1. Tommy Lee Jones played district attorney Harvey Dent, better known as the
acid-scarred villain Two-Face, in the film "Batman Forever." But who
played the character in the first Batman film?
Correct
The correct answer is D. Trick question! It’s true that Billy Dee Williams
did play Harvey Dent in the Batman film starring Michael Keaton which kicked
off a series of sequels. But that wasn’t the first Batman film! That would
be the 1966 movie made to capitalize on the popularity of the Adam West TV show
-- and the villains in that movie were the Joker, the Riddler, Catwoman and
the Penguin. Two-Face wasn’t even mentioned. Technically, perhaps, the
first Batman film was the 1949 serial which was later re-edited into a full-length
feature — interestingly, that series introduced both the Batcave and the
now-familiar look of Alfred Pennyworth, Batman’s butler.
2. What exactly are Batman’s superpowers?
Correct
The correct answer is C. Most superheroes are aliens (Superman), mutants (the
X-Men), or people who have acquired freakish, near-supernatural abilities (Spider-Man,
The Flash). But Batman is nearly unique in that his success in fighting crime
comes entirely from his obsessive drive, his years of training, his detective
skill and his massive, inherited fortune. As such, he’s an inspiration
to us common folk, because in theory, any of us could become Batman, as long
as we were crazy, rich, combat-trained geniuses with permanent chips on our
shoulders.
3. Batman has led a very tumultuous life. He’s witnessed the murder of
his parents, dealt with the death of one of his Robins, shepherded his city
through a devastating earthquake and plague, and much more. But what pivotal
event in Batman’s life occurred in the story "The Case of the Chemical
Syndicate"?
A. He had his first meeting with the The Joker, the villain who would become
his worst nemesis is not correct.
The correct answer is C. “Chemical Syndicate,” by Bob Kane and Bill
Finger, was a six-page story in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939.
4. Dr. Jonathan Crane, who also poses a threat to Gotham City in "Batman
Begins" in his identity as the villainous Scarecrow, is a psychiatrist
at Gotham’s infamous Arkham Asylum. Which horror writer’s works
are homaged in Arkham’s name?
The correct answer is D. The fictional town of Arkham, Massachusetts was a setting
in a number of Lovecraft stories, including “Herbert West — Re-Animator”
and “The Dunwich Horror.”
5. Although she does not appear in the film, "Batman Begins" villain
Ra’s Al Ghul has a daughter whose attraction to Batman often wars with
her loyalty to her father. What is her name?
The correct answer is A. Despite his status as a world-spanning supervillain,
Ra’s approves of the romance between Talia and Bruce Wayne, and has stated
several times that he would like to see Batman marry his daughter and take over
his empire.
6. Commissioner Gordon has just released an all-points bulletin to the entire
Gotham City police force: Oswald Cobblepot, Jarvis Tetch, Kirk Langstrom, Waylon
Jones, and Preston Payne have escaped! These recurrent foes of Batman must be
caught and brought back to justice — but first, you have to figure out
who they are. By what nicknames are these men better known?
The correct answer is C. All the other names mentioned are also part of Batman’s
infamous Rogue’s Gallery.
7. What do Jean Paul Valley and Terry McGinnis have in common?
The correct answer is D. Jean Paul Valley, also known as the vigilante Azrael,
briefly took over the position of Batman when Bruce Wayne’s back was broken
by the villain Bane. And decades into the future, according to the "Batman
Beyond" TV series, the aging and wheelchair-bound Wayne handed over the
reins to McGinnis.
8. In the comic books, on the night that Bruce Wayne’s parents are killed
by a mugger, the family goes to see a film. Which one?
The correct answer is B. The choice of movie was a deliberate homage on the
part of Batman creator Bob Kane, who wanted to acknowledge the influence of
the character of Zorro on his own development of Batman. ("Batman Begins,"
by the way, alters this part of the story a little bit.)
9. Batman and many of the most popular characters in the DC Comics stable were
teamed together in a string of 1970s children’s cartoon series. In "The
Challenge Of The Super Friends," the heroes regularly faced off against
an evil society consisting of their most prominent adversaries. What was that
evil society called?
The correct answer is A. The Legion’s roster included Superman villains
Lex Luthor, Bizarro and Brainiac; Flash nemeses Captain Cold and Gorilla Grodd;
and Batman foes Riddler and Scarecrow.
10. Batman is well-known for his sidekick, the “boy wonder” assistant
crimefighter known as Robin. Over the years, the role has been held by three
different people. The current Robin, Tim Drake, took over after Jason Todd,
the second Robin, was killed by the Joker. (Or was he? In recent comics, Jason
has returned as a reborn Batman villain — but we digress.) What happened
to the first Robin, Dick Grayson?
The correct answer is C. Nightwing patrols Bludhaven, a crime-ridden metropolis
near Gotham City, and still works with Batman every now and then.
11. "Batman Begins" director Christopher Nolan’s first big hit
was the crime thriller "Memento," which was told in a unique way in
order to simulate the disoriented mental state of the main character, Leonard
Shelby. What was it?
The correct answer is C. The reverse storytelling was done to simulate Leonard’s
disorienting inability to form new memories, caused by a head injury.
12. Gotham City is notable for features such as Miller Harbor, Kane Memorial
Bridge and the Aparo Expressway. Who are these named for?
The correct answer is D. Gotham is filled with structures and geographic landmarks
named for writers and artist who have worked on Batman comics, of whom Bob Kane,
Frank Miller and Jim Aparo are among the most notable. Kane created Batman;
Aparo worked on Batman stories for DC from the 1970s to the 1990s; and Miller
is most well-known for his gritty revisionist take on the character, "The
Dark Knight Returns."