In this feature, 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!

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

This week, based on a suggestion from reader David P (a different David P. from last week - a lot of David Ps out there, I guess), we take a look at the Swordsman kicking the West Coast Avengers' asses...

As always, the first page we look at their power levels and on the second page, we look at the fight itself.

Also, as always, we answer the age-old question - "How did they do when they fought Spider-Man?"

Sadly, Spider-Man has never fought against the Swordsman.

He also never really fought against the West Coast Avengers, but presumably he would have defeated them easily. Hell, the Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman was able to defeat Wonder Man, right?

So anyhow, in Avengers #20 (by Stan Lee, Don Heck and Wallace freakin' Wood!), Swordsman is given a new fancy sword by the Mandarin and they trick the Avengers into letting Swordsman join the team through faking a message from Iron Man (I like that they are SORT of making fun of their own lax security, where Iron Man is just like, "Yeah, I think this old villain of mine, Hawkeye, would be a good Avenger" and everyone is like, "Sure, sounds reasonable").

Swordsman, though, has more honor than the Mandarin, but his honor puts him into conflict with the Avengers (Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye and Quicksilver)...









Swordsman holds his own pretty well, really. But now take out Captain America and replace him with the Vision. Take out Quicksilver and replace him with Wonder Man. Take out Scarlet Witch and replace her with Mantis. Take out young Hawkeye and replace him with "I don't care that my wife was raped, she should have done everything in her power to save her rapist when he fell off of a cliff" Hawkeye. Swordsman should do WORSE in such a scenario, right?

Well, wait until you see how he does in West Coast Avengers #39 (by Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom)...

Note that the Swordsman in this story is a re-animated version of the Swordsman by the alien Cotati. However, the alien Cotati just literally re-animated his body. They didn't give him super strength or anything like that. This is all based on how powerful his sword is, and, well, I don't think his sword is THIS powerful...











(How lame is Wonder Man that he needs two separate stories to get over his fear of death? "See: Every other damn issue as Wonder Man is just so whiney)



As it turns out, Mantis was ALSO a cotati simulacrum, which was all the Swordsman wanted to prove. So he gave up right after stabbing her. But to do so, he kicked the West Coast Avengers' ass. They even had him all pinned down and he just punked them all!!

Okay, that's it for this fight! Thanks, David, for the suggestion! Everyone, feel free to suggest future ideas to me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com!