Revision as of 00:54, 25 December 2020 edit120.89.74.87 (talk)No edit summaryTags: Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 15:40, 28 November 2024 edit undoOilSlick96 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users2,797 edits →Other versions | ||
(276 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Supervillain in the DC Universe}} | |||
{{About|the comic book character|the ''Gotham'' episode|Mr. Freeze (Gotham episode)|the roller coaster|Mr. Freeze (roller coaster)}} | |||
{{ |
{{for-multi|other uses}} | ||
'''Mr. Freeze''' is the name of two<!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.--> ]s appearing in ]s published by ]. Created by writer Dave Wood and artists ] and ], the character initially debuted in '']'' #121 (February 1959) as '''Mr. Zero''', a ] with an unknown birth name who, after a physiology-altering mishap, becomes an ice-themed criminal typically armed with freezing weapons and an adversary of the superhero ] forced to live in ] temperatures and wear a special "]" for survival. He was later renamed "Mr. Freeze" after the version featured in the 1966 '']'' television series. | |||
{{short description|Fictional character throughout the DC Universe}} | |||
In 1992, Mr. Freeze was reinvented as a ] ] by writer ], producer ], and artist ] for '']'', which portrayed '''Dr. Victor Fries, PhD''' (pronounced "freeze") as a scientist in ] who suffers a lab accident while trying to ] preserve his terminally ill wife, ]. He turns to crime to fund his research in his obsessive quest to cure Nora by any means necessary, which brings him into conflict with Batman. The animated revamped depiction of Mr. Freeze received widespread acclaim and redefined the character, providing such a burst in his popularity that DC Comics ] the ] conceived by Dini into the mainstream comic book continuity, and adapted it for almost every incarnation of the ] since. | |||
As one of Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his ], Mr. Freeze has been adapted in various ]. He has been portrayed in film by ] in '']'' (1997), and in television by ], ], and ] in the 1966 ''Batman'' series, and ] in '']''. ], ], ], and others have provided the character's voice in animation and video games. | |||
==Creation and development== | |||
Created by Dave Wood, ], and ], the character made his first appearance in '']'' #121 (February 1959) as "Mr. Zero", a criminal scientist whose experimental "ice gun" backfires and spills cryogenic chemicals on him, forcing him to wear a sub-zero suit for survival and transforming him into a ]y ] who commits ice-themed crimes.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/><ref>{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |title =The Encyclopedia of Supervillains |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |location =New York |isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |page=225}}</ref><ref name="B#121">''Batman'' #121 (February 1959). DC Comics.</ref> The name "Mr. Freeze" was first used when the character was adapted for the 1960s '']'' television series, in which he was played by three different actors: ], ] and ].<ref name="Freeze 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze|access-date=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze2.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 2|access-date=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze3.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 3|access-date=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref> Mr. Freeze debuted in the episode "]" on February 2, 1966, and his comic book counterpart was soon renamed as well in '']'' #373 (March 1968).<ref name="Detective Comics Vol 1 373">''Detective Comics'' (vol. 1) #373. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Nearly thirty years later, lead producers ] and ] provided a complete overhaul for the character in adapting him for '']''. Artist ] redesigned Mr. Freeze for the series at Timm's request, while ] provided the character's voice.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web|url= http://www.artofmikemignola.com/Bio|title= Art of Mike Mignola - Bio|year= 2010|publisher= Art of Mike Mignola|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131105025849/http://www.artofmikemignola.com/Bio|archive-date= November 5, 2013|url-status= dead|df= mdy-all|access-date= February 9, 2012}}</ref> The episode "]", which was written by Dini and directed by Timm, aired on September 7, 1992, and retold Mr. Freeze's origin as Dr. Victor Fries, a scientist who turns to crime to find a cure for his cryogenically frozen, terminally ill wife, ].<ref name="Heart of Ice">{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|title=Heart of Ice|quote=Mr. Freeze targets the industrialist responsible for his wife's death.|access-date=2008-05-09|publisher=Toon Zone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428110756/http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|archive-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> This revamped depiction of Mr. Freeze as a complex and tragic villain was enthusiastically accepted by fans and provided such a burst in the popularity of the character that his comic book counterpart was resurrected in the comic after the episode aired (having previously been unceremoniously ] by the ]).<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=] (comics)|story=Cold Cases|title=]|volume=1|issue=#670|date=January 1994|publisher=]|location=New York City}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=86}}</ref><ref>{{Cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=Harkins, Tim|editor=]|story=The Funniest Thing Happened...|title=] II: The Joker's Wild!|issue=#1|date=October 1991|publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> Mr. Freeze's characterization and backstory from ''Batman: The Animated Series'' were even ] into the mainstream comic book continuity, and have become the standard portrayal for the character in almost every incarnation of the ''Batman'' mythology and its media adaptations.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Steve|last1=Daly|first2=Anne|last2=Thompson|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090427113344/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 27, 2009|title=A Tights Squeeze|magazine=]|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=March 8, 1996|access-date=May 8, 2008}}</ref> | |||
==Fictional character biography== | |||
===Pre-Crisis version=== | |||
{{Infobox comics character | {{Infobox comics character | ||
| character_name = Mr. Freeze | | character_name = Mr. Freeze | ||
| image = |
| image = Image:Batman121 mr zero.jpg | ||
| image_size = | |||
| caption = Mr. Freeze in ''Detective Comics'' #1027 (September 2020).<br />Art by Brad Walker. | |||
| caption = The Pre-Crisis version of Mr. Freeze's first appearance as "Mr. Zero" in ''Batman'' #121 (February ]).<br>Art by ]. | |||
| real_name = Victor Fries | |||
| publisher = ] | | publisher = ] | ||
| |
| debut = '''As Mr. Zero:'''<br />'']'' #121 (February 1959)<br />'''As Mr. Freeze:'''<br />"]"<br />'']''<br />(February 2, 1966) | ||
| creators = Dave Wood<br />]<br />] | |||
| first_series = '''As Mr. Freeze:'''<br />]<br />"]"/"]"<br />'''As Victor Fries:'''<br />]<br />"]" | |||
| |
| real_name = Unknown | ||
| species = ] | |||
| creators = '''As Mr. Zero''':<br />Dave Wood (writer)<br />] (artist)<br />] (concept)<br />'''As Victor Fries''':<br />] (writer)<br />] (artist) | |||
| homeworld = ] | |||
| alliances = Injustice League<br />]<br />GothCorp | |||
| alliances = | |||
| aliases = Mr. Zero<br />Dr. Art Schivel<br />Crown Prince of Chilblains<br />King of Cold | |||
| aliases = Mr. Zero<ref name="UGO - Freeze">{{cite web|url=http://batman.ugo.com/roguesgallery/mrfreeze/ |title=UGO's World of Batman – Rogues Gallery: Mr. Freeze |access-date=May 10, 2008 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527232551/http://batman.ugo.com/roguesgallery/mrfreeze/ |archive-date=May 27, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
| powers = | | powers = | ||
* Genius-level intellect | * ]-level intellect | ||
* ] adaptation | |||
* Sub-zero physiology allows survival at extremely low temperatures | |||
* Refrigerated ] grants superhuman strength and durability | |||
* Utilizes ] weaponry | |||
| cat = super | | cat = super | ||
| subcat = DC Comics | | subcat = DC Comics | ||
Line 24: | Line 35: | ||
| villain = y | | villain = y | ||
}} | }} | ||
In order to create an ice gun, a scientist whose name remains unknown starts experimenting with a concentrated freezing solution. He suffers an unfortunate accident that changes his physiology, forcing him to live in environments below ]. He adopts the criminal identity of Mr. Zero. To be able to go out to the normal environment, Zero creates an ], which helps him remain in cold temperatures, even in hot climates. Using this equipment, Zero gathers a small gang and starts a crime spree in ], stealing mainly diamonds and other precious jewels. Mr. Zero is eventually confronted by the local vigilantes, ] and ]. Unable to stand against his cold weapons, the Dynamic Duo fails to stop Zero. They are captured by him and brought to his secret cold hideout, near the mountains. Trapped in blocks of ice, Batman and Robin learn Zero's plan to steal a large collection of gems. Batman eventually breaks a nearby steam pipe, causing steam to fill the hideout, melting the ice away and apparently curing Zero from his ailment. After this, Batman and Robin are able to capture the whole gang and bring Zero to the authorities.<ref name="B#121" /> | |||
After years of inactivity, Zero's condition apparently returns. Going back to his life of crime, he changes his alias to Mr. Freeze and is forced to remain in cold temperatures once again. In this second exploit, Freeze redesigns his cryo-suit and improves his cryothermal gun. With a new gang, he starts a new series of crimes and steals valuable pieces of art. Similar to his first criminal activities, Freeze is eventually stopped by Batman and Robin.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #373. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
'''Mr. Freeze''' ('''Dr. Victor Fries''') is a fictional ] appearing in ] published by ]. Created by writer Dave Wood and artist ], he first appeared in '']'' #121 (February 1959)<ref name="UGO - Freeze">{{cite web|url=http://batman.ugo.com/roguesgallery/mrfreeze/ |title=UGO's World pf Batman – Rogues Gallery: Mr. Freeze |accessdate=May 10, 2008 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527232551/http://batman.ugo.com/roguesgallery/mrfreeze/ |archive-date=May 27, 2008 }}</ref> as the ice-based criminal '''Mr. Zero''', but he was soon renamed "Mr. Freeze".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=86}}</ref> | |||
Long after this, Freeze becomes part of a ].<ref>''Batman'' #291-294. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Years later, the character's origin story was revamped to match the one conceived by writer ] for '']''. Dr. Victor Fries was a ] expert in ] who was caught in a laboratory mishap while attempting to cure his terminally ill wife, ]; the accident drastically lowered his body temperature to sub-zero levels, forcing him to wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive. Freeze’s main goal remains finding a cure for his wife’s illness, though his methods often bring him into conflict with Batman. This depiction of Mr. Freeze has since endured as one of the ] ]'s most recurring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his central ]. | |||
Mr. Freeze later changes his cryo-suit with one that allows him more mobility. Freeze eventually falls in love with a woman called Hildy. In order to slow her aging process, Freeze sets out to recreate the accident that transformed him. For his experiments, Freeze uses wealthy people in Gotham as test subjects, but all the efforts result in failure. The victims turn into frozen zombies, who follow Freeze's commands. His new crimes alert the police and Batman. In the ensuing fight, Batman is only able to win when Hildy shows her true intentions and betrays Freeze, only to be encased in solid ice when her plan backfires.<ref>''Batman'' #308. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
]'s list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time List ranked Mr. Freeze as #67.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://comics.ign.com/top-100-villains/67.html |title=Mr. Freeze is Number 67 |publisher=Comics.ign.com |accessdate=2010-12-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213184608/http://comic.ign.com/top-100-villains/67.html |archive-date=2010-12-13 }}</ref> The character has been portrayed in live-action by ], ], and ] in the '']'' television series; by ] in the 1997 film '']''; and by ] on the ] crime series '']''. He has also been voiced by ] in the ], by ] in '']'', and by ] in the '']'' video game franchise. | |||
Freeze's next plan consists of freezing Gotham City by removing all the heat and transporting the energy to the neighboring city of ]. Freeze is unable to accomplish his goal and is stopped by Batman and ].<ref>''World's Finest'' #257. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
{{TOC limit|3}} | |||
During one last attempt to freeze Gotham entirely, Mr. Freeze creates a large ice cannon. After robbing a bank, Freeze is confronted by Batman and the new ], who manages to defeat him with help from ] and ], whom Freeze previously captured.<ref>''Batman'' #375. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
