praj-17/QA-MCQ-Open-ended huggingface dataset:
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Timely's first publication, Marvel Comics #1 (cover dated Oct. 1939), included the first appearance of Carl Burgos' android superhero the Human Torch, and the first appearances of Bill Everett's anti-hero Namor the Sub-Mariner, among other features. The issue was a great success, with it and a second printing the following month selling, combined, nearly 900,000 copies. While its contents came from an outside packager, Funnies, Inc., Timely had its own staff in place by the following year. The company's first true editor, writer-artist Joe Simon, teamed with artist and emerging industry notable Jack Kirby to create one of the first patriotically themed superheroes, Captain America, in Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941). It, too, proved a hit, with sales of nearly one million. Goodman formed Timely Comics, Inc., beginning with comics cover-dated April 1941 or Spring 1941.

question: What was the cover date on Marvel Comics #1? 

answer: Oct. 1939

question: Who was Marvel/Timely's first true full-time editor? 

answer: Joe Simon

question: Besides Simon, who co-created Captain America? 

answer: Jack Kirby

question: What is the name of the character created by Carl Burgos? 

answer: the Human Torch

question: In what issue was Namor, The Sub-Mariner introduced? 

answer: Marvel Comics #1
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: While no other Timely character would achieve the success of these "big three", some notable heroes—many of which continue to appear in modern-day retcon appearances and flashbacks—include the Whizzer, Miss America, the Destroyer, the original Vision, and the Angel. Timely also published one of humor cartoonist Basil Wolverton's best-known features, "Powerhouse Pepper", as well as a line of children's funny-animal comics featuring popular characters like Super Rabbit and the duo Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal.

question: What cartoon humorist did some high profile stories for Marvel in the early years? 

answer: Basil Wolverton

question: What was the name of the humorous feature penned by Wolverton? 

answer: "Powerhouse Pepper"

question: What duo of kid-themed characters were featured in early Marvel issues? 

answer: Ziggy Pig and Silly Seal

question: What early Marvel character may have been envisioned as a female counterpoint to Captain America? 

answer: Miss America

question: The most popular early Marvel heroes were collectively and colloquially known as what? 

answer: "big three"
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Goodman's business strategy involved having his various magazines and comic books published by a number of corporations all operating out of the same office and with the same staff. One of these shell companies through which Timely Comics was published was named Marvel Comics by at least Marvel Mystery Comics #55 (May 1944). As well, some comics' covers, such as All Surprise Comics #12 (Winter 1946–47), were labeled "A Marvel Magazine" many years before Goodman would formally adopt the name in 1961.

question: Marvel Comics was part of many entities having what relationship with Timely? 

answer: shell companies

question: When were all of Goodman's comic entities officially put under the moniker of Marvel Comics? 

answer: 1961

question: By what other name were some Marvel-related comic books published? 

answer: "A Marvel Magazine"

question: Under what handle were Marvel's detective fiction comics published? 

answer: Marvel Mystery Comics
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Atlas, rather than innovate, took a proven route of following popular trends in television and movies—Westerns and war dramas prevailing for a time, drive-in movie monsters another time—and even other comic books, particularly the EC horror line. Atlas also published a plethora of children's and teen humor titles, including Dan DeCarlo's Homer the Happy Ghost (à la Casper the Friendly Ghost) and Homer Hooper (à la Archie Andrews). Atlas unsuccessfully attempted to revive superheroes from late 1953 to mid-1954, with the Human Torch (art by Syd Shores and Dick Ayers, variously), the Sub-Mariner (drawn and most stories written by Bill Everett), and Captain America (writer Stan Lee, artist John Romita Sr.). Atlas did not achieve any breakout hits and, according to Stan Lee, Atlas survived chiefly because it produced work quickly, cheaply, and at a passable quality.

question: Which writer and artist was behind the Sub-Mariner? 

answer: Bill Everett

question: What was Marvel's major offshoot with Westerns, war stories, and monster comics called? 

