History NoSell / ComicBooks

** When fighting ComicBook/ThePunisher, it had absolutely no effect. [[IRegretNothing Frank has no regret whatsoever]] [[KickTheSonOfABitch for the sons of bitches that he's killed.]]

* In ''ComicBook/TheAutumnlandsToothAndClaw'', Sandorst fires a big, stunning spell at the great champion which is completely ineffective.

** ''ComicBook/Robin1993'': Tim Drake ''fakes'' not being affected by Johnny Warlock's life draining power to great effect since Johnny had already half convinced himself Robin was immune to his powers when Tim took advantage of Johnny overusing them to the point of weakness to beat him near to death on a previous occasion. As he controls his magic with his mind the fact that he is now convinced he can't hurt Robin with his magic means that he ''actually can't''.

* ComicBook/BlackBolt is immune to Maximus' mind-control powers. Well, usually. If he starts to feel doubt, Maximus can get in there, and like any sibling, Maximus is good at getting into his brother's head.

* One issue of ''ComicBook/TheFantasticFour'' has Dr. Doom capture Zebediah Kilgrave, aka the Purple Man, who has MindControl powers that work on everyone. Kilgrave snaps that Doom's so-called immunity to his ability is because of the electronics in the mask he wears, and claims that he should be ruling the world, not the doctor. Doom, taking this as a challenge, removes the mask and strides right up to Kilgrave's holding cell. The Purple Man tries all manner of commands...and ''nothing happens.''

* The ''ComicBook/ForgottenRealms'' comics had a brief demonstration of magic immunity and circumvention thereof. It ran thusly:

* ComicBook/GhostRider's [[MindRape Penance Stare]], which makes anyone who experiences it feel intense pain if they have even a shred of regret for what they've done, is one of his most dangerous powers. Sometimes, it's had no effect on its targets:

* In ''ComicBook/InvincibleIronMan2022'', Tony Stark has fashioned a rod out of [[MadeOfUnobtainium mysterium]] and recruits a few heroes to test it out. ComicBook/CaptainMarvel can't bend it at all, ComicBook/DoctorStrange's strongest spells have no effect and ComicBook/SpiderMan's iconic SpiderSense is useless against it.

* Scarecrow also once tried using his fear toxin on Joker. Joker took it without flinching and proceeded to beat up Scarecrow with a chair. Whether this is due to Joker's messed-up biology or messed-up mind is up for debate.
* When written right, this is what makes the Juggernaut such a fearsome foe -- with power of Cyttorak, he becomes the unstoppable force the moment he starts moving. This is why, especially in the early days, everyone made a scramble to remove his helmet and hit him with a psychic blast as nothing else worked. Among the things he has been hit by without budging an inch have been a tanker truck full of fuel ([[MolotovTruck which naturally exploded on impact]]), Cannonball flying full tilt at him ''twice'', Thor throwing his hammer at him, and once even a full strength punch from Rogue which was so powerful the resulting shockwave shattered the windows on the surrounding street.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Lucifer}}'', one of the titular Lucifer's old roles is ''lighting the stars'' (this name means light-bringer, after all). Somebody tries to use fire against him... that works about as well as you'd expect, and they get a scathing remark for their trouble.

* In his first appearance in ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'', the Saint of Killers No-Sold a pick-up truck being driven into him at high speed (the bodywork just crumpled around him). He was similarly dismissive of dozens of cops and soldiers repeatedly shooting him and attacking him. It really gets turned up to eleven in the sixth volume when he shrugs off direct hits from tanks rounds, and shortly afterward he topped even this, by No-Selling [[spoiler:a nuclear warhead to the face]].