==Publication history== | |||
]]] | |||
Mr. Freeze made his first appearance in '']'' #121 (February 1959), and was created by Dave Wood, ] and ].<ref>''Batman'' #121 (February 1959)</ref> From the time of his first appearance in 1959, the character was portrayed as one of many "joke" villains cast as stock enemies of Batman.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> He was originally called Mr. Zero in the comics,<ref>{{cite book |last =Rovin |first =Jeff |title =The Encyclopedia of Supervillains |publisher =Facts on File |date =1987 |location =New York |isbn = 0-8160-1356-X |page=225}}</ref> but the producers of the 1960s '']'' television series renamed him Mr. Freeze and portrayed Batman addressing him as "'''Dr. Art Schivel'''",<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> and the name quickly carried over to the comic books. In the ] continuity, it is explained that Mr. Freeze is a rogue scientist whose design for an "ice gun" backfires when he inadvertently spills cryogenic chemicals on himself, resulting in him needing sub-zero temperatures to survive.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
===Victor Fries=== | |||
==Fictional character biography== | |||
{{Infobox comics character | |||
===Modern Age=== | |||
| character_name = Mr. Freeze | |||
Freeze was revamped using a history similar to the one created by Paul Dini for ''Batman: The Animated Series''.<ref name="wf interview page 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/heartofice/interview/02.php |title=''Heart of Ice'' interview "The Role of Mr. Freeze In The Animated Universe" page 2 – Finding a Voice|accessdate=2008-02-08 |publisher= worldsfinestonline.com}}</ref> '''Dr. Victor Fries, Ph.D.''' (surname pronounced "freeze") was a brilliant cryogenicist. As a child, he was fascinated with cryonic preservation, so he begins freezing animals. His parents are horrified by his "hobby" and send him to a strict boarding school, where he is miserable and feels detached from humanity. In college, he meets a woman named ], whom he ultimately marries.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
| image = Mr._Freeze_(Victor_Fries).png | |||
| image_size = | |||
| caption = The Victor Fries version of Mr. Freeze as depicted in ''Batman'' #525 (December 1995).<br />Art by ] (pencils) and ] (inks). | |||
| publisher = ] | |||
| debut = '''Television''': "]"<br />'']''<br />(September 7, 1992)<br />'''Comics''': ''Batman: Mr. Freeze'' #1 (1997) | |||
| creators = ]<br />]<br />] | |||
| real_name = Dr. Victor Fries | |||
| species = ] | |||
| homeworld = ] | |||
| alliances = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />] | |||
| powers = | |||
* ]-level intellect<ref name="DC.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.dc.com/characters/mister-freeze |title=Mister Freeze |website=] |access-date=January 16, 2024 |language=en }}</ref> | |||
* ] adaptation | |||
* ]<ref name="Batman Eternal 31">''Batman Eternal'' #31</ref> | |||
* Cryokinesis<ref name="Batman Annual Vol 2 1">''Batman Annual'' (vol. 2) #1</ref> | |||
* Decelerated aging | |||
* Toxic immunity | |||
* ] grants: | |||
** ] and durability | |||
| cat = super | |||
| subcat = DC Comics | |||
| hero = n | |||
| villain = y | |||
}} | |||
Following the ] crossover event, the ] is rebooted and Mr. Freeze's origin is retroactively revamped to match the one conceived by Paul Dini for ''Batman: The Animated Series''.<ref name="wf interview page 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/heartofice/interview/02.php |title=''Heart of Ice'' interview "The Role of Mr. Freeze In The Animated Universe" page 2 – Finding a Voice|access-date=2008-02-08 |publisher= worldsfinestonline.com}}</ref> Dr. Victor Fries, Ph.D. is a brilliant expert in cryogenics in Gotham City. As a child, he was fascinated with cryonic preservation and liked to freeze animals. His parents are horrified by his "hobby" and send him to a strict ], where he is miserable, bullied and ]; as a result, he feels detached from humanity. In college, he meets ], the woman he ultimately marries.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
Nora contracts a fatal illness 1½ years after Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, so Fries begins developing a freeze ray for ] in order to preserve her in suspended animation until a cure can be found. Fries' boss Ferris Boyle decides to tell the mob about the gun, leading Batman to create a team of specialists to help him do his job better. As Fries puts Nora in suspended animation, Boyle interrupts and tampers with the experiment, resulting in an explosion that kills Nora. Fries survives, but the chemicals in the freeze ray lower his body temperature to the point that he must wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive. He swears revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife (whom he talks to often), and becomes Mr. Freeze, the first superpowered villain whom Batman faces in this continuity. Eventually, Batman's operatives find Freeze, who shoots one of them with his freeze gun, but Batman eventually apprehends him.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> Initially locked in ], Freeze was eventually transferred to the Gotham State Penitentiary, from where he escaped and attempted to steal technology from ] until he was stopped and returned to prison by Batman.<ref>''Detective Comic'' #595</ref> | |||
Eighteen months after Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, Nora contracts a fatal disease, so Fries begins developing a freeze ray for ] in order to preserve her in suspended animation until a cure can be found. Fries' boss Ferris Boyle decides to tell the Mob about the gun, leading Batman to create a team of specialists to help him do his job better. As Fries puts Nora in suspended animation, Boyle interrupts and tampers with the experiment, resulting in an explosion that kills Nora. Fries survives, but the chemicals in the freeze ray lower his body temperature to the point that he must wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive. He swears revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife (whom he talks to often) and becomes Mr. Freeze, the first superpowered villain whom Batman faces in this continuity. Eventually, Batman's operatives find Freeze, who shoots one of them with his freeze gun, but Batman eventually apprehends him.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
Freeze's crimes tend to involve freezing everyone and everything that he encounters<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> so he never forges alliances with the other criminals in Gotham, preferring to work alone. On rare occasions, he has worked with another member of Batman's rogues' gallery, usually as an enforcer for Gotham's mob bosses, such as the ] during his ] <ref>''Detective comics'' #804–806</ref> or ] during the ] of ].<ref>''Batman'' #635</ref><ref>''Batman'' #836</ref> In one of his notable team-ups, Freeze constructs a cryogenic machine for ] so that Hush might take revenge on Batman, Freeze's equipment allowing Hush to preserve ]'s surgically removed heart to use as a means of threatening her life.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #850</ref> | |||
During the "]" storyline, Mr. Freeze sold his soul to ] in exchange for cryokinesis and temperature control where the latter ability enables him to survive in warm temperatures without use of his cryogenic suit.<ref>''Underworld Unleashed'' #1. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Green Lantern'' (vol. 3) #66–69. DC Comics.</ref> While planning to freeze the elderly in order to preserve them, Mr. Freeze was secretly planning to steal their assets causing his henchmen Ice and Cube to get concerned. Though Batman defeats Mr. Freeze, he ends up getting away.<ref>''Batman'' #525. DC Comics.</ref> He would somehow revert to his pre-upgraded appearance causing him to sport a new cryogenic suit and wield a new freeze gun.<ref>''Batman'' #535. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
After Batman's ], most of the Arkham inmates were ] by a ]. Freeze was among them and he started working on a project called Ice-X Protocol when the GCPD tried to capture him. He stunned them with his gun and captured Gordon, taking him to his secret lair. Gordon managed to break free and defeat Freeze by causing an explosion that weakened Freeze. After his capture, Freeze was taken to ] prison.<ref>''Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon'' #1</ref> | |||
Initially locked in ], Freeze was eventually transferred to the Gotham State Penitentiary, from where he escaped and attempted to steal technology from ] until he was stopped and returned to prison by Batman.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #595. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
During his time with the ], he fashions a sub-zero machine for ] in exchange for the use of her ]. He attempts to restore Nora to life without waiting for the adjusting needed in the pool chemicals; she returns to life as the twisted Lazara and escapes. She blames her husband for her plight, and she estranges herself from him.<ref>''Batgirl'' #69–70</ref> | |||
During the "]" storyline, Mr. Freeze sets up a base in the sewers which is stumbled upon by ] and Tommy Mangles.<ref>''Robin'' Vol. 2 #69. DC Comics.</ref> Mr. Freeze finds them and uses his freeze gun on them after getting information about a storage room with canned food in it. He and ] were defeated by ] and arrested by Detective Mackenzie Bock with the Gotham City Police Department also bringing the frozen bodies of Gearhead and Tommy Mangles into their custody as well.<ref>''Robin'' Vol. 2 #70. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===The New 52=== | |||
In September 2011, ] rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, during the '']'' crossover, the ] sends assassins known as Talons to kill 40 of the most important citizens of Gotham, including Mr. Freeze. ], ] and ] choose to save him, and subsequently remand him into ]'s custody.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Last Regrets – I've Had a Few|title=]| volume=1|issue=#8| date=June 2012| publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> | |||
Freeze's crimes tend to involve freezing everyone and everything that he encounters<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> so he forgoes alliances with the other criminals in Gotham, preferring to work alone. On rare occasions, he has worked with another member of Batman's rogues' gallery, usually, as an enforcer for Gotham's mob bosses, such as the ] during his ]<ref>''Detective comics'' #804–806. DC Comics.</ref> or ] during the ] of ].<ref>''Batman'' #635. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Batman'' #836. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
''Batman Annual'' (vol. 2) #1 introduces a new origin for Mr. Freeze. Here, Victor Fries' fascination with cryonics began when he was a boy and his mother fell through the ice of a frozen lake. The ice was able to keep her preserved long enough for help to arrive, thus sparking his lifelong obsession with the cold. It is later revealed that the accident left Fries' mother in constant pain, and Fries ended her suffering by pushing her into the same frozen lake. In this new origin, Nora was never Fries' wife. Her name was Nora Fields, a woman born in 1934. When Nora was 23, she was diagnosed with incurable heart disease, so her family placed her in cryogenic stasis hoping that a cure would be found in the future. Fries, having written his doctoral thesis on Nora, took on a position as a cryogenic researcher and technician at Wayne Enterprises, the facility that housed Nora's body. | |||
In one of his notable team-ups, Freeze constructs a cryogenic machine for ] so that Hush might take revenge on Batman, Freeze's equipment allowing Hush to preserve ]'s surgically removed heart to use as a means of threatening her life.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #850. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Eventually, he fell in love with Nora and became dedicated to finding a reliable method for slowly thawing cryogenic subjects. However, Bruce Wayne ordered the project to be shut down, as he began to feel uncomfortable with Fries' obsession with Nora. Furious, Fries hurled a chair at Wayne, who dodged the attack; the chair smashed into an array of cryonic chemical tanks, the contents of which sprayed onto Fries and transformed him into Mr. Freeze.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Night of the Owls: First Snow|title=]|volume=2|issue=#1|date=July 2012|publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> | |||
During the "]", Mr. Freeze appears as a member of ]'s ].<ref>''Villains United'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
The Court of Owls uses Freeze's cryogenic-thaw formula to revive their Talons, and then they try to kill him. Freeze survives but is captured by the Red Hood and sent to ]. He escapes shortly afterward and rearms himself with the Penguin's help. Freeze decides to kill Bruce Wayne and takes Nora, whom he believes to be his wife so that they can leave ] behind forever. Infiltrating ], Freeze has a brief fight with ] and ], but he subdues them. Then, Freeze goes to the penthouse, where he finds Batman and the frozen Nora. Batman defeats Mr. Freeze by injecting his suit with the thawing formula, which he had intended to use to revive Nora from suspended animation. | |||