answer: Atlas

question: What was Dan DeCarlo's spooky but humorous comic aimed at kids called? 

answer: Homer the Happy Ghost

question: DeCarlo also penned a knock-off of what teen comic superstar? 

answer: Archie Andrews

question: What was the name of DeCarlo's main character in his humorous teen series? 

answer: Homer Hooper
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In 1961, writer-editor Stan Lee revolutionized superhero comics by introducing superheroes designed to appeal to more all-ages readers than the predominantly child audiences of the medium. Modern Marvel's first superhero team, the titular stars of The Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961), broke convention with other comic book archetypes of the time by squabbling, holding grudges both deep and petty, and eschewing anonymity or secret identities in favor of celebrity status. Subsequently, Marvel comics developed a reputation for focusing on characterization and adult issues to a greater extent than most superhero comics before them, a quality which the new generation of older readers appreciated. This applied to The Amazing Spider-Man title in particular, which turned out to be Marvel's most successful book. Its young hero suffered from self-doubt and mundane problems like any other teenager, something readers could identify with.

question: Marvel's first team of superheroes was known by what alliterative name? 

answer: The Fantastic Four

question: What was the issue date when this superhero team debuted? 

answer: Nov. 1961

question: What Marvel executive helped change the focus of Marvel's stories and characters? 

answer: Stan Lee

question: In the Marvel Universe, the public treated conferred what response on the Fantastic Four? 

answer: celebrity status

question: What is Marvel's best-selling comic? 

answer: The Amazing Spider-Man
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Lee and freelance artist and eventual co-plotter Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four originated in a Cold War culture that led their creators to revise the superhero conventions of previous eras to better reflect the psychological spirit of their age. Eschewing such comic-book tropes as secret identities and even costumes at first, having a monster as one of the heroes, and having its characters bicker and complain in what was later called a "superheroes in the real world" approach, the series represented a change that proved to be a great success.

question: Who joined with Stan Lee in creating the Fantastic Four? 

answer: Jack Kirby

question: What historic era did the Fantastic Four initially inhabit? 

answer: Cold War

question: What traditional superhero element did the Fantastic Four initially do without? 

answer: costumes

question: None of the Fantastic Four had what hidden element so common to other superheroes? 

answer: secret identities

question: The emphasis on relatable settings and character motivations in Marvel's 1960s comics is called what? 

answer: "superheroes in the real world"
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: All of these elements struck a chord with the older readers, such as college-aged adults, and they successfully gained in a way not seen before. In 1965, Spider-Man and the Hulk were both featured in Esquire magazine's list of 28 college campus heroes, alongside John F. Kennedy and Bob Dylan. In 2009 writer Geoff Boucher reflected that, "Superman and DC Comics instantly seemed like boring old Pat Boone; Marvel felt like The Beatles and the British Invasion. It was Kirby's artwork with its tension and psychedelia that made it perfect for the times—or was it Lee's bravado and melodrama, which was somehow insecure and brash at the same time?"

question: What magazine featured two Marvel Characters in a college campus heroes feature? 

answer: Esquire

question: What two Marvel characters were part of that campus heroes section? 

answer: Spider-Man and the Hulk

question: Which publisher is Marvel's biggest rival? 

answer: DC Comics

question: Writer Geoff Boucher compared DC to what dull 1960s crooner? 

answer: Pat Boone

question: What two real life persons were also part of the magazine feature alongside fictional Marvel characters? 

answer: John F. Kennedy and Bob Dylan
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In addition to Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, Marvel began publishing further superhero titles featuring such heroes and antiheroes as the Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men, Daredevil, the Inhumans, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel and the Silver Surfer, and such memorable antagonists as Doctor Doom, Magneto, Galactus, Loki, the Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus, all existing in a shared reality known as the Marvel Universe, with locations that mirror real-life cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

question: What actual US cities have fictional equivalents in Marvel's comic milieu? 

answer: New York, Los Angeles and Chicago

question: What Marvel hero is related to a tiny insect? 

answer: Ant-Man

question: The shared milieu inhabited by all Marvel heroes and villains is known as? 

