Trivia about Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1.
- In the scene where Commissioner James Gordon is picking up nicotine gum in the convenience store before killing the Mutant gang member, there are other DC Comics titles on the magazine rack. Ones featured notably are Swamp Thing, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and Sandman. All but Sandman have received a movie treatment.
- This movie stars Peter Weller as Bruce Wayne / Batman, who was the title character in RoboCop 2, which Frank Miller scripted. Miller is responsible for the graphic novel that this animated film is based upon.
- This isn't the first time Wade Williams has done a role for projects relating to DC Comics. Subtle references to Jason Todd returning as The Red Hood in Batman: Under the Red Hood where Williams portrays Black Mask in that film. He has voiced Mantis / Supreme Chairman in an episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold titled "Cry Freedom Fighters!", and Deegan in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Most recently, he played the Warden at Blackgate Prison when Selena Kyle was being jailed in The Dark Knight Rises; this was most likely owing to the fact that he played Brad Bellick in Prison Break. Here he portrayed seemingly reformed criminal Harvey Dent / Two-Face in a reversal of roles to both his parts in The Dark Knight Rises and Prison Break.
- In the scene where Commissioner Gordon relieves Officer Thompson, Thompson is seen wielding a M1928 submachine gun with drum magazine which, ironically, is also called Thompson.
- The red phone that the Commissioner uses to contact Batman has the same design, and beeping tone that the one from the 1960s TV series had.