His evil plan to kill ComicBook/CaptainAmerica? Shoot him in the back. Unfortunately for him, but very fortunately for Cap, the Skull was going through a period of BondVillainStupidity and stopped him.

** Another example: Frank is chased by an enemy that is TheGunslinger and capable of dodging bullets. Frank's solution when he has to face off against him? ''Break out a machine gun'', betting that his enemy doesn't has the speed to dodge a barrage fired at 850 Rounds Per Minute. [[MultipleGunshotDeath He doesn't.]]

* In the beginning of the story ''The Return of Bruce Wayne'', Bruce Wayne gets stranded in the time of the cavemen and is eventually captured by a tribe led by Comicbook/VandalSavage. They intend to eat him, but wanting some entertainment, Vandal challenges Bruce to a duel, but cheats by first ordering his men to cut Bruce several times and then leave him tied up on the muddy ground overnight, reasoning that even if he survives, the blood loss, hunger, and infections will leave him too weak to fight (the tribe allows this because they ''want'' Bruce to lose, and praise Vandal for being smart). Fortunately, a young boy (who wears face paint that resembles Robin's mask) from a rival tribe frees Bruce and returns his utility belt, which happens to have antibiotics. While escaping, Bruce is able to defeat the tribesmen and Savage himself.

* Comicbook/{{Cerebus}}, being a veteran mercenary, knows better than to fight fair. Early in the series, he was face-to-face with a rebel mastermind and as his opponent strode out onto a bridge, finally revealing his identity, Cerebus heaved a rock at his head, causing him to stumble off the bridge to his death. Afterward, this exchange took place:

* ''Comicbook/{{Fables}}'': The fables are often quite pragmatic. In the first issue, Bluebeard tells Cinderella, during a fencing lesson, that "we train with ''real'' swords for ''real'' battles." And when [[spoiler: Geppetto]] challenges them, they are quite willing to use modern technology combined with magic to defend Fabletown from his forces, and then to turn the battle against him. Finally, when [[MamaBear Snow White]] calls [[SmugSnake Prince Brandish]] out for a sword duel, she takes a moment to kick off her high-heeled shoes, opting to fight in bare feet, unlike [[{{Fanservice}} many women]] in comics.

* Despite having [[HavingABlast dangerous mutant powers]] and being trained extensively as a martial artist and staff fighter, ''Comicbook/{{Gambit}}'' will often cheat in his fights anyway. Perhaps one of his most epic examples is when X-Cutioner had Gambit trapped and both his arms immobilised so he couldn’t use his power. Gambit, untroubled, just spat out the gum he was chewing to blast X-Cutioner in the face.

* 2011 DC Universe reboot: [[Comicbook/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] starts boasting to Franchise/{{Batman}} that with his ring, he can easily take down Franchise/{{Superman}}. By the time Batman blinks, Superman has {{Flash Step}}ped up to Hal and punched him out. Later in that same story, Hal finally figures out that Batman has no super-powers and begins immediately pointing out how absurd it is for a normal human to be in the situations the Justice League finds themselves in. Mid-way through his rant Batman pickpockets his ring.

* [[http://disneycomics.free.fr/Ducks/Rosa/show.php?num=3&loc=D92008&s=date This]] page of Comicbook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck.
* The Mark Shaw version of ''Comicbook/{{Manhunter}}'' preferred to avoid even the fighting part. In his first comic, he ambushed Dr. Alchemy after taking advantage of his fondness of redheads with 'balconies you could do Shakespeare off of'. Another time, he waited till The Penguin was in the bath.

* ''Comicbook/ThePunisher'': There is not a force on Earth that can get Frank Castle to fight fair.
** Lampshaded in an issue from ''Comicbook/ThePunisherWelcomeBackFrank'' storyline of the early 2000's-

* The following exchange from a comic where ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} and one of the forgettable 90s X-Teams are facing a villain who can dampen mutant abilities:

** Backfired once when Deadpool fought Kraven by using guns on him. Kraven decides that if Deadpool wants to cheat so will he and uses a laser on him.

