History ExactWords / ComicBooks

* In "The Strange Vow of Robin Hood" from ''RobinHood Tales'' #9, Robin vows not to set foot on English soil until he recovers Richard's ransom. He believed the money was stolen by Norman pirates, but soon learns that in fact the money is being held by the villainous Baron Grote in England. Robin refuses to break his vow, and travels to the robber baron's castle by swinging through the trees, rolling down a river in a barrel, and rides on a stage. When he gets near the castle, he's helped out by a passing draper who rolls a long carpet straight to the castle door.

-->'''Sara:''' What person, living or dead, would you want to be marooned with?\\

* In the Creator/GregRucka / Michael Lark series ''{{Comicbook/Lazarus}}'', the protagonist Forever Carlyle went through TrainingFromHell as a young girl, including brutal hand-to-hand combat and (wooden)swordfighting training with a woman that she nevertheless cared for a great deal(said woman was one of the only people who treated Forever like a person and not a weapon being forged). In order for Forever to be allowed to carry the Carlyle family sword, her father Malcom orders that she have to defeat her mentor in a sword duel. He shows up to supervise the fight but raises the stakes by having them use live steel blades instead of wooden training swords. Forever manages to injure and defeat the older woman, but stops fighting once she's down. When Malcom asks why she held back, Forever reminds him that his orders were to ''defeat'' the woman, not ''kill'' her. In an inversion, Malcom congratulates her for obeying his orders and rewards her with the family sword.

-->'''Roosevelt:''' Attention, men! Watch out for that north turret!\\

* In ''ComicBook/MegaMan #4'', Mega Man is in a deadlock against Dr. Wily's [[EvilDoppelganger Copy Robot]], when the recently-revived Robot Masters barge in to carry out their orders by destroying Mega Man. They do... by destroying the Copy Robot while the real Mega Man hides up above on his [[TemporaryPlatform Magnet Beam]]. Mega Man, aware that these Robot Masters were trying to kill him not too long ago, is confused, until Elec Man explains their actions:

!!Creator/DCComics
* ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'': ComicBook/{{Midnighter}} knows [[SociopathicHero alive and in one piece aren't the same thing.]]
-->"Hop, you bastard! Hop!"
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
** A 1952 Franchise/{{Batman}} story, "The Crimes of Batman", has the Joker capture Robin and force the titular hero to become a cheat, to steal, and to kill in order to save the life of his sidekick. These challenges must be done publicly in order to ruin Batman's name, and he opts to complete the three separate tasks through wordplay. First, he sets up a ruse where he appears to have cheated death in a plane crash. Next, he steals the Joker's thunder, as reported by the newspapers, while foiling a heist. The final challenge features several examples, such as killing time, killing an audience, and ultimately killing two birds with one stone as he manages to capture Joker and masquerade as him to liberate Robin from his henchmen.
** Partially inverted by The Riddler as in several instances his true agenda or solutions to his deadly puzzles can often only be obtained by examining what he says for double meanings or alternative interpretations.
** In one issue of ''ComicBook/TheBatmanAdventures'', The Riddler kidnaps Commissioner Gordon and holds him hostage, armed with a bottle that he claims contains a nerve toxin powerful enough to kill hundreds. After Batgirl comes to rescue him, Gordon calls the Riddler's bluff, pointing out that he said the stuff "kills hundreds", but didn't specify hundreds of ''what''. Frustrated, the Riddler admits that it's just insecticide.
** In ''The Penguin Triumphant'', a one-shot ''Batman'' comic (published to coincide with ''Film/BatmanReturns''), the Penguin announced that he was "going legit". Batman still keeps an eye on the Penguin's activities; after all, he didn't say he was going straight, he said he was going ''legit''.
* SelfDemonstrating/{{Lobo}} is a man of his word. His very exact word. Don't piss him off.