After Batman's ], most of the Arkham inmates were ] by a ]. Freeze was among them and he started working on a project called Ice-X Protocol when the GCPD tried to capture him. He stunned them with his gun and captured Gordon, taking him to his secret lair. Gordon managed to break free and defeat Freeze by causing an explosion that weakened Freeze. After his capture, Freeze was taken to ] Prison.<ref>''Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
During the '']'' storyline, Mr. Freeze appears as a member of the ] at the time when the ] arrived from their world.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]| editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Nightfall| title=]|volume=1|issue=#1|date=November 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> ] later visits Mr. Freeze to let him know of the war going on at ].<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=City of Fear| title=Detective Comics|volume=2|issue=#23.3|date=November 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> The ]s are able to bring the remaining Talons to Mr. Freeze after Man-Bat and Scarecrow steal them from Blackgate.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Batman Death March| title=]|volume=1|issue=#1|date=December 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Das Bat!| title=]|volume=1|issue=#3|date=February 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> Mr. Freeze and ] later encounter the Rogues when they land in their territory.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Dark Knight| title=]|volume=1|issue=#3|date=February 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> Mr. Freeze tells ] II he is not interested in capitalizing on the bounty on their heads, only to use ] to create optimal conditions for him to freeze Gotham. As the Rogues are fighting the two, Black Mask (alongside his False Face society) arrives to capture the Rogues to receive the bounty.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Escape from Gotham| title=]|volume=1|issue=#4|date=March 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> | |||
During the "]" storyline, Mr. Freeze is among the villains that are sent to another planet by a Boom Tube by the ].<ref>''Salvation Run'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===DC Rebirth=== | |||
In the '']'' sequel '']'', Mr. Freeze is among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by ] that talks about the Superman Theory. When Comedian crashes the meeting, Mr. Freeze's helmet is punctured by a bullet shot by an unseen combatant.<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Mr. Freeze later fashions a sub-zero machine for ] in exchange for the use of her Lazarus Pit. He attempts to restore Nora to life without waiting for the adjusting needed in the pool chemicals; she returns to life as the twisted Lazara and escapes. She blames her husband for her plight, and she estranges herself from him.<ref>''Batgirl'' #69–70. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
In the "Ends of the Earth" story arc of ''All-Star Batman'', Freeze has awoken many people that have been held in cryogenic stasis—using them as an army to steal resources for his research to cure his wife Nora, himself, and all of these people—and plans to release deadly bacteria held in one of the world's oldest ice cores to make a new world, but ] has injected himself with a cold-resistant virus that becomes airborne when his skin is exposed and is able to kill the spores.<ref>''All-Star Batman'' #7 (2017). DC Comics.</ref> | |||
====''The New 52''==== | |||
Several ] due to the events in "]," ] gives Mr. Freeze a vial that would cure and furthermore revive his frozen wife. Mr. Freeze had to kidnap several women who matched his late wife's characteristics, in both mental and physical states, going as far as modifying their DNA to hers in order to experiment with the vial before reviving his wife. In the end, it worked and his wife came back to life cured. She soon took up the name Mrs. Freeze.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Detective Comics #1014 - Cold Dark World: Awake!|last1=Tomasi|first1=Peter|last2=Mahnke|first2=Doug|publisher=DC Comics|date=October 2019|issue=1014}}</ref> | |||
] and ].]] | |||
In September 2011, '']'' rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, during the '']'' crossover, the ] sends assassins known as Talons to kill 40 of the most important citizens of Gotham, including Mr. Freeze. ], ] and ] choose to save him, and subsequently remand him into ]'s custody.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|letterer=Sienty, Dezi|editor=]|story=Last Regrets – I've Had a Few|title=]| volume=1|issue=#8| date=June 2012| publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> ''Batman Annual'' (vol. 2) #1 introduces a new origin for Mr. Freeze. Here, Victor Fries' fascination with cryonics began when he was a boy and his mother fell through the ice of a frozen lake. The ice was able to keep her preserved long enough for help to arrive, thus sparking his lifelong obsession with cold. It is later revealed that the accident left Fries' mother in constant pain, and Fries ended her suffering by pushing her into the same frozen lake. In this new origin, Nora was never Fries' wife. Her name was Nora Fields, a woman born in 1934. When Nora was 23, she was diagnosed with an incurable heart disease, so her family placed her in cryogenic stasis hoping that a cure would be found in the future. Fries, having written his doctoral thesis on Nora, took on a position as a cryogenic researcher and technician at Wayne Enterprises, the facility that housed Nora's body. Eventually, he fell in love with Nora and became dedicated to finding a reliable method for slowly thawing cryogenic subjects. However, Bruce Wayne ordered the project to be shut down, as he began to feel uncomfortable with Fries' obsession with Nora. Furious, Fries hurled a chair at Wayne, who dodged the attack; the chair smashed into an array of cryonic chemical tanks, the contents of which sprayed onto Fries and transformed him into Mr. Freeze.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=Cipriano, Sal|editor=Marts, Mike|story=Night of the Owls: First Snow|title=Batman Annual|volume=2|issue=#1|date=July 2012|publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> | |||
The Court of Owls uses Freeze's cryogenic-thaw formula to revive their Talons, and then they try to kill him. Freeze survives but is captured by the Red Hood and sent to ]. He escapes shortly afterward and rearms himself with the Penguin's help. Freeze decides to kill Bruce Wayne and takes Nora, whom he believes to be his wife so that they can leave ] behind forever. Infiltrating ], Freeze has a brief fight with ] and ], but he subdues them. Then, Freeze goes to the penthouse, where he finds Batman and the frozen Nora. Batman defeats Mr. Freeze by injecting his suit with the thawing formula, which he had intended to use to revive Nora from suspended animation. | |||
==Characterization== | |||
===Origin story=== | |||
Originally called Mr. Zero,<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> he was renamed and popularized by the ], in which he was played by three different actors (], ], and ]).<ref name="Freeze 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze2.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 2|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze3.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 3|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref> | |||
During the "]" storyline, Mr. Freeze appears as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains at the time when the ] arrived from their world.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=Leigh, Rob| editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Nightfall| title=]|volume=1|issue=#1|date=November 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> The ] later visits Mr. Freeze to let him know of the war going on at ].<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=Kudranksi, Szymon|inker=Kudranksi, Szymon|colorist=]|letterer=Sienty, Dezi|editor=Marts, Mike|story=City of Fear| title=Detective Comics|volume=2|issue=#23.3|date=November 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> The ]s are able to bring the remaining Talons to Mr. Freeze after the Man-Bat and the Scarecrow steal them from Blackgate.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=Mendoza, Jaime|colorist=Delhouse, Andrew|letterer=Esposito, Taylor|editor=Gluckstern, Rachel|story=Batman Death March| title=]|volume=1|issue=#1|date=December 2013| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=Mendoza, Jaime|colorist=Dalhouse, Andrew|letterer=Lanham, Travis|editor=Gluckstern, Rachel|story=Das Bat!| title=]|volume=1|issue=#3|date=February 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> Mr. Freeze and ] later encounter the Rogues when they land in their territory.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=Buccallato, Brian|penciller=Hepburn, Scott|inker=Coehlho, Andre|colorist=Filardi, Nick|letterer=Sienty, Dezi|editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Dark Knight| title=]|volume=1|issue=#3|date=February 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> Mr. Freeze tells the ] III he is not interested in capitalizing on the bounty on their heads, only to use the ] to create optimal conditions for him to freeze Gotham. As the Rogues are fighting the two, Black Mask (alongside his False Face society) arrives to capture the Rogues to receive the bounty.<ref>{{cite comic| writer=Buccallato, Brian|penciller=Hepburn, Scott|inker=Coehlho, Andre|colorist=Filardi, Nick|letterer=Sienty, Dezi|editor=Cunningham, Brian|story=Escape from Gotham| title=]|volume=1|issue=#4|date=March 2014| publisher=]| location=]}}</ref> | |||
Nearly 30 years later, a television adaptation of Batman revitalized him once again. '']'' retold Mr. Freeze's origin in "]", an episode by writer ]. The episode introduced his terminally ill, ] wife ], which explained his obsession with ice and need to build a criminal empire to raise research funds.<ref name="Heart of Ice">{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|title=Heart of Ice|quote=Mr. Freeze targets the industrialist responsible for his wife's death.|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Toon Zone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428110756/http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|archive-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> This more complex, tragic character was enthusiastically accepted by fans, and has become the standard portrayal for the character in most forms of media, including the comic book series itself, which previously had the character casually killed off by the ].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=The Funniest Thing Happened...|title=] II: The Joker's Wild!|volume=|issue=#1|date=October 1991|publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> Freeze was resurrected in the comic after the episode aired.<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|colorist=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Cold Cases|title=]|volume=1|issue=#670|date=January 1994|publisher=]|location=New York City}}</ref> The episode was seen as groundbreaking for a Saturday morning cartoon and helped set the tone for the rest of the series. This backstory was also made ] in the comics and has been the character's official origin in almost every incarnation of Batman until September 2011, when ] rebooted DC's continuity. | |||
====''DC Rebirth''==== | |||
Elements of this origin story were incorporated into the 1997 film '']'', in which he was portrayed by ].<ref>{{cite news|first1= Steve| last1= Daly| first2= Anne| last2= Thompson|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html|title=A Tights Squeeze|magazine=]|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=March 8, 1996|accessdate=May 8, 2008}}</ref> | |||
In the '']'' sequel '']'', Mr. Freeze is among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by the ] that talks about the Superman Theory. When Comedian crashes the meeting, Mr. Freeze's helmet is punctured by a bullet shot by an unseen combatant.<ref>''Doomsday Clock'' #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.</ref> In the "Ends of the Earth" story arc of ''All-Star Batman'', Freeze has awoken many people that have been held in cryogenic stasis — using them as an army to steal resources for his research to cure his wife Nora, himself, and all of these people — and plans to release deadly bacteria held in one of the world's oldest ice cores to make a new world, but ] has injected himself with a cold-resistant virus that becomes airborne when his skin is exposed and is able to kill the spores.<ref>''All-Star Batman'' #7 (2017). DC Comics.</ref> | |||
During the "]" storyline, Mr. Freeze was given a special playing card by ] which enables him to perform cryokinesis.<ref>''Teen Titans'' Vol. 6 #12. Marvel Comics.</ref> Mr. Freeze and his frost monsters fought different superheroes who moved through his domain. Robin is the one who defeated Mr. Freeze and he regressed back to normal when the threat of the Dark Multiverse was sent back to its own dimension.<ref>''Nightwing'' Vol. 4 #29. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===Powers and abilities=== | |||
Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze plans his crimes about a specific ]; in his case, ice, snow, and cold.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> He can also freeze any area around him using special weapons and equipment, most notably a handheld "freeze gun," and his refrigeration power suit grants him superhuman strength and durability, making him a powerful villain in Batman's rogues' gallery.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
Mr. Freeze was suspected of murdering three women and was put on trial. Due to Batman's later investigation, he found that Mr. Freeze didn't commit the crime and he was found not guilty by the jury.<ref>''Batman'' Vol. 3 #51-53. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
In the '']'' storyline, the demon ] grants Mr. Freeze the ability to generate subzero temperatures, no longer needing his freeze gun or refrigeration power suit. However, after his encounter with ], ], and ] in Central Park, he reverted to his original subzero biology. He then gained a new subzero armor and weaponry.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = ]|artist = ]; ] and others| Story = | Title = Underworld Unleashed| Volume = | Issue = #3| Date = November 1995 – January 1996| Publisher = ]| location=New York City}}</ref> | |||
Several ] due to the events in "]", ]'s Apex Lex form gives Mr. Freeze a vial that would cure and furthermore revive his frozen wife. Freeze had to kidnap several women who matched his late wife's characteristics in both mental and physical states, going as far as modifying their DNA to hers in order to experiment with the vial before reviving his wife. In the end, it worked and his wife came back to life cured. She soon took up the name "Mrs. Freeze".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Detective Comics #1014 - Cold Dark World: Awake!|last1=Tomasi|first1=Peter|last2=Mahnke|first2=Doug|publisher=DC Comics|date=October 2019|issue=1014}}</ref> After Mrs. Freeze betrayed him, Mr. Freeze turned to Batman for help.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #1015. DC Comics.</ref> During the fight, Mrs. Freeze used a syringe on Mr. Freeze which started to heat him up while also eradicating the special nanites that kept him cold without the assistance of his cryogenic suit. Batman had to put Mr. Freeze in the same cryogenic state that Nora was in while Mrs. Freeze fled to the northern parts of Canada.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #1016. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
==Reception== | |||
The character of Mr. Freeze has been analyzed as a stereotypical depiction of a villainous European in fiction.<ref>Georg Drennig, "Otherness and the European as Villain and Antihero in American Comics," in ''Comics as a Nexus of Cultures'', eds. Mark Berninger, Jochen Ecke, and Gideon Haberkorn (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2010) 131-132.</ref> | |||
Mr. Freeze was later seen as an inmate at Arkham Tower.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #1053. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
==Other versions== | |||
===''Smallville''=== | |||
Mr. Freeze appears in the comic book adaptation of '']'', partnered with the ] of ].<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Detective, Part 4|title=]| volume=1|issue=#8| date=December 5, 2012| publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> He agrees to work for Intergang in order to fund Nora's treatment. Freeze is betrayed by Prankster, however, and is defeated by Batman and ].<ref>{{cite comic| writer=]|penciller=]|inker=]|letterer=]|editor=]|story=Detective, Part 4|title=]| volume=1|issue=#9| date=January 9, 2013| publisher=]|location=]}}</ref> | |||
== |
==Powers and abilities== | ||
Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze's crimes are often centered around a specific ]; in his case, ice, cold and snow. The lab accident that bathed him in chemical coolants radically altered his biology and lowered his body temperature to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, transforming him into a metahuman who is impervious to sub-freezing temperatures and incapable of surviving outside of them.<ref name="Batman Annual Vol 2 1"/> As a result, anything Freeze's skin comes into contact with will freeze. He can generate ice around his body, encase an entire person's body in ice simply by touching them, and cause ice to rapidly form along structures through physical contact.<ref name="Batman Eternal 31"/><ref name="Batman Annual Vol 2 1"/> The demon ] briefly grants Freeze the ability to generate absolute zero temperatures around him, though his body is soon reverted to its original sub-zero state.<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = ]|artist = ]; ] and others| Title = Underworld Unleashed| Issue = #3| Date = November 1995 – January 1996| Publisher = ]| location=New York City}}</ref> Since the chemicals he was exposed to were meant for cryo-stasis, Freeze's aging has been decelerated to the point that he is considered to be virtually immortal, and he is immune to most ]s, ], ]es, and illnesses.<ref>''Arkham Manor: Endgame'' #1. DC Comics.</ref><ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> | |||
In '']'', Mr. Freeze appears as a robot that is controlled by Doctor Thurman.<ref>{{cite comic|artist=]|penciller=]|inker=]|title=]|issue=#117|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=October 1957}}</ref> | |||
Freeze possesses a genius-level intellect and a gifted scientific mind. He is an expert in ], ], ], ], and ], having built his own specialized ] suit and equipment to keep his body temperature below freezing, as well as a "freeze ray" gun capable of creating gusts of cold that approach absolute zero.<ref name="UGO - Freeze"/> Freeze's ] also increases his strength and durability to superhuman levels. His inventions have been described as being as technologically advanced as that of ] or ].<ref>''Detective Comics'' #849. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===''Justice League Adventures''=== | |||
Based in the ], Mr. Freeze is part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "]" that tried to overthrow a small ]n nation. The Cold Warriors appear in ''Justice League Adventures'' #12 (December 2002).<ref>''Justice League Adventures'' #12 (December 2002)</ref> | |||
==Reception== | |||
===DC Super Friends=== | |||
'']''{{'}}s list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time List ranked Mr. Freeze as #67.<ref name="IGNT100CBVATMF67">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-comic-book-villains/67|title=Mr. Freeze is Number 67 |publisher=Comics.ign.com |access-date=2010-12-25}}</ref> | |||
Based in the ] universe, Mr. Freeze is part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "Ice Pack" that encased a city in ice and snow. The Ice Pack appears in ''DC Super Friends'' #16 (August 2009).<ref>''DC Super Friends'' #16 (August 2009)</ref> | |||
==Other characters named Mr. Freeze== | |||
===''Flashpoint''=== | |||
===Robot Mr. Freeze=== | |||
In the alternate timeline of '']'', Mr. Freeze attacks the ] in ] to find a cure for his wife Nora. However, ] attacks and uses his cold gun to freeze Mr. Freeze's body. Mr. Freeze tries to escape on robotic legs, but Citizen Cold freezes him to death and tells him that Nora is dead.<ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #1 (June 2011)</ref> This version of Mr. Freeze is a friend of Fallout's and pursues revenge against Citizen Cold for murdering him.<ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #2 (July 2011)</ref> It is later revealed that radiation produced by Fallout is the cure Mr. Freeze was searching for.<ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #3 (August 2011)</ref> | |||
In '']'', Mr. Freeze appears as a robot created and controlled by Professor Thurman to pose as a villain so that Thurman could use his "Instant Freeze Icing Machine" invention to commit crimes without incriminating himself, but the plan is eventually foiled by the Blackhawks and Thurman is arrested.<ref>{{cite comic|artist=]|penciller=]|inker=]|title=]|issue=#117|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=October 1957}}</ref> | |||
=== |
===Earth-Two Mr. Zero=== | ||
An issue of '']'' revealed that there was a criminal on ] who also operated as Mr. Zero. While not much is known about Earth-Two's Mr. Zero, his freeze gun was among the weaponry used by ] to attack ], ], and Batman of Earth-One.<ref>''The Brave and the Bold'' #182. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
During the Rotworld storyline where Swamp Thing traveled to an alternate Earth afflicted by a mutating plague, Mr. Freeze was mentioned to be an inmate in Arkham, not making attempts to escape out of Batman's false claims of implanting him with explosives. | |||
==Other versions== | |||
===''Injustice: Gods Among Us''=== | |||
===''Flashpoint''=== | |||
In the '']'' reality, despite his cell still being kept cold for him, Freeze did not stay locked inside Arkham after clashing with Batman. Instead, he remained surprisingly low-key during ]'s Regime, remaining in hiding for five years before being captured by ]. Detained in a prison in the sewers of Gotham, Freeze was soon rescued by Harley Quinn and her Joker Clan.<ref>''Injustice: Ground Zero'' #4</ref> | |||
An alternate timeline variant of Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze appears in '']''. This version is a friend of ] and an enemy of the eponymous ], who later kills Freeze. Additionally, Freeze's motivations revolve around seeking a cure for Fallout's radioactive powers.<ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #1 (June 2011). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #2 (July 2011). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Flashpoint: Citizen Cold'' #3 (August 2011). DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles''=== | ===''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles''=== | ||
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze appears in '']''. After being exposed to mutagen by the ], Freeze mutates into an anthropomorphic polar bear and joins other mutated Arkham Asylum inmates to attack Batman and ] before the inmates are defeated by ]. Sometime later, the inmates are stated to have been cured and in ] custody.<ref>''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' #6. DC Comics/IDW.</ref> | |||
In the crossover comic, Mr. Freeze was mutated into a humanoid mutant ] by ]. | |||
===''Batman: White Knight''=== | ===''Batman: White Knight''=== | ||
Victor Fries appears in |
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries appears in '']''. This version retired from his criminal lifestyle to focus on curing his wife Nora Fries' disease. Additionally, his cryogenically mutated physiology considerably slowed his body's aging process. Years prior, Victor unnamed father and Nora's father, Jacob Smithstein, worked as cryogenic researchers in interwar Germany. Amidst the rise of the Nazis, Victor's father joined them as an SS officer and became cold and abusive towards Victor. After being conscripted to experiment on Jewish prisoners using cryotech, Victor helped the Smithsteins escape, during which Jacob was shot and made Victor promise to protect Nora. After arriving in the U.S., Victor would go on to help deliver Bruce Wayne after the latter's mother Martha went into premature labor and attempt to save ].<ref>{{Cite comic|writer = Sean Murphy|artist = Klaus Janson|colorist = Matt Hollingsworth|letterer = Andworld Design|editor = Mark Doyle|title = Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze|volume = 1|issue = 1|date = '''January 2020'''|publisher = DC Black Label|location = Burbank, CA}}</ref> | ||
===''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story''=== | ===''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story''=== | ||
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries appears in the ] novel ''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story'', written by ] and with art by Isaac Goodhart.<ref></ref> | |||
==In other media== | ==In other media== | ||
{{main|Mr. Freeze in other media}} | |||
===Television=== | |||
====Live-action==== | |||
{{multiple image | |||
| align = right | |||
| direction = horizontal | |||
| header = | |||
| width1 = 180 | |||
| width2 = 180 | |||
| image1 = Otto Preminger Mr. Freeze.jpg | |||
| caption1 = ] as Mr. Freeze | |||
| image2 = Wallach Freeze.jpg | |||
| caption2 = ] as Mr. Freeze | |||
}} | |||