* In one issue of ''ComicBook/ScoobyDooTeamUp'' featuring the WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}, [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Sinestro]] tries using his Yellow Power Ring, which is [[IKnowWhatYouFear fueled by fear]], on Mystery Inc. But when he tries to attack, his energy constructs take the shape of a hamburger -- and then the Power Ring flies off his hand and attaches to ''Shaggy's'', as it's sensed that he has the power to generate more fear than Sinestro. The alien [[ThisCannotBe declares this impossible]], and wonders who on Earth Shaggy and Scooby -- [[LovableCoward Lovable Cowards]] to the extreme -- could possibly scare enough to justify wielding a Yellow Power Ring. Shaggy happily informs Sinestro that he and Scooby scare ''themselves'' silly on a daily basis!

* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'': Trauma's fear based shapeshifting powers failed when he tried to use them against ComicBook/NormanOsborn and ComicBook/TheHood because the source of the Hood's power, the Dread Demon Dormammu, has a ceasefire agreement with the source of Trauma's power, his own father the dream demon Nightmare. Trauma once tried to use his powers against Hulk, transforming into the Abomination, into the Juggernaut, into Brian Banner, and even [[EnemyWithin Bruce Banner]], none of them even giving the Hulk pause. When questioned as to why he was immune, Hulk put it simply; he has no fear.

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': Mutant siblings (or other close relatives) are sometimes unaffected by each other's abilities. Sometimes even when that would make no physical sense. However, the best-known case is Cyclops and Havok, where it does make sense -- they blast similar types of energy, so it's harmlessly absorbed by the other. If someone's body is overflowing with a certain kind of energy 24/7, you can expect them to NoSell your own blast of basically the same stuff every time.

** In ''ComicBook/ActionComics #242: The Super-Duel in Space'', the first battle with ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} had Superman the victim of this trope. Thanks to the villain's forcefield, nothing Superman could throw bothered him, or his ship. Superman even tried throwing chunks of an asteroid the size of islands to no avail.

* In ''ComicBook/InvincibileIronMan2022'', Tony Stark has fashioned a rod out of [[MadeOfUnobtainium mysterium]] and recruits a few heroes to test it out. ComicBook/CaptainMarvel can't bend it at all, ComicBook/DoctorStrange's strongest spells have no effect and ComicBook/SpiderMan's iconic SpiderSense is useless against it.

** ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroesBugsBunnySpecial'': Computo 2 disables the Legion by psychologically fueling their angst, which makes them easy pickings for Validus' mental attack. When he tries it on Bugs Bunny, though, Bugs only pretends to be affected by one minute before backhand Computo into a wall, cheerfully declaring that he is looney enough to be immune to angst attacks.

* The fight scenes in ''ComicBook/TheInfinityGauntlet'' can pretty much all be summed up as "ComicBook/{{Thanos}} no-sells everything used against him" whether that's [[WolverineClaws Wolverine's claws]] or a Celestial throwing entire planets.

* The classic ''Spider-Man vs Wolverine'' comic ends with Spidey fighting ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} in an East German graveyard. Spider-Man is legitimately pissed off, and trying to pummel Wolverine, but: "I'm hitting him hard enough to ''wreck cars''... and I can't get him to stop ''smiling.''"

** In ''Action Comics #286'' ComicBook/LexLuthor shot at her with a machine gun even though he should know better than anybody how tough Kryptonians are. Naturally, she stood still while the bullets bounced off. This situation is inverted in an early Post-Crisis battle when the newly arrived Kara picks a fight with Luthor and discovers his [[PoweredArmour warsuit]] will simply shrug off anything she throws at it.

** ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfLuthor'': When Lex Luthor's big cannon hits but fails to harm Supergirl, Lex and his gang realize she is not a Superman-built hoax but a real Kryptonian.
--->'''Crook:''' ''"You electronically moved aside those fake rocks, and made the buried big gun blast away at her! B-but the bursting shells aren't harming her!"''

* ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' story ''ComicBook/RiseOfTheThirdArmy'' provides one example: Due to being made from Oan flesh, Green Lantern Ring capabilities, at least from that specific type of Lantern, are completely ineffective against the Third Army.

