In "The Wrong Side," I examine comic book fights that were particularly notable in the wrong side winning (or at least that the fight wasn't won the "right" way). This really isn't a big deal, of course, as it doesn't really matter if the "wrong" person won a fight. But it's fun to talk about! Here are our past editions of the feature.

If you want to suggest a fight for future inclusion in this feature, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com. Don't suggest a fight in the comments!

Reader Steve R. wrote in with this one.

First off, as always, on the first page, we determine the power level of the people involved in this discussion to set up the fight and on the second page, we look at the fight. The way we check their power levels is usually to see how well they do when they fight Spider-Man, as he is so strong that he beat up Firelord and the X-Men, all by himself!

However, in this particular instance, the question is not really "How did Spider-Man do against the Avengers in fights?" but rather, "How did they all do against gas as a weapon?"

You will probably not be surprised to know this, as Spider-Man once beat up, like, sixteen supervillains in a single issue (after he had defeated them all with his Cosmic powers, he then beat them all again WITHOUT his cosmic powers just for the heck of it), but Spider-Man actually handles himself pretty well against knockout gas. We see him in action in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee)...

However powerful Spider-Man is, it is fair to say that he is probably more vulnerable to gas attacks than some other superheroes.

Some of those superheroes who are LESS vulnerable include Thor, like in this bit from Avengers #35 (by Kurt Busiek, John Romita Jr. and a bunch of inkers) where Thor noticeably points out how gas is not an effective attack against him...

There was a period there in the early 1970s where the Avengers were brought into outer space twice in the span of four issues. In Avengers #122 (by Steve Englehart, Bob Brown and Mike Esposito), we see that Iron Man's armor is pretty good at allowing him to breathe, even in outer space!

Three issues later, in Avengers #125 (by Englehart, John Buscema and Dave Cockrum), we see Thor is quite at ease in outer space...

and the Vision pointedly did NOT have to breathe while the other Avengers DO...

Okay, that sets things up pretty well, right?

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='On to the fight!']

Captain America #113 (by Jim Steranko, Stan Lee and Tom Palmer) is one of the most gorgeous comic books ever drawn. However, Hydra's attack on the Avengers when they are attending Captain America's funeral (he isn't really dead, of course) doesn't really work...

Even if you think that Thor wouldn't be able to just hold his breath in time or that Iron Man would get his armor cut off in time, Vision literally doesn't have to breathe! The gas should have been useless against him.

As an aside, Steve wanted me to also point out how, at the end of the issue, after Captain America has saved his paralyzed friends from Hydra, Cap just walks off without taking his friends out of the coffins that they're in...

Pretty funny observation, Steve! And a good suggestion for The Wrong Side!

If anyone else has an idea for a comic book fight that you think was resolved the "wrong" way, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!