* Mr. Freeze appeared in the 1960s '']'' television series, portrayed by ] in the first two-part appearance, ] in the second two-part appearance, and ] in the third two-part appearance.<ref name="Freeze 1">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze2.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 2|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref><ref name="Freeze 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze3.php|title=Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 3|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Bat-Mania}}</ref> Sanders and Wallach used ] ] for the role while Preminger used his own Austrian accent. While the George Sanders version wore the classic refrigerated suit, the Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach versions wore a "Freeze Collar" around their neck that went with Mr. Freeze's cooling suit. Before Mr. Freeze was on the series, he was always called Mr. Zero. In this version, he continues to be ] like the comic books and is given an alias of "Dr. Art Schivel". In his first appearance "Instant Freeze", it is revealed that it was ] who spilled the cryogenic chemicals on Schivel during an attempted arrest. Freeze ends up stealing diamonds from the Gotham City Diamond Exchange. When Batman and ] try to stop him, he freezes them with his freeze gun. In the next episode "Rats Like Cheese", Mr. Freeze kidnaps Paul Diamante of the Gotham City Eagles and offers to return his hostage in exchange for Batman. Batman and Robin save Diamante and apprehend Freeze. During this appearance, Mr. Freeze's hideout has "warm lights" so that his henchmen can interact with him. In the episode "Green Ice", Mr. Freeze escapes from prison and captures ] from the finals of the Miss Galaxy Pageant. In the next episode "Deep Freeze", Mr. Freeze has led all of Gotham City to believe that Batman has given in to his bribes. Batman and Robin managed to find Freeze's hideout, rescue Miss Iceland, and defeat Freeze before he can freeze all of Gotham. Batman arranges for Warden Crichton to have a special refrigerated cell made for Mr. Freeze. In the episode "Ice Spy", Mr. Freeze kidnaps Icelandic scientist Professor Isaacson in order to obtain an "Instant Ice" formula. In the episode "The Duo Defy", Mr. Freeze finally obtains the "Instant Ice" formula and ends up building a large freeze ray. He is thwarted by Batman and Robin again. As he is taken away by the police, Freeze tells the police officers not to touch the Freeze Collar's dials. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', portrayed by ].<ref>{{cite web|first=Rob|last=Leane|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/gotham/35926/gotham-season-2-tigress-mr-freeze-and-joker-confirmed|title=Gotham season 2: finale trailer teases new villains|website=]|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=May 17, 2016|accessdate=July 20, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|url=http://tvline.com/2015/10/28/gotham-mr-freeze-cast-nathan-darrow-season-2/|title=Gotham Scoop: Mr. Freeze to Be Played by House of Cards' Nathan Darrow|website=]|publisher=]|location=Los Angeles, California|date=October 28, 2015|accessdate=July 20, 2018}}</ref> In this version, his surname is pronounced "{{IPAc-en|f|r|aɪ|s}}". As in the comics, he is a scientist who researches cryogenic technology to find a cure for his wife Nora's terminal illness. To this end, he freezes Gotham's citizens with a cryogenic gun and uses them as test subjects. Horrified at what Victor has become, Nora indirectly kills herself during one of the experiments (replacing a perfected coolant with a failed, lethal formula). Devastated, Fries attempts suicide by turning the coolants from his gun on himself. He survives, however, and is rendered unable to survive outside of sub-zero temperatures. ] has him declared dead and takes him to ]'s Indian Hill Laboratory, where he uses him as an "assistant" in experiments with cryogenically frozen bodies.<ref>{{cite episode |title=A Dead Man Feels No Cold |series=Gotham |credits=Bruno Heller, Megan Mostyn-Brown |network=Fox |airdate=2015-03-07 |season=2|number=13}}</ref> Strange also dispatches him to kill Karen Jennings, one of his former test subjects.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Pinewood |series=Gotham |credits=Bruno Heller, Megan Mostyn-Brown |network=Fox |airdate=April 18, 2015 |season=2|number=18}}</ref> In the season finale, "Wrath of the Villains: Transference", Strange orders Fries to kill ], but ], another of Strange's genetically altered minions, interferes. She and Fries do battle, he with his freeze ray and she with her flamethrower; they accidentally incapacitate Strange when he gets in the crossfire.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Transferece |series=Gotham |credits=Bruno Heller, Megan Mostyn-Brown |network=Fox |airdate=2016-05-23 |season=2|number=22}}</ref> In the episode "Heroes Rise: The Primal Riddle", crime bosses ] and ] find Fries in an Arctic location. They persuade him to help Cobblepot in his revenge on a fellow criminal ] by returning his special suit to him that they took from ] and promising to cure his condition. In the episode "Heroes Rise: Destiny Calling", Fries assists mobster ] with obtaining an antidote to a virus engineered by ], and fighting ] sent by the ]. After Mooney's death, Fries, Pike, and Strange are arrested by the police, but Cobblepot arranges their release. In the episode "Heroes Rise: Heavydirtysoul", Cobblepot has Fries use his freeze gun on Nygma in order to turn him into a frozen "centerpiece" for the ]. In the episode, "A Dark Knight: The Demon's Head", after Nygma is freed from his icy prison, Cobblepot summons Freeze to put him back on the ice, but when he realizes that he is no longer the Riddler or Ed Nygma anymore, Cobblepot decides to spare him. In the episode, "A Dark Knight: The Sinking Ship, The Grand Applause", Fries is recruited to join ]'s "Legion of Horribles", along with Tetch, ], Pike, Cobblepot, and ]. In "A Dark Knight: Mandatory Brunch Meeting", he attends the Legion of Horribles' mandatory brunch meeting, where Jerome assigns him to find a big laboratory. In "A Dark Knight: That's Entertainment", Fries and Tetch bring back a hostage for Scarecrow to test his new laughing toxin. In the season finale, "A Dark Knight: No Man's Land", after Jeremiah Valeska blows up all bridges that lead out of the city, Gotham is labeled as a "no man's land", with villains, including Fries, claiming territory across the city. In Season 5, it's mentioned that Mr. Freeze's gang is at war with Firefly's gang where they each occupy Burnley. | |||
* Victor Fries is mentioned by ] as one of his scientist contacts in '']'' episode "The Icicle Cometh" of the show's ]. The freeze gun later appears in the "]" crossover, used by his wife ]. | |||
====Animation==== | |||
* Mr. Freeze appeared in '']'', voiced by ]. The Filmation series has Mr. Freeze make extensive use of his self-made technology such as making certain parts of his hideout "warm corridors" to accommodate his underlings. This version of Freeze was shown as having a specific dependence on ice; being exposed to any temperature hotter than −50 degrees Fahrenheit would kill him.<ref>{{cite video|date=2007|title=The New Adventures Of Batman|medium=DVD|publisher=Warner Bros. Home Video}}</ref> | |||
* Mr. Freeze was originally supposed to be featured in the ''Challenge of the Super Friends'' season of '']'' as a member of the ]. However, due to ]'s '']'' production at that time, Mr. Freeze was restricted to appear in the second show. He was eventually replaced with ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://noblemania.blogspot.com/2011/07/super-70s-and-80s-super-friendsdarrell.html |title=Super '70s and '80s: "Super Friends" – Darrell McNeil, animator |author=Nobleman, Marc Tyler |date=29 July 2011 |publisher=Noblemania |accessdate=25 October 2011 }}</ref> | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'' episode "The Deep Freeze", voiced by ]. Unlike his appearance in the show's opening credits, Mr. Freeze is shown without the helmet that goes with his freeze suit. He and his henchman Professor Frost plot to steal the N-1000 (a superfast submarine) to pull off the "Crime of the Century". When Batman and Robin raid his hideout, Mr. Freeze manages to freeze both of them and takes Robin with him as he escapes. When Freeze and Professor Frost steal the N-1000, they steer it to the ]. When Batman, Robin and ] face Mr. Freeze and Professor Frost at the North Pole, Batman and Robin fire a beam that reverses the polarity of Freeze's freeze gun so that it warms up. They then apprehend Freeze and Professor Frost where they are both placed into prison. | |||
{{multiple image | |||
| align = right | |||
| direction = horizontal | |||
| header = | |||
| width1 = 150 | |||
| width2 = 85 | |||
| width3 = 110 | |||
| image1 = Mr Freeze 92 model sheet.png | |||
| alt1 = | |||
| caption1 = Mr. Freeze's character design in '']'' | |||
}} | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in several series for the ], voiced by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/actors/villains.html#ansara|title=Batman: The Animated Series – Actors – Villains|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Toon Zone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428110741/http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/actors/villains.html#ansara|archive-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> | |||
** The character first appears in '']'' with a design created by '']'' creator ] as per request of series creator ].<ref name="BTAS">{{cite video|date=2004|title=Batman: The Animated Series|medium=DVD|publisher=Warner Bros. Home Video}}</ref> Dr. Victor Fries was a scientist working for GothCorp who ] funds to cryogenically freeze his ] wife ] until a cure could be found for her condition. When GothCorp's corrupt CEO Ferris Boyle interfered, Fries was accidentally exposed to beakers of cryogenic chemicals, ] him into a ] unable to live outside of sub-zero conditions and forcing him to wear a cryogenic suit to survive. Introduced in the ]-winning episode "]" (for Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program), Mr. Freeze attempts to exact vengeance against Boyle for the accident, leading to his first confrontation with Batman. After Batman discovers the truth about Freeze's tragic past, he leaves both Freeze and Boyle to be taken into police custody; Batman presents evidence of Boyle's crimes involving Nora to the press, and Freeze is imprisoned in a special ] cell kept at sub-zero temperatures.<ref name="Heart of Ice">{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|title=Heart of Ice|quote=Mr. Freeze targets the industrialist responsible for his wife's death.|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Toon Zone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428110756/http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html|archive-date=2008-04-28}}</ref> Mr. Freeze later appears in "Deep Freeze". After being kidnapped by a giant robot and brought to the off-shore city of Oceana, he meets billionaire amusement park designer Grant Walker, who seeks to become immortal like Freeze and create a frozen world for selected residents. Freeze agrees to help when Walker promises to cure Nora, but Batman and Robin arrive and manage to convince Freeze that if he were to help Walker, Nora would resent him. Freeze eventually turns on Walker and overloads Oceana's power core to destroy the city, and stays behind with Nora and Walker. The ending reveals that they all survive, trapped in ]s.<ref name="Deep Freeze">{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/df.html|title=Deep Freeze|accessdate=2008-05-09|publisher=Toon Zone}}</ref> | |||
** Mr. Freeze appears in the direct-to-animated film '']''. After Nora's cryogenic chamber is shattered, Freeze kidnaps ] to harvest her organs to cure Nora. Freeze makes a deal with greedy former colleague Gregory Belson to help cure his wife in exchange for gold. Batman and Robin thwart his plan and Freeze is then presumed killed in the explosion of his lair on an abandoned oil rig. Wayne Enterprises then finances a surgery that saves Nora's life. Freeze is last seen at the ], crying tears of joy as he learns of Nora's recovery. | |||
** Mr. Freeze returns in '']'', sporting a new, sleeker design.<ref>{{cite video|date=2005|title=Batman: The Animated Series Volume Four|medium=DVD|publisher=Warner Brother Home Video}}</ref> As his mutation slowly degrades his body, Victor Fries kidnapped two scientists (voiced by ] and ]) to try and stop the process, only succeeding in saving his head which is supported by four robotic legs built separately from his suit. When a cured Nora Fries married her own doctor and left Gotham permanently, the ] destroys whatever is left of Fries' humanity. Mister Freeze vows to inflict on others the loss he has suffered in the episode "Cold Comfort" by taking away the things they value most, much to the confusion of ] and Batgirl. When Freeze is confronted at his hideout by Batman and Batgirl, he reveals his true condition to them as well as his goal of destroying ] — all the Dark Knight holds dear — by dropping a 'reverse fusion bomb' that will freeze the city. Freeze boards a helicopter to drop the bomb. However, he is followed by Batman and they engage in a duel in which Batman uses a grappling gun to hook Freeze to the bomb and drop it into the river, where an explosion creates a huge iceberg. Although Freeze is presumed dead, his head is seen to be missing as the episode ends.