answer: the Marvel Universe

question: Which two comic book titles were the precursors to the widening of this overall setting? 

answer: Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In 1968, while selling 50 million comic books a year, company founder Goodman revised the constraining distribution arrangement with Independent News he had reached under duress during the Atlas years, allowing him now to release as many titles as demand warranted. Late that year he sold Marvel Comics and his other publishing businesses to the Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation, which continued to group them as the subsidiary Magazine Management Company, with Goodman remaining as publisher. In 1969, Goodman finally ended his distribution deal with Independent by signing with Curtis Circulation Company.

question: How many comics did Marvel sell during 1968? 

answer: 50 million

question: What company was distributing Marvel's titles at that point? 

answer: Independent News

question: To whom was Marvel sold in 1968? 

answer: the Perfect Film and Chemical Corporation

question: What wholly-owned affiliate of this company did Marvel operate within? 

answer: Magazine Management Company

question: What distributor took over Marvel's titles in 1969? 

answer: Curtis Circulation Company
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In 1971, the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare approached Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee to do a comic book story about drug abuse. Lee agreed and wrote a three-part Spider-Man story portraying drug use as dangerous and unglamorous. However, the industry's self-censorship board, the Comics Code Authority, refused to approve the story because of the presence of narcotics, deeming the context of the story irrelevant. Lee, with Goodman's approval, published the story regardless in The Amazing Spider-Man #96–98 (May–July 1971), without the Comics Code seal. The market reacted well to the storyline, and the CCA subsequently revised the Code the same year.

question: What government agency asked Marvel to do a series of stories to publicize an issue? 

answer: United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

question: What issue was Marvel asked to tackle for this agency? 

answer: drug abuse

question: What comic book series did stories related to this issue appear in? 

answer: Spider-Man

question: What industry censorship and standards organization tried to block publication of this series? 

answer: Comics Code Authority

question: What were the issue dates of the three-episode series on this public health issue? 

answer: May–July 1971
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: A series of new editors-in-chief oversaw the company during another slow time for the industry. Once again, Marvel attempted to diversify, and with the updating of the Comics Code achieved moderate to strong success with titles themed to horror (The Tomb of Dracula), martial arts, (Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu), sword-and-sorcery (Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja), satire (Howard the Duck) and science fiction (2001: A Space Odyssey, "Killraven" in Amazing Adventures, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and, late in the decade, the long-running Star Wars series). Some of these were published in larger-format black and white magazines, under its Curtis Magazines imprint. Marvel was able to capitalize on its successful superhero comics of the previous decade by acquiring a new newsstand distributor and greatly expanding its comics line. Marvel pulled ahead of rival DC Comics in 1972, during a time when the price and format of the standard newsstand comic were in flux. Goodman increased the price and size of Marvel's November 1971 cover-dated comics from 15 cents for 36 pages total to 25 cents for 52 pages. DC followed suit, but Marvel the following month dropped its comics to 20 cents for 36 pages, offering a lower-priced product with a higher distributor discount.

question: What situation allowed Marvel to expand into more adult-themed genre stories? 

answer: the updating of the Comics Code

question: What were two of Marvel's comic heroes in fantasy, swords and magic settings? 

answer: Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja

question: What waterfowl character had his own satire series of comic books? 

answer: Howard the Duck

question: In what year did Marvel's sales overtake rival DC? 

answer: 1972

question: How were some of Marvel's genre titles published in the 1970s? 

answer: larger-format black and white magazines, under its Curtis Magazines imprint
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Goodman, now disconnected from Marvel, set up a new company called Seaboard Periodicals in 1974, reviving Marvel's old Atlas name for a new Atlas Comics line, but this lasted only a year and a half. In the mid-1970s a decline of the newsstand distribution network affected Marvel. Cult hits such as Howard the Duck fell victim to the distribution problems, with some titles reporting low sales when in fact the first specialty comic book stores resold them at a later date.[citation needed] But by the end of the decade, Marvel's fortunes were reviving, thanks to the rise of direct market distribution—selling through those same comics-specialty stores instead of newsstands.

