12 Fiendishly Clever Comic Book Movie In-Jokes You Probably Missed

6. Not The Waynes

Somewhat understandably, the Watchmen big screen adaptation, which took a considerable amount of time to drag out of developmental hell features a raft of comic book Easter Eggs.

It is the archetypal post-superhero movie, exploring weighty issues that didn't really come into the collected consciousness of comic book fans until Alan Moore wrote the seminal comic, but while it is somewhat deconstructive of the genre, it also lovingly pays homage to some of the comic world's greatest moments.

In the exceptional opening sequence for instance, we see a slow-motion shot of the original Nite Owl taking down a masked criminal in an alleyway behind a theatre, who is clearly an alternative-world nod to Joe Chill. Confirming the reference, the background has a well-to-do couple emerging from a backdoor, along with their butler, and the opera bill for the show they are sneaking out of is for a showing of "Die Fledermaus" (The Bat.)

And if that wasn't enough, the right hand side of the image shows multiple Batman posters.