'Justice League' pays tribute to David Bowie and Prince in an unexpected way

Turns out Superman isn't the only dear departed alien in the DC cinematic universe.

Justice League confirms what we long suspected – that David Bowie and Prince were aliens, too.

Much of Justice League revolves around the world's collective grief over the death of Superman. It's evident in the influx of parademons who feed on fear (... just go with it), in the conversations the characters are having, in the news reports and headlines scattered throughout the movie.

In one quick shot, we see a newspaper with a provocative headline splashed across the front page: "Did they return to their planets?" Superman's photo is right underneath – and so are photos of David Bowie and Prince.

It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it detail, and it has nothing to do with the rest of the film. It's just a sweet nod to two otherworldly legends who passed away last year, within months of Superman's onscreen death in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The way we felt then is exactly how the ordinary citizens of the DC universe are feeling at the start of Justice League.

In Superman's case, though, there's a definitive answer to that question. Without going too deep into spoilers, Superman does return – and not from outer space.

As for Bowie and Prince, though, the jury's still out. If they really are back on their home planets, here's hoping things are going way better for them over there than they are for us over here.