Nightcrawler’s swordsmanship was properly recognized in the original 1988 Excalibur series, written by Chris Claremont, with art by Alan Davis. Excalibur, as its namesake may suggest ...
Earlier Excalibur runs, predating Nightcrawler's proper pirate evolution, saw artists like Alan Davis and Paul Neary gradually incorporate swashbuckling style into Kurt's combat sequences.