Between the classic dark takes on the mythos of Teen Titans in both the animated (Teen Titans) and live-action (Titans) realms, Cartoon Network's Teen Titans Go! revolves around the team of young superheroes in a more tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top fashion. All through the show, viewers are bound to find hilarious gags and meta-references or Easter Eggs to characters from DC comics.
While the show's first cinematic journey, Teen Titans Go To The Movies, has its own share of hundreds of references for avid DC comic-book aficionados, the original series also doesn't shy away from cracking a meta-joke every once in a while.
Lil Alfred's Toy Cave
Although Batman's operations are mostly in the dark, one of the episodes shows viewers a toy shop in broad daylight. The shop is called Lil Alfred's Toy Cave and the banner features a cheery Alfred fixing a miniature Batmobile. Considering that Alfred Pennyworth is way more than just Batman's butler, it wouldn't be surprising that this toy shop is one of his ventures.
Although he had his own share of gimmicky appliances, the Joker often wondered where Batman got his hi-tech 'toys.' The answer might lie in this so-called toy cave.
Starfire's Yearbook
In the episode Yearbook Madness, Cyborg and Beast Boy decide to get yearbooks made for each of the Titans. They approach several heroes and villains from the DC pantheon to obtain their signatures and funny remarks. The egoistic and narcissistic Robin is determined to get the most signatures to show off that he's the most popular Titan.
But he drowns in jealousy when he sees Starfire's yearbook that's signed by classic characters like Flash, Green Arrow, and the many Green Lanterns. There are other pages that show even foes like Mr. Freeze and Harley Quinn write heartfelt messages.
Mr. Freeze's Ice-Cream
Talking about Mr. Freeze, the classic Batman villain also seems to have started a capitalistic venture of his own like Alfred's toy-shop. When Robin goes through a sad phase, he resorts to eating Mr. Freeze's ice-cream.
However, it can be debated whether the ice-cream company is of Freeze's or if the brooding ice-man is just the company's brand ambassador. Anyway, it goes on to show some great attention to detail that Teen Titans Go! adds to even the background.
The Dawn of Just-Us
Even though the Teen Titans Go! film parodied specific scenes from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a particular film poster shows an alternate version of the film titled 'The Dawn of Just-Us."
According to Dan Hipp, the art director of the show, this movie is possibly a rom-com or bromance between Batman and Superman, unlike Zack Snyder's ambitious cinematic face-off.
In Zod We Trust
Another cheeky call-back to the Snyder DC films is when fans get a glimpse of the Bat Cave. Like all its incarnations, the cave features diverse gadgets and memorabilia. But in a particular scene where Commissioner Gordon and Batman have a 'sleepover,' you can see an Oscar statuette and a large coin of sorts that cheekily plays on the phrase 'In God We Trust."
Instead of an American President's side profile, it features a similar image of General Zod, one of Superman's earliest nemeses. The Zod in this souvenir is modeled after Michael Shannon's portrayal in Snyder's Man of Steel. Also, the Oscar might probably be the one awarded Heath Ledger's posthumous turn as Joker.
Robin's Short Shorts
Even though most superheroes cover themselves from head to toe, Robin, in his yesteryear glory, used to show off his legs mostly wearing really short shorts. This legacy was carried on by Burt Ward's performance as the character in the classic Batman TV show from the 1960s.
In the episode "Sidekick," Robin gives his gang a trip to the Bat Cave where Starfire finds a picture of the Dark Knight posing with a much younger Robin. To Robin's embarrassment, Starfire asks 'What's with the short shorts?'
Superhero Pose
Be it Marvel's Daredevil or DC's Batman or even a character like Spawn, vigilantes and superhumans love standing atop a high building and give a brooding glance at the city below. Robin teaches this to the Spanish-speaking twins Más y Menos as he explains how to pose like a superhero.
Apart from posing like Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman, he stands on a city prop heroically and even places a fan near him so that his cape would dramatically flutter with the wind. "Knee up at a 90-degree angle. Shoulders back. Fist on the hip if you're feeling sassy," Robin says as Más y Menos judge the superficiality of such heroic poses.
The Dark Knight Snoozes
With hardly any speaking parts, Batman makes his way in Teen Titans Go! in some way or the other. In this scene, Cyborg is conflicted between watching Plastic Man 3 and The Dark Knight Snoozes.
Maybe in this reality, the Dark Knight trilogy by Christopher Nolan is less dark and instead merrier. There's another spoof on The Dark Knight Rises as Starfire gets obsessed with burritos in one episode, covering her room with several burrito posters one of which reads 'The Burrito Rises.'
Nuclear Man's Cameo
Christopher Reeves might forever be remembered as Superman but his last film as the character Superman IV: The Quest For Peace turned out to be quite tacky and is often remembered as a 'so bad it's good' movie. A major cause behind this was the villain Nuclear Man.
A wild blonde man mutated from Superman's DNA, Nuclear Man and the Man of Steel engage in hilariously bad fights which involve Nuclear literally scratching Superman at times! In a blink-and-miss moment, Nuclear Man can be seen as a disgruntled contestant at Justice League's Next Top Talent Idol Star (a parody of various talent and reality shows).
#SaveYoungJustice
After the original Teen Titans animated series, a show with a similar setting and tone was the critically-acclaimed Young Justice that revolved around heroes like Robin and Miss Martian trying to find footing in the shadow of a seasoned Justice League. After two seasons, the show was canceled, sparking outrage among many DC fans.
Finally, the show was renewed for a third season last year, with a fourth season in development. The buzz on its cancellation was referenced in a subtle online status by Blue Beetle (who himself plays a major role in Young Justice) on DCUbook, the equivalent of Facebook in the world of Teen Titans Go!.