In DC Comics, Steven Mandragora is the mob boss who ordered the killing of the Bertinelli family, though Huntress did not find out until much later on whose orders he was acting. In this episode, however, his appearance is based on that of Tobias Whale, the nemesis of Black Lightning.
Early drafts for this episode featured Barbara Gordon in a Birds of Prey storyline. It would have Barbara getting injured during a case as Batgirl. Since Batman forbids her from participating she would recreate herself as Oracle, and get in touch with Black Canary and Huntress to finish her case. Neither of them would meet her in person. Due to the Bat-Embargo, the story replaced Batgirl with Green Arrow and The Question.
While stalling, Mandragora refers to a deceased associate who was killed by "one Tommy Monaghan," a tribute to DC Comics' Hitman character.
The car the Question is driving is a 1967 Pontiac GTO.
Edgar Mandragora, Steven Mandragora's son, is a young version of the albino member of Brain Trust with telepathy and telekinetic powers that appeared in Mind Games (1999).