<ref name="Cold Comfort">{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/tnba/cc.html|title=Cold Comfort| accessdate= 2008-05-09| publisher=Toon Zone}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Cold Comfort |series=The New Batman Adventures |credits=Hilary J. Bader, Dan Riba, Shirley Walker, Koko Yang, Dong Yang |network=The WB |airdate=1997-10-11 |season=1 |number=3 }}</ref> | |||
** In '']'', several of Mister Freeze's freeze guns have been procured by the elderly Bruce Wayne and are displayed in the Batcave. The new ] (Terry McGinnis) uses one to freeze ] in the episode "Black Out", however, Inque destroys this one in the episode "Disappearing Inque". Another one is seen in the Batcave's background during subsequent episodes. Freeze himself personally appears in the episode "Meltdown". His disembodied head is revealed to have ] thanks to cryogenic technology. Wayne-Powers' CEO ] and Dr. Stephanie Lake (voiced by ]) use him as a test subject for a process that could cure Powers' own mutation. Transferring his mind into a ] built from his own baseline ], Victor Fries sees this as a second chance and seemingly begins a relationship with Lake. Fries initially tries to right some of the wrongs he has committed by creating a charitable organization named after his former wife with all his legitimate earnings from before he was imprisoned, which impresses Terry, although Bruce does not trust his intent because of his prior history with the former villain. However, Victor's new body soon begins to revert to his original body's same sub-zero ]. Although Lake and Powers betray him when he returns to Wayne-Powers for help, Fries escapes. After recovering an advanced suit of sub-zero armor that fires ice blasts directly out of gauntlets equipped onto his hands, Mister Freeze seeks revenge by freezing Lake and Powers and attempting to blow up Wayne-Powers' complex to commit suicide. In the middle of his plan, Freeze battles Batman and then fights with Blight, who tries to kill him. Freeze redeems himself by saving the new Dark Knight from Blight. Batman attempts to rescue Freeze from the collapsing building, however, Freeze refuses help, acknowledging Batman as the only person who genuinely cared for him in the end and presumably dies in the explosion. In the end Bruce realises that both he and Terry were wrong about Freeze's character.<ref name="Meltdown">{{cite web| url= http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/bb/meltdown.html| title= Meltdown| accessdate= 2008-05-09| publisher= Toon Zone}}</ref><ref name="BB - Meltdown">{{cite episode |title=Meltdown |series=Batman Beyond |credits=Hilary J. Bader, Alan Burnett, Butch Lukic, Lolita Ritmanis, Koko Yang, Dong Yang |network=The WB |airdate=1999-02-13 |season=1 |number=5 }}</ref> | |||
]''.]] | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. Debuting in the episode "The Big Chill", this version of Victor Fries is a diamond thief who was accidentally electrocuted in a cryogenic laboratory chamber, transforming him into a cryokinetic ] capable of blasting ice with his bare hands and generating extreme cold around him; he forced a scientist to create a cryogenic suit to contain his condition. Photos of Fries' wife Nora are briefly seen in his car, but whether she is deceased or terminally ill in this continuity is unknown.<ref name="The Batman - episode">{{cite web|first=Alan|last=Burnett|url=http://www.tv.com/the-batman/the-batman-superman-story-1/episode/1127696/recap.html|title=The Batman: The Batman/Superman Story (1) Recap|accessdate=2008-05-11|date=2007-09-22|publisher=TV.com}}</ref> In "Fire and Ice", Mr. Freeze joins forces with ] to attack the ] Christmas Gala.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fire and Ice |series= The Batman|credits=Seung Eun-Kim, Michael Jelenic |network=The WB |airdate=2005-05-28|season=2 |number=21 }}</ref> In "The Icy Depths", Mr. Freeze comes into conflict with the ] over an umbrella that hides a map to an ancient sunken treasure.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Icy Depths |series=The Batman |credits=Anthony Chun, Steven Melching |network=The CW |airdate=2006-05-06 |season=3|number=38 }}</ref> In "Artifacts", it is revealed that while the immortal Mr. Freeze's powers have increased significantly in the future, he is forced to use a ] due to having his lower body replaced with mechanical spider legs.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Artifacts |series=The Batman |credits=Brandon Vietti, Greg Weisman |network=The CW |airdate=2007-02-03 |season=4 |number=46 }}</ref> In "Rumors", Mr. Freeze is among the villains captured by the eponymous vigilante. In "The Joining (Part 2)", Mr. Freeze, the ], ], and the Penguin are seen fighting the titular extraterrestrial invaders at ]. In "The Batman/Superman Story (Part 1)", Mr. Freeze, ], ], and Bane are hired by ] to kidnap ] as bait to lure ]. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. The Mr. Zero version is featured in the episodes "Legends of the Dark Mite!", "Sidekicks Assemble!", while the Mr. Freeze version is seen in "]", "Bold Beginnings!", and "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!". | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. In the pilot episode "Independence Day (Part 1)", he terrorizes a park in Gotham City until he is defeated by Batman and Robin. In "Terrors", Mr. Freeze joins forces with fellow ice-based villains Icicle Sr., ], ], and ] in an attempt to break out of Belle Reve Penitentiary. In "Coldhearted", Mr. Freeze is briefly seen in his cell at Belle Reve. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ].<ref>{{cite tweet|user=Wes_Gleason|author=Wes Gleason|number=813829243528327168|date=27 December 2016|title=@ArthurDenorfia Mr. Freeze}}</ref> In the episode "Freezer Burn", he uses an unwilling Killer Frost as a power source for the freeze gun on his airship. | |||
* '']'' is set to feature Mr. Freeze in one of its episodes, voiced by ].<ref name="MrFreeze">{{cite media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5j_9rDh3TE|title=The Late Batsby|series='']''|date=January 10, 2019|orig-year=released in theaters June 20, 2018|time=3:53|accessdate=March 7, 2019}}</ref> | |||
===Film=== | |||
====Live-action==== | |||
] as Mr. Freeze in the 1997 film '']'']] | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears as the main antagonist in the 1997 film '']'', portrayed by ] (who received top billing ahead of George Clooney, who portrayed Batman). In the film, Dr. Victor Fries was in an accident in a cryogenics lab he was using to find a cure for his wife Nora Fries suffering from the (fictional) ] MacGregor's Syndrome and is now dependent on a ]-powered sub-zero suit to keep cold or he would die. Mister Freeze crashes a charity event held by Wayne Enterprises and steals a diamond from the event. Mister Freeze is captured by Batman and detained at Arkham Asylum, but flees with the help of ] and Bane. Ivy cuts off Nora's ] and deceives Mister Freeze into thinking that Batman was responsible for the deed as part of a plan to use him to freeze up Gotham City. With the use of a gigantic ray gun stationed in an observatory, he freezes over the entirety of Gotham. In a subsequent fight with Batman, Mr. Freeze destroys the observatory with a set of bombs (planted by Bane) in an unsuccessful attempt to take Batman with him. Batman shows Mr. Freeze a recording of Ivy during her fight with Batgirl in which she brags about killing Nora, revealing her real colours to him. Batman tells Mr. Freeze that his wife is not dead; she was restored and moved to Arkham, where he can complete his research. Batman asks him for the cure he created for the first stage of MacGregor's Syndrome for ]; Mr. Freeze atones for his past actions by giving Batman the medicine he had developed. Freeze is then detained at Arkham where he exacts his revenge on Ivy for her deception and treachery. The character's penchant for cold- and ice-related puns was noted by critics.<ref>{{cite news |first=Janet |last=Maslin |author-link=Janet Maslin|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/batman-film-review.html |title=Batman and Robin |newspaper=]|publisher=New York Times Company|location=New York City|date=June 20, 1997|accessdate=May 23, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Roger |last=Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19970620/REVIEWS/706200301 |title=Batman & Robin |newspaper=]|publisher=]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=June 20, 1997|accessdate=March 8, 2013}}</ref> ] of ReelViews commented that "Schwarzenegger, aside from looking like a cross between the ] and ], appears totally confused about what he's doing. Sometimes he's in '']'' mode; on other occasions, he's chomping on a cigar like he's back in '']''" despite the character's aversion to heat. He also noted that Freeze's backstory and motivation were "too complex for Schwarzenegger to convey effectively or for Schumacher]] to care about exploring. As a result, Mr. Freeze ends up being a frustratingly incomplete brute who's out to smother Gotham City under a blanket of ice."<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Berardinelli|author-link=James Berardinelli |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/batman4.html |title=Batman and Robin |work=]|date=June 20, 1997|accessdate=March 8, 2013}}</ref> Robin Dougherty of ] lamented that "Schwarzenegger’s exuberance is pinned down. He’s like a moth squashed by an 18-wheeler. He’s also paralyzed by amazingly inert dialogue. How many lame jokes about cold can you fit into two hours? Buy a ticket and find out."<ref>{{cite news |first=Robin |last=Dougherty |url=http://www.salon.com/1997/07/20/batman/ |title=Batman & Robin |website=]|publisher=]|location=San Francisco, California|date=July 20, 1997|accessdate=March 8, 2013}}</ref> ] was considered for the role,<ref name=pop>{{cite news | first1=Jeff|last1=Gordinier|first2=Jeffrey|last2=Wells | title = Bat Signal | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,299916,00.html |work=] |publisher=]|location=New York City| date = December 15, 1995 | accessdate = November 14, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081025194917/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,299916,00.html| archive-date= October 25, 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=live}}</ref> before the script was rewritten to accommodate Schwarzenegger's casting.<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael|last=Malley | url = https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/an-ice-cold-arnold-sends-batman-back-to-his-cave-1117343049/9 | title = An ice-cold Arnold sends Batman back to his cave |work=]|publisher=]|location=Los Angeles, California| date = March 5, 1997 | accessdate = November 11, 2008}}</ref> Schumacher decided that Mr. Freeze must be "big and strong like he was chiseled out of a glacier".<ref name=shadow>{{cite AV media|people=] (director), ] (producer), ], ], ], ] (actors)|title=Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight|chapter=Batman Unbound|publisher=]|location=Los Angeles, California|date=2005}}</ref> Schwarzenegger was paid a $25 million salary for the role.<ref>{{cite magazine | first1=Dave|last1=Karger|first2=Cindy|last2=Pearlman | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287018,00.html | title = The Bat and the Beautiful |magazine=] | publisher=]|location=New York City|date = March 14, 1997 | accessdate = November 11, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081216120048/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287018,00.html| archive-date= December 16, 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Time256thBatRob">{{cite magazine|first=Kim|last=Masters|title=Hollywood Fades to Red|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,984941-1,00.html|magazine=]|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=August 5, 1996|accessdate=February 19, 2009}}</ref> His ] and wardrobe took six hours to apply each day.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287931,00.html | title = Summer Movie Preview |magazine=] |publisher=]|location=New York City| date = May 16, 1997 | accessdate = November 11, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081203204422/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,287931,00.html| archive-date= December 3, 2008 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=live}}</ref> The Mr. Freeze armor suit was made by armorer ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FdEEmJO3lf4C&q=mr+freeze+arnie+terry+english&pg=PA223|title = Joined-Up Thinking|isbn = 9780330464154|last1 = Colgan|first1 = Stevyn|year = 2009}}</ref> | |||
====Animation==== | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']''. He is seen with the "Cold Warriors" ] (Cameron Mahkent), ] (Louise Lincoln) and ] when they are among the villains trying to claim the bounty on Superman and Batman. After a brief fight with Batman, they are all defeated by Superman's heat vision. | |||
* At the end of '']'', Mr. Freeze's freeze gun can be seen in the Batcave. | |||
* In '']'', Mr. Freeze's freeze gun is found and used by ] (Louise Lincoln) against Batman in the Arkham Asylum warehouse. | |||
* An alternate universe version of Victor Fries appears in '']'', voiced by ]. He was a Nobel prize-winning thermal expert who was part of ]'s "Project Fair Play", a weapons program contingency that would be used to destroy the Justice League if necessary. Fries was measuring atmospheric carbon levels near the Arctic Circle before being murdered by a ] designed by ] to frame ] for the crime. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. His origin is above the same, except this version has banished himself to the Arctic because he believes that "he's not fit for humanity," until he is employed by Penguin to mutate Killer Croc and Chemo into giant monsters and freeze Gotham for revenge. With their plan almost complete, Penguin betrayed him by secretly giving Bane and Clayface the same formula without Freeze's knowledge. Now filled with guilt, Freeze decided to help Batman and his team stop Penguin, primarily by constructing a freeze ray that could neutralize Clayface. He nearly died in the process, having been exposed to heat while outside his subzero suit. However, Robin was able to return him to the suit, and he willingly gave himself up to the police, hoping that he could be granted solitary confinement. | |||
