What Only Hardcore Comic Book Fans Noticed About Jupiter's Legacy

As is the case with most superhero shows, "Jupiter's Legacy" kicks off with an awesome action set piece as The Paragon (Andrew Horton) stops a supervillain from committing a heist. There's a lot going on in the foreground as we're introduced to the power levels of this particular hero, so casual viewers may not have noticed the van featured in the background with "Quitely Express" on its side. You may not think much of it, but hardcore comic book fans know that "Quitely" is a reference to the artist for the "Jupiter's Legacy" comic book series — Frank Quitely. 

The artist is a legend in the comic book industry, known prominently for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison, including "All-Star Superman," "New X-Men," and "We3." Quitely's won the Eisner Award multiple times over the years for his work. Most recently, he put his skills to good use crafting a variant cover for DC's "The Joker — #1" (via Turbo Comics). 

The van reference on "Jupiter's Legacy" follows in the rich tradition of superhero stories referencing their creators in subtle ways. For example, you may remember 2016's "Deadpool" when Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) walks into a bar, he acknowledges one of the other patrons as "Liefeld," which is a reference to the character's co-creator Rob Liefeld. It's good to see "Jupiter's Legacy" keeping the tradition alive, and hopefully, it encourages viewers to check out Quitely's bibliography, considering he has some of the most distinctive artwork in the comic book industry today.