COMIC STRIP AND GRAPHIC NOVEL QUIZ

The term Graphic Novel is hotly debated, so for this quiz it, and the word comic, simply refer to stories or short strips that use visuals to aid the storytelling. So, yes, the paintings that adorn many church walls depicting the life of Jesus and others are indeed comics, and as such an extremely powerful method to convey the story to the illiterate. Try your hand at guessing the comics and related topics in the following questions. Answer correctly and you’re in the running to win a 30-euro (or equivalent) gift certificate from Amazon. Deadline Sept. 30, 2026

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1. An early example of a story told through images and text depicts the lead-up to a battle fought in England and contains gory details of the battle itself. Name the battle.

2. Apart from the storyline how did Art Spiegelman’s Maus elevate comic books and graphic novels to be acknowledged as serious literary art?

3. The lyrics to a 1977 single’s verses were made using text from the covers of, mostly, Marvel Comics. A later video proves it. Name band and song.

4. When it came to movie versions of his films, such as Watchmen and V for Vendetta, Alan Moore requested what?

5. Often cited as the first modern graphic novel, one that was an original and not previously published in instalments, because it had the term in its introduction. Predates the other ‘first graphic novel’ Will Eisner’s A Contract with God. Name author and novel.

6. This British author and illustrator hated the term Graphic Novel but produced illustrated stories. One, a wordless tale, was turned into an animated movie with David Bowie narrating the introduction. It was nominated for an Oscar and is shown on British TV every year. Another, also later animated, told of an elderly couple dying from the aftermath of a nuclear bomb. Name the diverse author.

7. This classic European comic for kids, and popular in the UK, was first serialised before being collected into thin books,and are now regarded as Graphic Novels. As one of the main recurring characters was either drunk or hungover or shouting obscenities at his foes it would never have seen the light of day in 2026. Other characters include two bumbling policemen whose name would be taken up by a British band in the 1980s. Name the main character.

8. American editor who played a huge role in bringing British writers and artists to revitalise the US comic market e.g Alan Moore to work on Swamp Thing and commisioned Neil Gaiman to create Sandman. Later set up the Vertigo Line for mature readers. Name this person.

9. Flash Gordon was a comic strip from the 1930s. What was Flash’s, extremely rare at the time, superpower?

10. How did Sylvester Stallone commit sacrilege when he played the role of 2000 AD’s Judge Dredd?

11. A single panel by Irv Novick in issue No. 89 of DC Comics' All-American Men of War (Feb. 1962) is the basis of a renowned Pop Art painting. Name the onomatopoeic artwork.

12. A witness to this murder (see picture) later vows to avenge it and to fight crime in general by becoming who?

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See also a comic related interview with Mick Mercer and an article about 2000 AD's heroine Halo Jones

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