** For example, there is that one time he was tasked to escort someone alive, something he agreed on... until he found out she was his former school teacher, whom he loathed, and also the writer of an unauthorized Lobo biography, which he loathed even more. Firstly, they said "alive", but not "unharmed", so [[spoiler:at one point he cut off both legs of the old lady to prevent her from wandering off. Sure, Czarnians can regenerate, but she was still annoyed.]] And secondly, when he later completed his duty, [[spoiler:he pointed out that he made no promise to not harm her ''after'' bringing her back alive... and quickly [[NeckSnap snapped her neck]], definitely positioning himself as the Last Czarnian]].
** Lobo has also been duped on at least one occasion into failing to complete a contract due to someone else using exact words. Guy Gardner promised Lobo Sinestro's ring in return for him defeating Qward, he did defeat the Qwardian Space Navy, but not the planet itself, so Gardner did not have to pay.
* ''Comicbook/{{Lucifer}}''. Since he WillNotTellALie, ever, he resorts to telling people the exact, literal truth and not one iota more than is needed to make them do what he wants.
* Exact words don't get much more exact than in the ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'' one-shot volume focusing on [[CoDragons Jody and T.C.]] At one point during the story, they go to a backwoods version of a [[FightClubbing fight club]], where two guys jump into a pit and fight it out while spectators bet on the outcome. Only problem is, no one will bet on a fight with Jody in it, because it's sure that Jody will win. However, the guy who runs the fight club says that he's found a "real gorilla" (usually slang for an extremely muscular or savage guy) to fight Jody. So Jody agrees and jumps into the pit without seeing his foe. Then the manager of the fight club brings a cage over and opens it so the angry gorilla inside jumps down into the pit, resulting in Jody's dry observation "Ah. So when you said you found a real gorilla, you meant a ''real'' gorilla."
* In an issue of ''ComicBook/ScoobyDooTeamUp'' guest-starring the ''WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}'', Sinestro prepared to attack Scooby and Shaggy with his ring, only to watch in horror as his ring turned on him and went to ''them''. Sinestro is confused as to who those two could scare enough that his ring would go to them. They point out that they scare ''themselves'' silly all the time!
* ''Comicbook/SuicideSquad''
** In issue #22, Rick Flag goes AWOL to kill Senator Cray, who has found out about the Squad and is attempting to blackmail Amanda Waller. Waller sends the squad to stop Flag from killing Cray. ComicBook/{{Deadshot}} catches up to Flag just as he's about to kill the Senator and instead of killing Flag, Deadshot kills the Senator. When ComicBook/AmandaWaller asks Deadshot why he did this, this conversation comes up:
--->'''Deadshot:''' Said... to keep Flag from.... killing Cray... ANY means possible. Exact Words.\\
'''Waller:''' I didn't mean by killing him yourself!\\
'''Deadshot:''' Shoulda...said so. I don't... read minds.
** And then once he was ordered to throw away his weapons. He agreed. ''[[BadassBoast Bullets first]]''.
** Unlike many uses of this trope, Deadshot honestly believed the above were acceptable terms. These were not the first signs he was AxCrazy, but nobody could ignore them anymore.
** Deadshot was also hired by Amanda Waller to shoot William Heller. ComicBook/{{Batman}} fails to stop him but notes that Heller will live if he manages to get to a hospital...
--->'''Deadshot''': I know. Waller said to shoot him. Didn't say to ''kill'' him.
--->'''Batman''': And if she ''had'' told you to kill him, you'd have done ''that''.
--->'''Deadshot''': [[BluntYes Yeah]].
* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'':
** In ''Comicbook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton'':
*** When Superman registers his cousin in Midvale Orphanage he tells she "lost her parents in a big disaster that wiped out her whole community" which is technically correct, but intentionally misleading.
*** Superman told Supergirl that her existence should be a secret for the time being, and she agreed to keep her presence on Earth a complete secret of everyone. As soon as he was gone, she quickly put on her Supergirl costume and flew out of her bedroom window on night patrol. After all, she never actually agreed not to be Supergirl; she just agreed not to get caught.
