Arts & Entertainment

QUIZ

Man In Tights

Test your knowledge of Superman

By Sean Monkman
Red boots. Blue tights. A flowing red cape. A distinctive curl of hair. And an S emblazoned on his chest. Superman is one of the world's most recognizable and beloved superheroes. He started in 1938 as a comic-book character, before branching out to star in a popular radio program in the '40s and a successful live-action TV series in the '50s. The 1978 Hollywood blockbuster Superman brought his incredible array of powers to an entirely new audience. A few wobbles in the latter half of the four-picture franchise may have disappointed some fans, but after 19 years, they're hotly anticipating the Man of Steel's big-screen comeback. Superman Returns takes flight June 28. 

1. What connection does Superman have to Canada?
His Fortress of Solitude is located south of Yellowknife
His co-creator, artist Joe Shuster, was from Toronto
His adoptive Earth parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, lived outside of Portage la Prairie, Man.
Each of the actors (Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain) who has portrayed Superman on TV and in the movies has been Canadian
He was the first person to appear on a Canadian postage stamp
2. Which of the following abilities did Superman not have, at least according to his first comic-book appearance?
Was able to leap 1/8th of a mile
Could hurdle a 20-storey building
Could raise tremendous weights
Could run faster than an express train
Could calculate the value of pi to one trillion digits
3. Considered the most valuable comic book in existence, which of the following comics featured Superman's debut?
Superman No. 1
Action Comics No. 1
Marvel Comics No. 1
All-American Comics No. 16
Detective Comics No. 27
4. Surviving fragments of Superman's home planet of Krypton are known as kryptonite. The substance's effects are determined by its colour. Which one of the following shades of kryptonite is bogus?
Green kryptonite — causes physical pain and debilitation and is potentially fatal
Red kryptonite — has bizarre and unpredictable effects that have included rapid aging, growing an extra set of arms, clumsiness and memory loss
Gold kryptonite — permanently removes a Kryptonian's superpowers
White kryptonite — harmful only to plant life
Ecru kryptonite — changes Superman's uniform into a button-up shirt and a sensible pair of khakis
5. What is Superman's birth name?
Kal-El
Ex-El
Reb-El
Randal-El
Larry
6. Which one of the following big-name actors has not had a role in a Superman film?
Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor, Metropolis's resident evil mastermind)
Terence Stamp (General Zod, Kryptonian supercriminal)
Richard Pryor (Gus Gorman, computer hacker)
Marlon Brando (Jor-El, Superman's father)
Richard Burton (Alfred, the butler)
7. What titular adversary did Superman face when he made his big-screen debut in the 1951 feature Superman and ______?
Brainiac
Mr. Mxyzptlk
Lex Luthor
The Mole Men
Bizarro Superman
8. Which of the following superpowers do Superman's eyes not have?
Heat vision — can shoot hot rays from his eyes
X-ray vision — can see through most materials except lead
Microscopic vision — can see things to incredibly small detail
Telescopic vision — can see things at a great distance
Strict supervision — can get lazy people to return to work just by glancing at them
9. What is the main source of Superman's powers?
His red and blue super suit
Earth's yellow sun
A mutation caused by Earth's magnetic field
His genetically engineered super-Kryptonian self
Spinach
10. Of the following women, which one has not been romantically linked to either Superman or his regular guy alter-ego, Clark Kent?
Lana Lang, Clark Kent's first love
Lois Lane, co-worker who loves Superman and only tolerates Clark Kent
Lara Croft, adventurer and heroine in her own right
Catherine Grant, Daily Planet gossip columnist who has the hots for Clark
Lori Lemaris, mermaid from Atlantis whom Superman proposed to while in college

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