History NobleDemon / ComicBooks

* Princess Lucinda from the reboot of ''ComicBook/WitchGirlsTales'', '''so''' much. She has quite a sadistic side and a reputation as an evil princess... but for all her loudly-proclaimed villainy, she almost ''always'' seems to end up on the side of good, despite her rather NightmareFuel-riffic methods -- even by the standards of the setting, which is loaded with BodyHorror transformations and remarkably casual murder. It's actually ''{{lampshade|Hanging}}d'' in one side comic, where it's noticed that unicorns will approach her, despite supposedly being amazing judges of character that never approach anyone evil. When someone suggests that this means she's just ''acting'' evil, she turns them into a frog for it.

* In ''ComicBook/WarlordOfMars'', Joshua Clark differs from many previous villains, that while a ruthless man driven by revenge, he has a wicked sense of honor; he is willing to show mercy to Dejah if she tells where is her husband, and not once tries to force himself on her. While he orders her execution when she attempts to escape and is unwilling to comply, he clearly laments being forced to do so. In the final duel between him an Carter, he declares that if Carter wins, then Clark's armada will abandon Barsoom's conquest and leave their world alone.

* Princess Lucinda from the reboot of ''ComicBook/WitchGirlsTales'', '''so''' much. She has quite a sadistic side and a reputation as an evil princess... but for all her loudly-proclaimed villainy, she almost ''always'' seems to end up on the side of good, despite her rather NightmareFuel-riffic methods -- even by the standards of the setting, which is loaded with BodyHorror transformations and remarkably casual murder. It's actually ''{{lampshade|Hanging}}d'' in one side comic, where it's noticed that unicorns will approach her, despite supposedly being amazing judges of character that never approach anyone evil. When someone suggests that this means she's just ''acting'' evil, she turns them into a frog for it.

* ComicBook/TheKingpin, archenemy of {{ComicBook/Daredevil}}. He's an unabashed crime lord who will ruthlessly eliminate people who hinder his operation. However he almost always keeps his promises, has a fairly strict code of honor, genuinely cares for his friends and family, and treats his underlings well as long as they pull their weight and don't try to backstab him. He actually has a fair amount of respect for Daredevil, if only because Matt so strongly adheres to his convictions. In this regard Kingpin is often contrasted with Daredevil's other archenemy Bullseye, a BloodKnight who commits evil for the fun of it.

* Another literal example was the Straw Man, a scarecrow-like demon and one of the Fear Lords: a group of demons who could feed on fear and conspired to conquer and rule the Earth. (The most notorious of them was Nightmare.) The Straw Man eventually double-crossed the others, aiding Comicbook/DoctorStrange to oppose Nightmare. (The reason behind this shift in allegiance isn't known, but it may have been part of its stated goal of taking vengeance upon a group called the Cult of Kalumai.)
* DependingOnTheWriter, this is either played straight or occasionally subverted with ComicBook/DoctorDoom. In the latter, he acts like he has a sense of honor, but will do anything to achieve his goals, up to and including sacrificing a woman who loved him to a demon. In the former, [[IGaveMyWord Doom is a man of his word]], and keeps his promises, ''even to his enemies''. For example, when talking with Franchise/SpiderMan after the latter has assisted Doom in dealing with an assassination attempt, he told Spider-Man that he would repay him for saving his life one day, and when he rejected the offer, Doom stated that he immediately repaid the debt by ''not'' killing him for his ingratitude. It is not surprising then that he does make few promises, or that he [[ExactWords very carefully words]] those promises which he does make.
* This could be said of [[Franchise/TheFlash The Rogues]] because they have a code of "ethics" that they live by and consider themselves above killing women and children. Captain Cold is a particular stand out in this regard. This is also the reason they generally keep to themselves and don't work with [[LegionOfDoom the Secret Society]]; they're so stubborn and honor-bound that more amoral villains like Lex Luthor can't manipulate them, and instead alienate them by proposing schemes that none of the Rogues can stomach.
* ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'''s succubus Chantinelle (Ellie) is less noble than extraordinarily unlucky. Having tried to seduce an angel and succeeded, she fell in love with him and bore his child, leading to his demise at the hands of other angels and her exile from Hell. John Constantine notes that she's not a bad sort considering what she actually is, to which she replies, "I don't think so, John...I think I'm just polite."

* ComicBook/{{Magneto}} may very well define this category, at least when he's on the Heel side of his HeelFaceRevolvingDoor. He only wants to protect his people and sees a war between mutants and humans as inevitable so he wants to strike first. He may even have a point or two about this, he just can't resist going several steps too far.
** Magneto's subordinate Exodus also fits this description, being a centuries-old KnightTemplar from the crusades indoctrinated into Magneto's beliefs of mutant supremacy. He sees himself as a knight in Magneto's service and fervently believes in his cause, but his medieval moral code combined with episodes of WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity have led him to take actions in the name of mutantkind that even Magneto condemned.

* Creator/NeilGaiman often writes to this trope. Denizens from Hell can often be bargained with (after all, being a demon is all about lying, backstabbing, betrayal, and personal gain) or reasoned with, and frequently have a code of honor by which they will abide, to the extent of helping out a protagonist. Lucifer in the earlier [[Comicbook/TheSandman Sandman]] arcs is particularly representative of this trope.
* The ComicBook/SecretSix sometimes fall into this, though it's usually more a case of punishing the evil (with torture) than saving the good. One of the best examples is Deadshot's revenge mission to a North Korean political prison.
* Franchise/SpiderMan's RoguesGallery consists of a few.
** A literal example is Demogoblin, who was created due to a curse placed on the second Hobgoblin, who had previously made a DealWithTheDevil. Through most of his career, the Demogoblin acted like a SinisterMinister, killing people who he believed were sinners, which usually included many {{Innocent Bystander}}s. ''However'', in a battle with the actual Hobgoblin, he made a HeroicSacrifice to save an innocent child who the Hobgoblin had deliberately put in harm's way, dying in the process. This made Spider-Man more disgusted with the Hobgoblin than he ever had been; in the end, the demon who his wickedness had spawned had been nobler than he had been.
** The Sandman is often portrayed as rather heroic despite being a villain. He has a moral code and is not above teaming up with Spider-Man if the situation requires it.
** {{ComicBook/Venom}}. He may be a violent psychopath determined to destroy Spider-Man and anyone who gets in the way of that goal, but he always tries to avoid hurting innocents and tends to go out of his way to protect them. This is because, in Brock's delusional mind, he's the hero of the people and Spider-Man is the monster that New York needs to be saved from.
* Namor the ComicBook/SubMariner retains his nobility the times he passes the FaceHeelRevolvingDoor between AntiVillain and AntiHero. He's fully smitten with Sue, but respects her choice and seeks to legitimately win her heart.
* This is the common characterization for ComicBook/{{Thanos}} the Mad Titan of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse, post-''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet''.