---->'''Supergirl:''' Hmm... While everyone's asleep, it's my chance to change to Supergirl and look over my new home town! Nobody will see me in the dark, so I'm not disobeying Superman!
** In the modern story version, Darkseid vowed to leave Kara alone... but He never said anything about her cousin.
--->'''Darkseid:''' I gave my word I would not come for the girl — Your death, however, is something that is long overdue, Superman.
** In ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'', Lobo is furious with his employeer Rhialla.
--->'''Rhialla:''' There's no need for threats, Lobo. Besides, Section Nine of your contract forbids you from killing your employer, remember? And we both know you '''always''' honor a contract.\\
'''Lobo:''' Contract says nothing about '''maiming''' you.
* Franchise/{{Superman}}:
** True of Mr. Mxyzptlk across all his incarnations. This isn't because he's incapable or unwilling to lie, or even because he's purposefully trying to distort the truth. The concept of falsehood is simply foreign to him.
** [[spoiler:This is subverted after meeting ComicBook/LexLuthor, who is more familiar with deceit. Mxy's lied once or twice since, but he's usually true to this trope.]] In one story, for example, Luthor and Mr. Mxyzptlk make a deal wherein Mxy provides Luthor with a sample of red kryptonite that will drain Superman's powers so long as the billionaire never tells the hero that the imp is involved. The red kryptonite does the trick, but seeing Superman continue to risk his life to protect people makes Luthor have a change of heart. He then realizes that the bargain states that he can't tell Superman about the source of the rock...but he ''can'' tell ''someone else'' about it, and that person can tell Superman, which is in keeping with the contract. Luthor then inadvertently takes the trope a step further by selecting Clark Kent, of all people, to know the truth; since Superman and Clark are technically two different identities, it's still allowed.
** ''Comicbook/EmperorJoker'': This is later subverted by of all people the Joker, who tricks Mxy by [[spoiler:rewriting their contract while the imp's distracted. The original plan was for the imp to give up 1% of his power to the Joker. Instead, he ends up retaining only 1%. It's implied that the Joker used Mxy's Genre Blindness to contracts]].
** In an earlier Mister Mxyzptlk story, Superman gets sick of the imp's pranks and decides to give him a taste of his own medicine by traveling to the Fifth Dimension and playing a few practical jokes on Mxy. This is especially bad timing, as Mxyzptlk is currently running for mayor, and all of the Man of Steel's antics make him look bad. He thus tries all kinds of ways to trick Superman into saying "Namrepus," his [[SdrawkcabName name backwards]], which would send him back to Earth, but when Supes finally ''does'' say it, nothing happens. Why? Superman ''isn't his name''--he only vanishes when he willingly whispers "Le-Lak," "Kal-El" backwards.
** During ''[[ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman Reign of the Supermen]]'', the Cyborg Superman is flying over Santa Barbara in the aftermath of Coast City's destruction. He finds a group of survivors who asks what happened. When the Cyborg explains about the traitorous Superman, he suddenly points behind them, telling them he's right behind them. [[spoiler: When they turn around and they can't see him, the Cyborg activates his ArmCannon and blasts them, telling him "I told you. He's right behind you."]]
** ''Comicbook/KryptoniteNevermore'': Morgan Edge forbids Clark Kent to aid the inhabitants of an island in the Pacific. Clark agrees because Mr. Edge never told anything about Superman helping them out.
** In a crossover event between ''ComicBook/TheDarkness'' and ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'', Jackie Estacado makes a deal with Superman in which he agrees to not kill any members of the rival mob family who have kidnapped Comicbook/LoisLane. He doesn't. This does not stop Jackie from calling in the other enforcers he brought with him to finish the job.
** In Issue #3 of ''ComicBook/TheManOfSteel'', Superman flies to Gotham to arrest Franchise/{{Batman}}, who at that point in continuity was considered an outlaw. Batman, [[CrazyPrepared who was expecting this]] warns Superman that if Supes comes near him, sensors built into his suit will detect his ultra-dense Kryptonian tissue and detonate a bomb somewhere in Gotham, killing somebody. Superman can [[SuperSenses see the sensor field]] and [[LivingLieDetector hear his heartbeat]], so he knows Batman is telling the truth. At the end of the issue, after the day is saved and mutual grudging respect established, Superman demands to know the location of the bomb so he can defuse it. Batman pulls a mini explosive device out of a lead lined pouch on his belt and tosses it over, explaining that the person who would have been blown up would be Batman himself.