* Mr. Freeze made a cameo appearance in the 2016 animated film '']'' (which is a continuation of the 1966 ''Batman'' TV series). This version resembles an orange-haired version of Eli Wallach's depiction of Mr. Freeze. He along with other supervillains team up with Robin and Catwoman in order to stop a group of clone rogue Batmen. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by David Burrows. This version of Mr. Freeze resembles the one from ''Batman: The Animated Series'' and uses a robotic mech equipped with a freeze gun. He is among the Batman villains that assist Joker in his attack on Gotham City. At the time when Joker was planning to set off a bomb, Mr. Freeze was present during this plot where he fights Batman and retreats. Later on, during the ceremony where Barbara Gordon is being sworn in as the new police commissioner, Joker assigns Mr. Freeze and Clayface to capture her. Though Barbara Gordon does a trick that causes Mr. Freeze to accidentally freeze Clayface. During the fight against the Phantom Zone inmates, Mr. Freeze and Clayface defeat the ] from '']''. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. Freeze is mutated into an anthropomorphic ] when Joker spreads mutagen to all of the ] inmates. He fights and with ], ] and ] in the kitchen before they retreat. He then freezes Batman in place, allowing Joker to mutate him into an unhinged bat creature, which then slams Victor through the floor and proceeds to maul him. It is unknown whether he survived. | |||
===Video games=== | |||
Mr. Freeze also appears in several ''Batman'' video games: | |||
====Lego==== | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears '']'', with his vocal effects provided by ]. He appears as an enemy of ], a follower of the ]<ref>''Game Informer'' features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "''LEGO Batman'': Character Gallery", ''Game Informer'' 186 (October 2008): 93.</ref> and the second boss of Chapter 1, "The Riddler's Revenge". In it his design is based mainly on the animated series and he uses his freeze gun to freeze enemies and water. The strength granted to him by his suit allows him to pick up objects others cannot. His suit also protects him from toxins. The Riddler assigns him to get a freeze cannon in his old factory. It is shown in the story that, while he aids the Riddler in his pursuit for Gotham City's gold reserves, he is shown to be formulating plans of his own, which involve raising an army of Freeze Maids, which he uses in his boss fight. The player has to be quick and attack him right after he shuts down his freeze gun. After he is defeated, he attempts to run away, but Batman throws a Batarang at him, causing his pack to backfire and make him bounce across the room and then land on the floor in front of Batman and ]. In the ending cutscene, he is seen in ] playing with dolls of him and a Freeze Maid. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. He appears as a cameo in the fourth level "Asylum Assignment", where he is seen in a cell constantly tapping on the glass. In Free-play mode, the player can actually kill him by sending one of the ] bombs inside to attack him. Outside of the story, he appears as a boss fight and an unlockable character found at the observatory. His intro catchphrase is, "Is it just me, or is it really cold in here?" | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears as a playable character in '']'', voiced by ] impersonating the ] version from ''Batman & Robin''. He first appears as a boss in the story, on which the player helps ] defeat him in the Watchtower so that they can proceed to defeat ]. The player as Batman in his Sensor-suit must attack Mr. Freeze while the character is in stealth mode. Mr. Freeze is later found in ] in a side-quest where he requests the player to find another fuel cell for his freezer after the other was damaged by ]. The ''Batman Beyond'' version of Mr. Freeze is also playable via downloadable content. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced again by ].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc18-lego-dc-super-villains-cast-and-devs-dish-on-funever-evil/ | title=Syndicated Comics| date=2018-07-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://mailchi.mp/mi5communications/lego-dc-super-villains-reveals-darkseids-villainy-in-action-in-new-clip-890165?e=49aaf48973 | title=Lego® DC Super-Villains Reveals Darkseid's Villainy in Action in New Clip}}</ref> | |||
====''Batman: Arkham''==== | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in the ''Batman Arkham'' series where he is voiced by ]. | |||
** In '']'', Mr. Freeze's frost and icicle covered cell can be seen in the Penitentiary area which can be scanned to unlock his bio. According to the game's writer ], Freeze was originally planned to be featured in the game, but his inclusion was dropped as he did not fit as part of the game.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/6126146/Batman-Arkham-Asylum-interview-with-Paul-Dini.html | title=Batman: Arkham Asylum interview with Paul Dini| date=2009-09-02| last1=Cowen| first1=Nick}}</ref> | |||
** In '']'', he appears as both an ally to Batman and a ]. After the Joker poisons Batman, the Dark Knight has to find Mr. Freeze. Batman searches for him in the GCPD building (literally the coldest place in Arkham City), only to find his lab swarmed by the Penguin's men, who reveal that Penguin is holding Mr. Freeze hostage in the Cyrus Pinkney National History Institute. It is revealed that Penguin stole Mr. Freeze's gun and is holding GCPD officers hostage. Batman saves the hostages and Mr. Freeze from Penguin's men in the museum and asks Mr. Freeze for the cure to his ailment, only for Mr. Freeze to reveal he needs his suit, which Penguin possesses. He tells Batman that his suit has a disruptor that can be used to turn off his freeze gun so that he can defeat Penguin. After Penguin is apprehended and Mr. Freeze recovers his suit, he gets revenge by locking Penguin in a display case. Mr. Freeze then tells Batman that the cure he made for Joker degenerates too quickly and needs a restorative enzyme that has been bonded to human DNA, something that would take decades, only for Batman to reveal he knows ] who has been exposed to that enzyme for centuries. Mr. Freeze tells Batman he only needs a sample of this person's DNA to complete the cure and Batman proceeds to track down one of the warriors of the ] Penguin had captured. When Batman returns to the GCPD with the blood sample, Mr. Freeze creates two vials of the cure before locking one in a safe and destroying the other, demanding Batman save ] from Joker. Batman fights Mr. Freeze to unlock the safe, which proves difficult as Mr. Freeze is much too powerful to be confronted directly. Batman is forced to hide and find ways to stun Mr. Freeze, such as using grates in the floor to surprise him as he passes by. Each time Mr. Freeze is incapacitated, he counteracts his weaknesses. After he is beaten, Batman opens the safe only to find that the wall behind the safe was broken into and in the place of the cure there is only a note saying: "Get well soon!" and some joker cards. Batman realizes that ] had stolen the cure while the Dark Knight was distracted fighting Mr. Freeze. Mr. Freeze gives Batman freeze grenades to help him retrieve the cure and begs him to find Nora, which becomes a side mission in the game. After Nora is saved, Batman finds Mr. Freeze with his wife and tells him to end his life of crime for Nora's sake. Mr. Freeze's boss battle was widely praised as a step up from the repetitive titan thug bosses from the previous game. | |||
** In '']'', his origin and first encounter with Batman is featured in the DLC story "Cold, Cold Heart" which is based on the ''Batman: The Animated Series'' episode "Heart of Ice". Mr. Freeze also has a new design for the downloadable content (DLC), featuring cleated boots and a larger freeze gun built into the right arm of his suit. In the DLC, Mr. Freeze is in collaboration with the Penguin's gang in order to crash a party at Wayne Manor in order to capture Ferris Boyle. When Batman arrives at GothCorp, he finds Penguin trying to force Mr. Freeze to give him what Freeze is after (thinking it to be weapons) until Mr. Freeze uses his freeze gun to create a chain reaction that traps Penguin in a wall of ice. Upon getting the X-E suit to withstand the cold and acquiring a cryogenic drill to penetrate the ice wall, Batman finds residual evidence that Boyle was behind the accident that turned Victor Fries into Mr. Freeze and that Boyle is in possession of Mr. Freeze's cryogenically frozen wife. Batman later confronts and defeats Mr. Freeze. Boyle then takes a piece of machinery and attacks Mr. Freeze, only for Batman to knock out Boyle. During the DLC's credits, a news voiceover states that Mr. Freeze, Penguin, and Boyle have been all arrested by the police. | |||
** Mr. Freeze is featured in '']''. Mr. Freeze's freeze gun can be found in the evidence room at the ]. According to Aaron Cash, Mr. Freeze has not been seen or heard since ''Arkham City'' and implies that he possibly gave up his criminal life to continue his work on finding a cure for Nora Fries. There was also a mentioning that the freeze gun was used by some members of the Gotham City Police Department to make ice cream until it was confiscated from them by James Gordon. Mr. Freeze appears in the December "Season of Infamy" downloadable content (DLC) pack in the side mission "In From The Cold". Batman discovers a frozen vessel just off the coast of Gotham and investigates, finding Mr. Freeze at his wife's old cryogenic chamber. He says that the Arkham Knight's Militia took Nora after he refused to help Scarecrow and Arkham Knight with their plans to take down Batman. Freeze entrusts Batman to rescue his wife from the soldiers. After fighting through a barrage of Militia henchmen, Batman finds Nora and breaks her out of her damaged cryo-chamber. Much to both Batman and Freeze's surprise, she no longer wants to be frozen in ice and simply wants to spend time with Victor. It is also revealed that she could hear every word he said, despite being in suspended animation. After taking down a Militia force trying to destroy Fries' vessel, Nora and Victor meet face-to-face and Victor removes his protective helmet. As they look off at Gotham, Nora asks how long they will live, to which Victor replies "merely days". They then depart Gotham City; when Batman analyses Freeze's equipment in the GCPD lockup, a recording made by Cash ponders whether this turn of events is a happy or sad outcome for the Frieses. | |||
** Mr. Freeze appears as a playable character in the mobile game ''Batman: Arkham Underworld''. He is unlocked after the player completes a mission for him, after which he becomes playable, wielding his freeze gun with different firing modes. | |||
====Other games==== | |||
* He is a boss in ''Batman: The Animated Series'', ''The Adventures of Batman & Robin'' for the ] in which Mr. Freeze was the game's final boss. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in the video game adaptation of the movie ''Batman & Robin''. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']''. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', with Michael Ansara reprised his role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mobygames.com/game/batman-vengeance|title=Batman Vengeance – MobyGames|accessdate=2008-05-10|publisher=Moby Games}}</ref> He was seen targeting a scientist named Isaac Evers, whom he blames for sending him a video promoting Promethium gas in order to spite him, unaware that the real culprit was the Joker planning to use Mr. Freeze's invasion of the lab as a distraction to steal large quantities of the gas. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=15788|title=Game Stop – Batman Vengeance|accessdate=2008-05-08|publisher=Game Stop|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503041737/http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=15788|archive-date=2008-05-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=21120|title=Game Stop – Batman: Dark Tomorrow|accessdate=2008-05-08|publisher=Game Stop|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409030251/http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=21120|archive-date=2008-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Matt|last=Casarnassina|url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/166/166827p1.html|title=IGN: Batman Vengeance Review|accessdate=2008-05-10|date=2001-11-19|publisher=IGN}}</ref> | |||
