Last summer I mentioned that I was working on a different type of Silver-Age challenge, one that I would present in a different format. I worked toward that, but got overcome by life events, as those of you who've read my personal posts can imagine. The biggest hurdle is that the new format is graphic-heavy, and I just didn't find the time to work that out. Maybe next year.
But to those of you who look forward to my annual offering, never fear. I had a store of various regular-quiz-type questions on hand. Not categorised. No underlying theme. Just questions that I hadn't found a ready place to use them. You might call them leftovers.
As such, this year's quiz will include posers from both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Otherwise, the rules remain the same. As always, for the benefit of those who may be tackling my challenge for the first time, I'll go over those rules. (You veterans skip this part, I'm sure.)
■ All of the questions and answers are drawn from Silver-Age material. In the case of this quiz, that means anything DC or Marvel Comics-related produced from July, 1956 (the month Showcase # 4 hit the stands) until the end of 1968, which I demark as the end of the Silver Age. If your answer comes from outside that period, then it is invalid. For example, if I were to ask “What was the first name of Professor Erdel, who brought J’onn J’onzz to Earth?”, and you answered with “Saul”, you would be wrong. In that first Silver-Age story, the professor’s first name was “Mark”. “Saul” was a post-Crisis revision.
Fair warning: forgetting the Silver-Age limitation has been the biggest reason that folks have gotten a question wrong.
■ I’m definitely not infallible, also something to which the veteran players here will attest. I easily might have missed something, somewhere, in those twelve years of Silver-Age publication. If you come up with an answer that meets the criteria of the question and can cite the Silver-Age reference, then I’ll gladly award you credit for a correct response. “But I always thought . . .” explanations won’t cut it, though.
■ I’ve got no problem with anybody using a search engine to look for answers. That’s why I try to make my questions as Google-proof as possible. The right answers to my quiz-questions are difficult to find with a search engine, though I cannot say impossible. At least once, I tripped myself up when an article that I had written for another site contained the answer to a question from that year’s challenge, and one of the players found it.
■ Lastly, there are no prizes, not even a No-Prize. You’re playing for bragging rights.
O.K., you old pros can come back, now. We're ready to go. As always, I'll start off with a lob . . .
1. Per the Legion Constitution, the Legion of Super-Heroes leader is answerable to only one official. Who?
2. Doctor Strange's cloak of levitation wasn't just a fashion choice. How did he obtain it?
3. During the brief time that Johnny Storm was a student at Metro College, who held the college football team's record for the most touchdown passes?
4. Who considered Hal Jordan as his best friend while in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict?
5. Who was the first Legionnaire expelled from the Legion of Super-Heroes?
6. What World War I ace in the DC universe was recognisable in the skies by his signature coal-black Spad?
7. What was the highest U.S. Army rank, specifically, did the Howlers' old World War II C.O., Sam Sawyer, hold during the Silver Age?
8. Who was the valedictorian of the S.H.I.E.L.D. academy class of 1966?
9. Who finally repaired Professor Erdel's robot brain that brought J'onn J'onzz to Earth and enabled the Manhunter to return to Mars?
10. Who was the first person projected into the Phantom Zone by Jor-El?
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There you go, gang---have at it, and good luck!
Replies
Baron and doc, thank you for the words of support. I'm glad to know you're out there reading this, if not responding.
Mr. Sherman, I appreciate your comments on the accuracy of my information (and of my attitude toward sharing it). From time to time, I'll Google "Commander Benson Silver Age" or something like it. (I actually get an AI report on me and the Deck Log, now.) I don't see this often, but it's a bit of a treat when I see someone quote, with attributation, something I've written to answer someone's question or to provide information. Or someone stating that I'm an expert in the field. I don't deserve that appelation; Craig Shutt is the real expert on the Silver Age. I just happen to remember minute details.
As far as this quiz goes, I was hoping for more participation, as there are more than the usual number of tough questions. And there's one very big "Wow! I didn't know that!" poser. Even so, my money was on all of the answers found---that's how sharp you players have been.
I saw your comment yesterday, Commander. I should have responded then. I never miss your Deck Logs, including the quizzes. I just drew a complete blank this time.
Very much enjoying the quiz and the responses. I don't have much to add at this point, although I hope I did nudge us a bit closer to the correct answer for #6.
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