* The Comicbook/{{Fables}}, in the series of that name, are often quite pragmatic. In the first issue, Bluebeard tells Cinderella, during a fencing lesson, that "we train with ''real'' swords for ''real'' battles." And when [[spoiler: Geppetto]] challenges them, they are quite willing to use modern technology combined with magic to defend Fabletown from his forces, and then to turn the battle against him. Finally, when [[MamaBear Snow White]] calls [[SmugSnake Prince Brandish]] out for a sword duel, she takes a moment to kick off her high-heeled shoes, opting to fight in bare feet, unlike [[{{Fanservice}} many women]] in comics.
* ComicBook/TheFlash. Being a single power SuperHero, he has learned how to use his super speed in resourceful ways, including RapidFireFisticuffs, [[TornadoMove Tornado Moves]], and the like. Hell, he even once utilized [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Oliver Queen's]] super spicy chili as a weapon against Captain Cold. Pragmatism indeed!!
* Despite having [[HavingABlast dangerous mutant powers]] and being trained extensively as a martial artist and staff fighter, Comicbook/{{Gambit}} will often cheat in his fights anyway. Perhaps one of his most epic examples is when X-Cutioner had Gambit trapped and both his arms immobilised so he couldn’t use his power. Gambit, untroubled, just spat out the gum he was chewing to blast X-Cutioner in the face.
* General Ching, the token Chinese Communist member of the Exiles, minor allies of the ComicBook/RedSkull nobody really liked, attempted to be this. His evil plan to kill ComicBook/CaptainAmerica? Shoot him in the back. Unfortunately for him, but very fortunately for Cap, the Skull was going through a period of BondVillainStupidity and stopped him.

* While still a skilled martial artist, ComicBook/{{Huntress}} is nowhere near top-tier, and supplements her fighting style with these sorts of tactics, from improvised weapons to [[GroinAttack crotch shots]]. If the situation is dire enough, she'll just fill her opponent with crossbow bolts rather than get into hand-to-hand combat.
* ComicBook/IronFist once went up against the Wrecking Crew, a team of superpowered baddies who each have the power of an Asgardian god. Iron Fist, when he's not using his trademark superpower, is basically just a highly skilled martial artist. The following exchange took place:

* [[GodOfEvil Anathos]] from ComicBook/LesLegendaires, despite being more than capable of defeating practically everyone without cheating (he once stopped [[HumanoidAbomination Jadina]]'s punch with ''one finger''), will gladly make use of this trope if it makes things more practical. His duel with [[spoiler:Darkhell's and Elysio's fusion]] is the most egregious example:

* The Mark Shaw version of Comicbook/{{Manhunter}} preferred to avoid even the fighting part. In his first comic, he ambushed Dr. Alchemy after taking advantage of his fondness of redheads with 'balconies you could do Shakespeare off of'. Another time, he waited till The Penguin was in the bath.
* From ComicBook/MartianManhunter's cast, Commander Blanx. He's always got a gun hidden on him somewhere, cheerfully attacks from hiding, and brings in an ally to club J'onn from behind in their duel.
* Many of Marvel's heavy hitters such as The Hulk, The Thing, etc. will use whatever is available when goaded into a fight.
** These heavy hitters sometimes also have to use their strength in creative ways on those rare occasions when they're facing someone with even more raw power than them. In the ''Future Imperfect'' one-shot The ComicBook/IncredibleHulk was outclassed by the Maestro, his EvilCounterpart. The good Hulk evened the odds first by hitting the Maestro with a blatant GroinAttack, then by throwing ComicBook/{{Captain America}}'s shield into his chest (the shield is unbreakable, but Cap wasn't strong enough to throw it hard enough to injure the Maestro) and eventually [[spoiler:using Doctor Doom's time machine to transport the Maestro to ground zero of the same gamma explosion that gave Bruce Banner his powers, vaporizing the Maestro on the spot.]]
* The fight between [[ComicBook/SubMariner Namor]] and ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} in ''ComicBook/MarvelVersusDC'', as seen in the Trope Image.
* ComicBook/MoonKnight is more than happy to use truncheons, knives, a spiked steel cestus and (occasionally) firearms in the [[BloodKnight fight]] for justice.

* ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, despite being a TechnicalPacifist, does this with acrobatic flair. He basically fights like Franchise/{{Batman}} with a sense of humor: nose tweaks, groin kicks, and distractions in the form of ass smacks are not outside of his domain.

* Vick "The Rain" from ComicBook/OneHundredBullets is not above fighting dirty and will even use his own allies as human shields.

* There is not a force on Earth that can get Comicbook/ThePunisher to fight fair.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
** Bruce Wayne is DC's poster boy for this trope.

* In the final issue of Tim Drake's [[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]] series, he's forced to fight Lady Shiva. Tim knows that he's hugely outmatched, so he poisons her food two days before the fight with a heart-rate dependent neurotoxin.

* ComicBook/MoonKnight is more than happy to use truncheons, knives and a spiked steel cestus in the [[BloodKnight fight]] for justice.