question: What new venture did Marvel's founder begin after leaving the company in the 1970s? 

answer: Seaboard Periodicals

question: What former Marvel title imprint did Goodman attempt to revive? 

answer: Atlas Comics

question: What new retail outlet came on board at the end of the 1970s to rival newsstands for comic sales? 

answer: comic book stores

question: How long was the 1970s revival of Atlas Comics in business? 

answer: a year and a half

question: During what era did newsstand distribution begin to tail off markedly for Marvel? 

answer: the mid-1970s
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Marvel held its own comic book convention, Marvelcon '75, in spring 1975, and promised a Marvelcon '76. At the 1975 event, Stan Lee used a Fantastic Four panel discussion to announce that Jack Kirby, the artist co-creator of most of Marvel's signature characters, was returning to Marvel after having left in 1970 to work for rival DC Comics. In October 1976, Marvel, which already licensed reprints in different countries, including the UK, created a superhero specifically for the British market. Captain Britain debuted exclusively in the UK, and later appeared in American comics.

question: What was Marvel's self-hosted comic book convention called? 

answer: Marvelcon

question: What artist's return to Marvel was announced at this event? 

answer: Jack Kirby

question: What Marvel character was specifically created to appeal to the UK market? 

answer: Captain Britain

question: When was the first Marvel-sponsored comics convention? 

answer: spring 1975

question: When did Marvel's British-themed superhero first appear? 

answer: October 1976
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In 1978, Jim Shooter became Marvel's editor-in-chief. Although a controversial personality, Shooter cured many of the procedural ills at Marvel, including repeatedly missed deadlines. During Shooter's nine-year tenure as editor-in-chief, Chris Claremont and John Byrne's run on the Uncanny X-Men and Frank Miller's run on Daredevil became critical and commercial successes. Shooter brought Marvel into the rapidly evolving direct market, institutionalized creator royalties, starting with the Epic Comics imprint for creator-owned material in 1982; introduced company-wide crossover story arcs with Contest of Champions and Secret Wars; and in 1986 launched the ultimately unsuccessful New Universe line to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Marvel Comics imprint. Star Comics, a children-oriented line differing from the regular Marvel titles, was briefly successful during this period.

question: Who took over as head of Marvel in 1978? 

answer: Jim Shooter

question: What is an example of a bad practice eliminated under Shooter's regime at Marvel? 

answer: repeatedly missed deadlines

question: What noted artist and writer made brought Daredevil to the forefront during the 1980s? 

answer: Frank Miller

question: What team of artist and writer helped popularize the Uncanny X-Men line of comics in the 1980s? 

answer: Chris Claremont and John Byrne

question: Secret Wars was an early example of what Marvel comics story trope? 

answer: crossover story arcs
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: Marvel earned a great deal of money and recognition during the comic book boom of the early 1990s, launching the successful 2099 line of comics set in the future (Spider-Man 2099, etc.) and the creatively daring though commercially unsuccessful Razorline imprint of superhero comics created by novelist and filmmaker Clive Barker. In 1990, Marvel began selling Marvel Universe Cards with trading card maker SkyBox International. These were collectible trading cards that featured the characters and events of the Marvel Universe. The 1990s saw the rise of variant covers, cover enhancements, swimsuit issues, and company-wide crossovers that affected the overall continuity of the fictional Marvel Universe

question: What 1990s comic line featured futuristic, sci-fi stories? 

answer: 2099 line

question: What was the name of the specialty comics line created by Clive Barker for Marvel? 

answer: Razorline

question: In what year did Marvel introduce trading cards based on their characters? 

answer: 1990

question: What trading card company did Marvel team up with to license these trading cards? 

answer: SkyBox International

question: What was affected by the increasing use at Marvel of crossover stories between comic characters? 