** In ''Adventures of Superman'' #541, Lois gets to a crime scene past the Honalulu Special Crimes Unit by dropping some SCU jargon and, when the bewildered cops ask if she's SCU, saying she's from Metropolis and she trained with Maggie Sawyer. Which she did, as part of a story on the Metropolis SCU.
* ''Franchise/WonderWoman''
** [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Volume 1]]: The Emperor of Saturn agrees to a peace treaty between his Empire and the United States and to return all human slaves alive. He leaves himself enough wiggle room that when his minions are begging not to be made slaves for their defeat and say they have a plan for taking over Paradise Island and setting the Amazons to war against the United States he can send them to carry that plan out without breaking the letter of the agreement.
** ''ComicBook/{{Wonder Woman|2011}}'' (ComicBook/TheNew52): For extremely complicated reasons, Diana agrees to marry the god Hades. Hades, suspecting some kind of trick, ties her up in her own magic lasso of truth. Tied up, she says that she loves him, so he believes her. A short time later, Wonder Woman betrays him. Hades incredulously asks how she could lie while touching the lasso. Wonder Woman says that she never lied--she loves him, just like she [[LoveYouAndEverybody loves everybody]].
* At the end of the ''Comicbook/YoungJustice: Sins of Youth'' CrisisCrossover, [[ComicBook/KlarionTheWitchBoy Klarion (bum bum bum) the Witch Boy]], who has been aging and de-aging characters throughout the event, agrees to return everyone on Earth to their original ages. ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} wonders about the phrasing, just before Teen Lobo shows up.

!!Creator/MarvelComics

* ''ComicBook/TheAvengers'': In the Grandmaster's debut story arc, he offered Kang the Conqueror either the power to give life, or the power to cause death. Letting his hatred consume him, Kang shouted "Death to the Avengers!" as his reply. He should've worded his request more carefully, because it turned out his new powers could be used against the Avengers... ''and nobody else''. Cue the entrance of the unaffiliated hero Black Knight, who easily defeated Kang with a single blow from his sword.
* In a case of a cover doing this, issue 34 of ComicBook/CaptainMarVell's solo series boasted that Nitro was [[HeroKiller "the man who killed Captain Marvel"]]. While Mar-Vell didn't die in ''that issue'', the events of it, namely being exposed to a DeadlyGas that Nitro tried to steal, was indeed what lead to the titular event of ''The Death of Captain Marvel''. So, indeed, Nitro is the man who killed Mar-Vell.
* Discussed in one of the Marvel comics leading up to ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', where [[Comicbook/IronMan Tony Stark]] coaches [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]] on how to answer questions under oath, by not volunteering ''any'' information beyond answering the precise question asked:
-->'''Tony Stark:''' Pretend I'm a lawyer. "Mr. Parker, do you know what time it is?"\\
'''Peter Parker:''' It's 10:35.\\
'''Tony Stark:''' ''Wrong answer.'' [...] The correct answer is "[[MathematiciansAnswer yes]]", and you leave it there. If they want more information, let them ask for it.
* In one ''ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}'' issue, he makes a DealWithTheDevil (or rather, a demon connected to Mephisto) to get Iron Man drunk in order to empower the demon. However, Deadpool has a change of heart when he sees how horribly plastered Tony is (as it was set during the "Demon in a Bottle" storyline), so he ends up knocking Tony out, hijacking the armor and getting ''himself'' plastered. When the demon appears calling him out for failing, Deadpool points out that the contract specifically stated ''Iron Man'', not ''Tony Stark''.
* ComicBook/DoctorDoom is known for this. It has allowed him to maintain his reputation for never telling a lie.
