"Watchmen" - the Graphic Novel Quiz

Answer: The Minutemen

The only organized hero team in the novel is the Minutemen, a group from the World War II era. The term Watchmen refers to masked hero society in general, but never was the name of a team. "Who watches the watchmen?" was a motto of the movement to outlaw costumed vigilantes.

There was an attempt made to organize some of the remaining members of the Minutemen and some of the newer heroes into a group called the Crimebusters, but the effort failed.

Answer: 1980s

In the novel, the nuclear clock is nearing midnight because of the imminent Russian invasion of Afghanistan (in our timeline 1979, but in this timeline in 1985). President Nixon is nervously expecting to have to push the button. And someone is killing masked adventurers just when they're needed the most.

Answer: Charlton Comics

Moore, writing for DC Comics, based his characters on Charlton heroes such as Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Peacemaker, the Question, and Thunderbolt. DC had recently purchased the rights to Charlton's characters. When DC decided to release new titles using some of the old heroes, Moore re-worked the characters with new names and looks.

Answer: Juspeczyk

Laurie Juspeczyk is the second Silk Specter. Her mother was the original with the Minutemen, but she changed her name to Sally Jupiter during the WWII era, allegedly because she didn't want the public to know she was Polish.

Answer: Dollar Bill

Dollar Bill was sponsored by a midwestern bank to fight bank robberies. He was shot when his cape became tangled in a revolving door and his death led to heroes redesigning their costumes for effectiveness instead of show. It was one of the small details that Moore used to present a more realistic look at the hero culture.

Answer: Tales of the Black Freighter

The pirate story "Marooned" told the tale of a man desperately trying to return to his home to protect it from destruction at the hands of the bloodthirsty pirates of the Black Freighter. The story within the story provides interesting correlation with the urgency felt as the world hurtled towards nuclear destruction.

Answer: all of these

Edwin Blake, the Comedian, started his career cleaning up crime along the city docks in the 40s, and was the youngest founding member of the Minutemen. His attempted rape of the original Silk Specter was only broken up by the return of Hooded Justice to the headquarters.

The Comedian later sold his talents to the government to fight in Vietnam which enabled him to retain his hero identity even after such activity was outlawed. While in Vietnam, Blake murdered a woman whom he had impregnated, rather than provide for her and the baby. Blake's dark character was quite in opposition to his jovial monicker, but he claimed he saw the joke and humor that lay underneath society.

Answer: September 1986

The twelve issue limited series ran from September 1986 - October 1987 and was re-released in 1995. There have also been versions released in other graphic novel formats.

Answer: Big Figure

Big Figure is diminutive in size but has managed to maintain his stature within the criminal community on the inside. The calm and efficient manner in which Rorschach disposes of Big Figure's attacks provide real insight into his personality.

Answer: Captain Carnage

Laurie says she remembers hitting him and thinking he was breathing hard. Dan says he had already heard about him and refused to fight him even though he begged. Evidently, he tried it on Rorschach and got dropped down an elevator shaft. They have a good laugh and Laurie comments she hasn't laughed much recently, to which Dan replies "Well, what do you expect? The Comedian is dead."