* In one issue of ''ComicBook/ScoobyDooTeamUp'' featuring the WesternAnimation/{{Superfriends}}, [[Franchise/GreenLantern Sinestro]] tries using his Yellow Power Ring, which is [[IKnowWhatYouFear fueled by fear]], on Mystery Inc. But when he tries to attack, his energy constructs take the shape of a hamburger -- and then the Power Ring flies off his hand and attaches to ''Shaggy's'', as it's sensed that he has the power to generate more fear than Sinestro. The alien [[ThisCannotBe declares this impossible]], and wonders who on Earth Shaggy and Scooby -- [[LovableCoward Lovable Cowards]] to the extreme -- could possibly scare enough to justify wielding a Yellow Power Ring. Shaggy happily informs Sinestro that he and Scooby scare ''themselves'' silly on a daily basis!

* In the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' story ''ComicBook/GoDownSwinging'', the Green Goblin has merged with the Carnage symbiote, becoming the Red Goblin, who has broken Spider-Man's leg and forced him to give up superheroism. Spidey, naturally, decides to call in his friends to stop the Goblin's current scheme. First on the scene are the ComicBook/HumanTorch and Clash, each of whom uses powers to which symbiotes are [[{{Achilles Heel}} vulnerable]]. The pair unleash simultaneous fire and sonic attacks... and the Red Goblin is completely unaffected thanks to being full of Goblin Serum.
* The tactic itself is discussed in a Tangled Web of Franchise/SpiderMan story starring Crusher Hogan, the wrestler who Peter Parker beat when he first got his powers. Hogan, a shooter, is unhappy with his opponent no-selling his hits for the crowd and threatens to break his arms if it keeps happening.

** In ''ComicBook/WarWorld'', Pre-Crisis Superman punches ''Comicbook/TheSpectre'' in the stomach. The Spectre doesn't care. Superman hits him with his full might. The sheer force of the blow makes the nearby cliffs tremble and demolishes the ground beneath his feet. The Spectre doesn't even flinch.

** In ''Action Comics #286'' Comicbook/LexLuthor shot at her with a machine gun even though he should know better than anybody how tough Kryptonians are. Naturally, she stood still while the bullets bounced off. This situation is inverted in an early Post-Crisis battle when the newly arrived Kara picks a fight with Luthor and discovers his [[PoweredArmour warsuit]] will simply shrug off anything she throws at it.

** In ''ComicBook/TheSupergirlFromKrypton2004'', Franchise/WonderWoman's bracelets deflect Supergirl's heat vision and later Darkseid's Omega Beams.

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'':

* ''Franchise/XMen'': Mutant siblings (or other close relatives) are sometimes unaffected by each other's abilities. Sometimes even when that would make no physical sense. However, the best-known case is Cyclops and Havok, where it does make sense -- they blast similar types of energy, so it's harmlessly absorbed by the other. If someone's body is overflowing with a certain kind of energy 24/7, you can expect them to NoSell your own blast of basically the same stuff every time.

* When written right, this is what makes the Juggernaut such a fearsome foe -- with power of Cyttorak, he becomes the unstoppable force the moment he starts moving. This is why, especially in the early days, everyone made a scramble to remove his helmet and hit him with a psychic blast as nothing else worked. Among the things he has been hit by without budging an inch have been a tanker truck full of fuel ([[MolotovTruck which naturally exploded on impact]]), Cannonball flying full tilt at him ''twice'', and Thor throwing his hammer at him.

** Creator/JimShooter's "ComicBook/SupermanAndSpiderMan" presents a [[http://www.megomuseum.com/mmgallery/showimage.php?i=19435&c=3 Superman/Hulk fight]] which provides a variation. The Big S is no-selling The Big Green Guy's punches -- ''at first.'' However, longtime fans of both recognize a [[HulkingOut growing]] [[UnstoppableRage flaw]] in this plan.

** He attempted this on ComicBook/{{Venom}} and ComicBook/{{Carnage}} and had the effect shoved back on ''him''.

** "ComicBook/ThoseEmeraldEyesAreShining": When one fighter space-jet is coming right at Brainiac 5, Querl Dox simply stands still and lets the Blitzer ship crashing into his indestructible force field and explode harmlessly.