** On one occasion, he killed a group of musicians for failing to play the "Minute Waltz" in less than 60 seconds. The title "minute" is meant to be the adjective, not the unit of time.
** Then there was the time he said that two of his three Doombots were wired to explode. All three blow up. His response? "I never said the third one WASN'T explosive."
** He pulled the opposite trick in an issue of ComicBook/TheAvengers when he held Avengers Mansion hostage. He warned that they must not attack him because his armor was wired to a NeutronBomb that would detonate if breached. He actually ''did'' have a bomb in his armor, but he was miles away, speaking through another Doombot.
** Doom abuses this even further in ''ComicBook/TheUnbeatableSquirrelGirl''. [[MuggleBestFriend Nancy]] gets him to promise to bring Squirrel Girl back from the past. When the moment comes, Doom points out he said nothing about SG's condition and intends to deliver her dead. Nancy finds it ridiculous that a supervillain who runs a country gets out of his promises via "baby word-games".
* ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'': in an early storyline, Mr. Fantastic, Thing, and Torch are sent back in time to retrieve Blackbeard's treasure or Doctor Doom will kill Sue. Mr. Fantastic decides to dupe him, saying technically they promised to bring back the treasure ''chest'', so even if it's a chest filled with chains they've fulfilled their word.
** Doom for his part had promised Sue's safety but not the rest of the team's.
** One of Doom's more evil periods saw him trap Franklin Richards, a small child, in Hell. While holding baby Valeria, he promises Reed that he'll release his child if he surrenders. Reed agrees, and Doom promptly sets Valeria down, leaving Franklin in Hell.
* In an ''Comicbook/IronMan'' storyline, ComicBook/DoctorOctopus holds the city hostage with a nuclear bomb, just to force Tony to say he's not as smart. At the end he reveals that it's nuclear, but isn't really a bomb, and points out he always called it a "device". {{Subverted|Trope}} when a perplexed Tony says that isn't true, and Ock replies, "Who cares? ILied."
* In ''Comicbook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', Old!Loki comes from [[spoiler: a future where Asgard is perfect, but the price was that Loki returned to being a villain.]] When unable to lie, he assures the All-Mothers of this. When they ask about [[spoiler: Midgard]] he says "'Twas governed most perfectly, by my reckoning". It doesn't occur to anyone to ask what someone who ''isn't'' evil might think of it. [[spoiler: It's a dead world.]] Or to ask ''who'' governs it so most perfectly. [[spoiler:Loki is the "[[AuthorityInNameOnly King]]" of Midgard in that timeline, and what else would Loki ever judge his own rule?]] Loki is many things, but ''humble'' is not one of them.
* In its first appearance in ''Menace'' #11, the Human Robot would do ''exactly'' what it was ordered to. The business manager of the scientist who created it grew frustrated with the scientist's lack of interest in commercial applications, and ordered the robot to kill "the man in the room", which it did. The businessman then entered the room, and the robot killed him as well. It then went out into the city, looking for men in rooms...
* In one ''ComicBook/MiniMarvels'', some Skrulls take advantage of this. A policeman holding the Fantastic Four and Skrull impostors says that whoever can prove who's the real Fantastic Four will be released immediately. The Skrulls immediately admit that they're fakes and prove it by reverting to their true forms. The police officer holds to his exact words unquestioningly and lets them go.
* In ''Comicbook/NewAvengers'', ComicBook/CaptainAmerica tries to get ComicBook/BlackPanther's backing when he decides to go against Comicbook/TheIlluminati's plan to destroy another world in order to protect their own. When Cap asks if he has the Panther's support, Panther responds by saying "Have you ever known me to not do the right thing?" [[spoiler: It turns out the "right thing" in this case is siding with the Illuminati against Captain America in order to make sure Wakanda is saved, and Cap ends up being {{Mind Wipe}}d for his trouble]].
* Comicbook/ThePunisher: If you're a bad guy and Frank Castle says that in return for information or cooperation he'll "scratch your name off his list," "think about" sparing your life, or promise to let you go while on top of a tall building, you're not much longer for this world. Giving him what he wants will buy you a few minutes at most.
