I am writing a research paper on the influence comic books
have had on our society.

I have to give a presentation to the class later this week.

I wanted to give them a quiz to prove just how much of an
affect comics have had on the lives of even non-comic readers.

I need your help coming up with a few questions.

I don't want to make it just a super hero quiz, but I'm affraid that
is what I know best.

Example Question:
Superman stands for:
a) liberty and justice for all.
b) truth, justice and the American way.
c) life, liberty and the persuit of hapiness.
d) eat drink and be merry.

I'm not sure I even like that question, but I think you get the idea.

I want to keep them fairly easy, for those who have never
picked up a comic book.

Please, help me come up with some questions.

So you're trying to figure out how much comics have penetrated (thank you, Geoff) every-day society? How much non-comic-book-readers know about comic book characters? Or something else?

In addition to working on this quiz, you might try going to Barnes & Nobles/Borders/any big book store and going to their "comic books" section. They will probably have some books about the history of comics or other such topics.

Try picking up a copy of 'Understanding Comics' by Scott McCloud.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...502896-0004809

He has some good ideas on how we've been reading comics since heiroglyphics were invented in ancient egypt.

Sample Questions:

1. Can you name three comic book heros that have been made into movies?

2. Can you name three character's in the Justice League?

3. Can you name three characters that have the ability to fly?

4. Can you name two xmen that didn't appear in the xman movie?

idea: look up any songs that talk about superman.

Is that the type of questions that you were looking for???

1. What comic book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992?
a. Maus by Art Spiegelman
b. Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
c. Palestine by Joe Sacco
d. Spider-Man #1 by Todd McFarlane

2. What 80s band took its name from a popular alternative comic book?
a. Love & Rockets
b. The Cure
c. Depeche Mode
d. The New Kids on the Block

3. Which of these films was not directly based on a comic book?
a. Independence Day
b. Men in Black
c. From Hell
d. Batman

4. George Lucas drew on which series of comic books as partial inspiration for his Star Wars saga?
a. Jack Kirby's New Gods
b. Will Eisner's Spirit
c. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman
d. Rob Liefeld's Youngblood

5. Which Supreme Court Justice is a fan of comic book character such as the Rawhide Kid and Icon?
a. Clarence Thomas
b. Sandra Day O'Connor
c. William Rehnquist
d. Antonin Scalia

In all cases, the correct answer is "a," while "d" is a ridiuclous or easy answer (except for number 5, where all the answers are ridiculous, but a is actually true!)

I think there's a book out there that delves into this subject...a book not unlike the one mentioned here already...can't think of the name though...sorry.

So far, some great questions!

Unfortunately, I do not have much time to buy a book.
Which is why i came to you guys!

Keep the suggestions coming!!!

Funny you should mention that. Clarence Thomas is a fan of the comic book company Milestone Publishing, which is black-owned and published(s) books with black characters. The founder of Milestone, Dwayne McDuffie, who also wrote the books that Thomas was a fan of, is a staff columnist on my site. On his site at http://www.dwaynemcduffie.com he has an older column that talks about when Thomas called him up.

-Brian

Yup. That's where I first learned of Hizzoner's secret hobby. Dwayne's a great writer, and I love his columns. I'm not sure I've checked them out since he left .... geez, I've forgotten the name of the site -- the one Randy Landner and Don MacPherson used to run. Your site is Slushfactory, right? I think I'll check it out.

Editted to add: Duh. It's in Brian's .sig. Nice site. I'll try to check it out more often. These days, it seems the only comics sites I check on with any regularity are Newsarama and Rich Johnston's rumo(u)r column.

It would be nice if you mentioned the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund too.

Also, McFarlane things like that lawsuit with that hockey player and how he bought that baseball, and most recently, which hasn't really been in mainstream news I don't think, his battle with Neil Gaiman over Miracleman rights.

Don't forget to mentioned J. M. Straczynski (Babylon 5 guy) and Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, etc etc). Neil Gaiman would also be worth mentioning I would say, since he writes novels and scripts I believe, also I think he was the one that wrote the English script for Princess Mononoke (correct?).

Seinfeld is a Superman fan and I think I heard that Jay Leno is a Spider-Man fan.

-Spooon69

Maybe I should send you the paper that I did a few years ago on "High Art vs. Low Art: The Effect of Sequentional Art on Popular Art in the 20th Century"... you know the one for that graduate seminar class I took.

IM me sometime tonight and we'll talk...

... by the way, how long have you had to work on this?!