answer: overall continuity of the fictional Marvel Universe
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In 1996, Marvel had some of its titles participate in "Heroes Reborn", a crossover that allowed Marvel to relaunch some of its flagship characters such as the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, and outsource them to the studios of two of the former Marvel artists turned Image Comics founders, Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld. The relaunched titles, which saw the characters transported to a parallel universe with a history distinct from the mainstream Marvel Universe, were a solid success amidst a generally struggling industry, but Marvel discontinued the experiment after a one-year run and returned the characters to the Marvel Universe proper. In 1998, the company launched the imprint Marvel Knights, taking place within Marvel continuity; helmed by soon-to-become editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, it featured tough, gritty stories showcasing such characters as the Inhumans, Black Panther and Daredevil.

question: What studio helped to relaunch and revamp classic marvel teams The Fantastic Four and the Avengers? 

answer: Image Comics

question: What two Marvel veterans founded Image? 

answer: Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld

question: How was the setting for the Image versions of Marvel characters different from the official comics? 

answer: a parallel universe with a history distinct from the mainstream

question: How long did the Image run of Marvel characters last? 

answer: a one-year run

question: What three titles were part of the darker, grimmer Marvel Knights comics? 

answer: the Inhumans, Black Panther and Daredevil
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: In late 1994, Marvel acquired the comic book distributor Heroes World Distribution to use as its own exclusive distributor. As the industry's other major publishers made exclusive distribution deals with other companies, the ripple effect resulted in the survival of only one other major distributor in North America, Diamond Comic Distributors Inc. In early 1997, when Marvel's Heroes World endeavor failed, Diamond also forged an exclusive deal with Marvel—giving the company its own section of its comics catalog Previews.

question: What channel did Marvel buy to self-distribute its own comics in the 1990s? 

answer: Heroes World Distribution

question: When did Marvel purchase this distribution network? 

answer: 1994

question: Exclusive deals for distributing comics during the 1990s left this company as the only unaffiliated one. 

answer: Diamond Comic Distributors Inc

question: What year did Diamond Comic Distributors team up with Marvel? 

answer: 1997

question: The failure of what high profile business initiative caused Marvel to approach Diamond? 

answer: Marvel's Heroes World
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: With the new millennium, Marvel Comics emerged from bankruptcy and again began diversifying its offerings. In 2001, Marvel withdrew from the Comics Code Authority and established its own Marvel Rating System for comics. The first title from this era to not have the code was X-Force #119 (October 2001). Marvel also created new imprints, such as MAX (an explicit-content line) and Marvel Adventures (developed for child audiences). In addition, the company created an alternate universe imprint, Ultimate Marvel, that allowed the company to reboot its major titles by revising and updating its characters to introduce to a new generation.

question: What was the business state of Marvel by 2000? 

answer: bankruptcy

question: When did Marvel withdraw from the Comics Code Authority? 

answer: 2001

question: What in-house standards system did Marvel replace the Comics Code with? 

answer: Marvel Rating System

question: What was the first book published under this new ratings system? 

answer: X-Force #119

question: What was the name of the adult themed comics imprint for Marvel with more explicit content? 

answer: MAX
Title: Marvel_Comics
Context: On August 31, 2009, The Walt Disney Company announced a deal to acquire Marvel Comics' parent corporation, Marvel Entertainment, for $4 billion or $4.2 billion, with Marvel shareholders to receive $30 and 0.745 Disney shares for each share of Marvel they own. As of 2008, Marvel and its major, longtime competitor DC Comics shared over 80% of the American comic-book market. As of September 2010, Marvel switched its bookstores distribution company from Diamond Book Distributors to Hachette Distribution Services.

question: What entertainment company purchased Marvel at the end of the 2000s? 

answer: The Walt Disney Company

question: When was the sale of Marvel to this entertainment conglomerate announced? 

answer: August 31, 2009

question: What was the sale price of Marvel? 

answer: $4 billion or $4.2 billion

question: What is the readership market share enjoyed by Marvel and DC comics? 

answer: 80%

question: In 2010, Marvel switched to what distributor for bookstore comic book sales? 

answer: Hachette Distribution Services