* When Franchise/SpiderMan is trying to come up with a plan to defeat an evil Spider-Woman (yes, ''another'' Spider-Woman) he asks a man with supposedly ultimate knowledge what can defeat her. He answers "Nothing." This Spider-Woman is a psychic vampire powered by the thoughts of others. By thinking of nothing when they fight she finds she can't feed on them and soon loses power, she is beaten ''by'' "nothing."
* The Franchise/MarvelUniverse's Comicbook/{{Thanos}} of Titan is notorious for resorting to this trope when carrying out his end of a bargain, as a way of "honoring" his word while essentially screwing over other characters. To his credit, Thanos mostly dupes villains (or other similarly shady characters), and as much as possible, honestly keeps his word when he gives it. One notable incident occurred when Thanos promised Mephisto a [[ArtifactOfDoom Cosmic Cube]] in return for his assistance. [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/7/72716/2609255-f3.jpg Upon Thanos delivering the Cube to Mephisto]]:
-->'''Mephisto:''' [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness Your demise, Titan!]] ''(holds up Cosmic Cube)''\\
'''Thanos:''' ''(unaffected)''\\
'''Mephisto:''' ''(rattles Cube with rage)'' The Cube doesn't work, Titan! YOU ''CHEATED'' ME!!\\
'''Thanos:''' I did not. Mephisto, you are already enough of a menace to the tranquility of my universe. I fulfilled ''my'' part of our agreement by delivering to you an actual Cosmic Cube. You never specified that you desired a functioning unit. [[BadassBoast Even devils should beware when bargaining with Thanos of Titan.]]
* ''ComicBook/XFactor2006'': During the "X-Cell" arc, Rictor is kidnapped and brought to Quicksilver, who tells him he can leave at any time, and Pietro won't try to stop him. He says nothing about X-Cell, who are waiting outside the door.
* ''Franchise/XMen'':
** When [[ComicBook/BlackPanther T'Challa]] attempts to recruit the Comicbook/XMen for help during the events of the ''Doomwar'' arc, Comicbook/{{Cyclops}} says that he cannot sanction X-Men involvement as it would make them look like global aggressors. However, he later confides that that doesn't mean he would stop them going of their own accord. Sure enough, {{Wolverine}}, Colossus and Nightcrawler are already packed by this stage.
** Later in the same arc, the final lock on the vibranium vault is described that "Only by purity unencumbered by pretense shall you pass". To everyone's shock Doctor Doom manages to open the lock, because he is purely committed to his goals.
** In a separate X-Men story Matsuo pays a Russian officer for the frozen body of Omega Red. Within moments of the transaction a bunch of ninjas jump out of the snow to murder the Russian and his men. His last words were "Damn you, we had a deal!" To which Matsuo responds "and I honored it to the letter. I never agreed on how long you'd enjoy it."
* Writers [[DependingOnTheWriter occasionally use this trope]] when they want to paint ComicBook/{{Galactus}}, the Devourer of Worlds, in a more positive (or at least [[AntiVillain anti-villainous]]) light. As his fearsome title implies, Galactus can only live by draining the "bio-energy" of a planet into himself, which wipes out all life in that particular world permanently. However, there's nothing that says the planet has to ''have'' life on it--bio-energy simply means that the world has the potential to support life ''at some point.'' As such, whenever heroes such as the Fantastic Four are shown helping Galactus find new worlds to eat in exchange for his help, they explicitly state that they're sending him to a planet that doesn't have any life on it at the moment, but could in the future or did in the past. Galactus himself even deliberately chose uninhabited or dying worlds early in his life, and only turned to currently-populated planets because his hunger was evolving too quickly to find others.

* Comicbook/ThePunisher: If you're a bad guy and Frank Castle says that in return for information or cooperation he'll "scratch your name off his list," you're not much longer for this world. Giving him what he wants will buy you a few minutes at most.