* Mr. Freeze is also one of the main villains in the PC game ''Toxic Chill''. Mr. Freeze pairs up with the Riddler in an attempt to change the very weather of Gotham. He is eventually betrayed and nearly killed by the Riddler who sets off a volcanic eruption. Both are sent to Arkham Asylum and are made cellmates. It is suggested that Mr. Freeze tortures the Riddler in Arkham as revenge for his treachery. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ].{{citation needed|date=January 2010}} Freeze appears when the player, using a Villain character, is attempting to steal some diamonds from a Wayne Enterprises warehouse. Joker orders the player via communicator to give the diamonds to Freeze, only to later command him or her to go inside Freeze's base in Gotham Mercy Hospital and steal the diamonds back, right when Freeze is once again trying to bring back Nora and thus sabotaging the procedure. The villain player must then confront Mr. Freeze, who is enraged and willing to kill the player. Freeze also appears in the Arkham Asylum alert, where he has allied with Scarecrow and Poison Ivy to spread chaos in the Asylum, under doctor Jeremiah Arkham's orders. Freeze has taken over one of the wings in the asylum, covering the whole area with ice and snow. The team of four players (Heroes or Villains) must defeat Freeze one time in his area, and then face him again when he is fighting side by side with Scarecrow and Ivy. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in the 2013 arcade game '']''. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ], as a "Premier Skin" for ]. In his initial appearance, he did not wear the protective helmet, which was later added in an update. He speaks in a German accent in this appearance. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in ]' '']'', voiced by ]. Unlike most iterations of the character, his condition does not confine him entirely to the suit and he uses a specialized glove that freezes anything it touches, as opposed to the traditional freeze gun. Mr. Freeze is a member of the Pact, alongside ], ], ], and ]. He joins the group to retrieve the LOTUS virus, hoping to use it to cure Nora. However, during the raid at the lab where it is kept, he is betrayed by Quinn and infected with the virus. In return for information about her whereabouts, Freeze asks Bruce Wayne/Batman to lower his confinement's temperature, hoping to combat his infection. Regardless of the decision, his fate is left ambiguous. | |||
* Mr. Freeze will appear in '']''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tinner |first=Phillip |date=August 22, 2020 |title=New Batman Game Called Gotham Knights, Court of Owls Confirmed |url=https://screenrant.com/gotham-knights-batman-game-trailer-reveal-dc-fandome/ |access-date=August 22, 2020 |website=]}}</ref> | |||
===Web series=== | |||
* Mr. Freeze is mentioned several times in the third season of the ] series ''].'' The season also features original character '''Dora Smithy''' (voiced by ]), Mr. Freeze's sister-in-law, who blames him for her sister's, Nora, death and dons his freezing equipment in a quest for revenge. | |||
* In the '']'' shorts, Mr. Freeze appears on a rampage in a giant robot suit. Batman manages to destroy the suit and Freeze ejects. Freeze then attacks Batman, only for Batman to shatter his helmet. Batman puts a gas mask on him and handcuffs him, comforting Mr. Freeze until the cops arrive. | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in '']'', voiced by ]. This version resembles his New 52 counterpart and speaks with a Spanish ]. Debuting in the season two premiere, "New Gotham", he has joined forces with fellow villains and former ] members the ], ], ], and ] to form the Injustice League and take advantage of the chaos the ] caused when he destroyed ]. The villains have divided the city's ruins between them, but refuse to give ] an equal share, leading her to attempt to dismantle the League. In the episode "Thawing Hearts", Freeze becomes the third member of the League targeted by Harley's crew, after the Penguin and Riddler, but he captures them when they attempt to storm his lair using ]'s flamethrower. He then tries to use Harley to find a cure for his wife Nora, and allows her to call ] for help. While they wait, Freeze treats Harley and her crew to dinner while he tells them how he and Nora met. Due to her mistreatment at Joker's hands, however, Harley refuses to believe him and unfreezes Nora to save her, only to learn she is dying. Incensed, Freeze threatens to detonate his lair and take everyone with it unless Ivy finds a cure. While Ivy does so, she learns that due to Nora's rare blood type, someone else has to take the cure then give Nora a blood transfusion, which will kill them. Freeze opts to sacrifice himself for his wife and dies saving her in an act of true love. | |||
===Miscellaneous=== | |||
* Mr. Freeze appears in the direct-to-video original animation '']: The Joker's Playhouse'' (2010), voiced by ]. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|30em}} | {{Reflist|30em}} | ||
==External links== | |||
{{wikiquote|Batman (comics)#Mr. Freeze|Mr. Freeze}} | |||
* | |||
*{{gcdb|type=character|search=Mr.+Freeze|title=Mr. Freeze}} | |||
*{{comicbookdb|type=character|id=1584|title=Mr. Freeze}} | |||
*{{DCdatabase|Mister Freeze}} | |||
{{Batman characters}} | {{Batman characters}} | ||
Line 239: | Line 158: | ||
{{Outsiders (comics)}} | {{Outsiders (comics)}} | ||
{{Robin}} | {{Robin}} | ||
{{DC Animated Universe}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeze, Mr.}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Freeze, Mr.}} | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
] |
Latest revision as of 15:40, 28 November 2024
Supervillain in the DC Universe For other uses, see Mr. Freeze (disambiguation).Mr. Freeze is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Dave Wood and artists Sheldon Moldoff and Bob Kane, the character initially debuted in Batman #121 (February 1959) as Mr. Zero, a mad scientist with an unknown birth name who, after a physiology-altering mishap, becomes an ice-themed criminal typically armed with freezing weapons and an adversary of the superhero Batman forced to live in sub-zero temperatures and wear a special "cryo-suit" for survival. He was later renamed "Mr. Freeze" after the version featured in the 1966 Batman television series.
In 1992, Mr. Freeze was reinvented as a tragic villain by writer Paul Dini, producer Bruce Timm, and artist Mike Mignola for Batman: The Animated Series, which portrayed Dr. Victor Fries, PhD (pronounced "freeze") as a scientist in Gotham City who suffers a lab accident while trying to cryogenically preserve his terminally ill wife, Nora. He turns to crime to fund his research in his obsessive quest to cure Nora by any means necessary, which brings him into conflict with Batman. The animated revamped depiction of Mr. Freeze received widespread acclaim and redefined the character, providing such a burst in his popularity that DC Comics retroactively integrated the origin story conceived by Dini into the mainstream comic book continuity, and adapted it for almost every incarnation of the Batman franchise since.
As one of Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery, Mr. Freeze has been adapted in various media incarnations. He has been portrayed in film by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Batman & Robin (1997), and in television by George Sanders, Otto Preminger, and Eli Wallach in the 1966 Batman series, and Nathan Darrow in Gotham. Michael Ansara, Clancy Brown, Maurice LaMarche, and others have provided the character's voice in animation and video games.
Creation and development
Created by Dave Wood, Sheldon Moldoff, and Bob Kane, the character made his first appearance in Batman #121 (February 1959) as "Mr. Zero", a criminal scientist whose experimental "ice gun" backfires and spills cryogenic chemicals on him, forcing him to wear a sub-zero suit for survival and transforming him into a gimmicky stock villain who commits ice-themed crimes. The name "Mr. Freeze" was first used when the character was adapted for the 1960s Batman television series, in which he was played by three different actors: George Sanders, Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach. Mr. Freeze debuted in the episode "Instant Freeze" on February 2, 1966, and his comic book counterpart was soon renamed as well in Detective Comics #373 (March 1968).
Nearly thirty years later, lead producers Paul Dini and Bruce Timm provided a complete overhaul for the character in adapting him for Batman: The Animated Series. Artist Mike Mignola redesigned Mr. Freeze for the series at Timm's request, while Michael Ansara provided the character's voice. The episode "Heart of Ice", which was written by Dini and directed by Timm, aired on September 7, 1992, and retold Mr. Freeze's origin as Dr. Victor Fries, a scientist who turns to crime to find a cure for his cryogenically frozen, terminally ill wife, Nora. This revamped depiction of Mr. Freeze as a complex and tragic villain was enthusiastically accepted by fans and provided such a burst in the popularity of the character that his comic book counterpart was resurrected in the comic after the episode aired (having previously been unceremoniously killed off by the Joker). Mr. Freeze's characterization and backstory from Batman: The Animated Series were even retconned into the mainstream comic book continuity, and have become the standard portrayal for the character in almost every incarnation of the Batman mythology and its media adaptations.
Fictional character biography
Pre-Crisis version
Comics characterMr. Freeze | |
---|---|
The Pre-Crisis version of Mr. Freeze's first appearance as "Mr. Zero" in Batman #121 (February 1959). Art by Curt Swan. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | As Mr. Zero: Batman #121 (February 1959) As Mr. Freeze: "Instant Freeze" Batman (February 2, 1966) |
Created by | Dave Wood Sheldon Moldoff Bob Kane |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Unknown |
Species | Metahuman |
Place of origin | Gotham City |
Notable aliases | Mr. Zero |
Abilities |
In order to create an ice gun, a scientist whose name remains unknown starts experimenting with a concentrated freezing solution. He suffers an unfortunate accident that changes his physiology, forcing him to live in environments below zero temperature. He adopts the criminal identity of Mr. Zero. To be able to go out to the normal environment, Zero creates an air conditioned costume, which helps him remain in cold temperatures, even in hot climates. Using this equipment, Zero gathers a small gang and starts a crime spree in Gotham City, stealing mainly diamonds and other precious jewels. Mr. Zero is eventually confronted by the local vigilantes, Batman and Robin. Unable to stand against his cold weapons, the Dynamic Duo fails to stop Zero. They are captured by him and brought to his secret cold hideout, near the mountains. Trapped in blocks of ice, Batman and Robin learn Zero's plan to steal a large collection of gems. Batman eventually breaks a nearby steam pipe, causing steam to fill the hideout, melting the ice away and apparently curing Zero from his ailment. After this, Batman and Robin are able to capture the whole gang and bring Zero to the authorities.
After years of inactivity, Zero's condition apparently returns. Going back to his life of crime, he changes his alias to Mr. Freeze and is forced to remain in cold temperatures once again. In this second exploit, Freeze redesigns his cryo-suit and improves his cryothermal gun. With a new gang, he starts a new series of crimes and steals valuable pieces of art. Similar to his first criminal activities, Freeze is eventually stopped by Batman and Robin.
Long after this, Freeze becomes part of a mock criminal trial.
Mr. Freeze later changes his cryo-suit with one that allows him more mobility. Freeze eventually falls in love with a woman called Hildy. In order to slow her aging process, Freeze sets out to recreate the accident that transformed him. For his experiments, Freeze uses wealthy people in Gotham as test subjects, but all the efforts result in failure. The victims turn into frozen zombies, who follow Freeze's commands. His new crimes alert the police and Batman. In the ensuing fight, Batman is only able to win when Hildy shows her true intentions and betrays Freeze, only to be encased in solid ice when her plan backfires.
Freeze's next plan consists of freezing Gotham City by removing all the heat and transporting the energy to the neighboring city of Metropolis. Freeze is unable to accomplish his goal and is stopped by Batman and Superman.
During one last attempt to freeze Gotham entirely, Mr. Freeze creates a large ice cannon. After robbing a bank, Freeze is confronted by Batman and the new Robin, who manages to defeat him with help from Vicki Vale and Julia Pennyworth, whom Freeze previously captured.
Victor Fries
Comics characterMr. Freeze | |
---|---|
The Victor Fries version of Mr. Freeze as depicted in Batman #525 (December 1995). Art by Kelley Jones (pencils) and John Beatty (inks). | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Television: "Heart of Ice" Batman: The Animated Series (September 7, 1992) Comics: Batman: Mr. Freeze #1 (1997) |
Created by | Paul Dini Bruce Timm Mike Mignola |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Dr. Victor Fries |
Species | Metahuman |
Place of origin | Gotham City |
Team affiliations | Injustice League Secret Society of Super Villains Legion of Doom Suicide Squad GothCorp |
Abilities |
|
Following the Crisis On Infinite Earths crossover event, the DC Universe is rebooted and Mr. Freeze's origin is retroactively revamped to match the one conceived by Paul Dini for Batman: The Animated Series. Dr. Victor Fries, Ph.D. is a brilliant expert in cryogenics in Gotham City. As a child, he was fascinated with cryonic preservation and liked to freeze animals. His parents are horrified by his "hobby" and send him to a strict reform school, where he is miserable, bullied and abandoned by his parents; as a result, he feels detached from humanity. In college, he meets Nora, the woman he ultimately marries.
Eighteen months after Bruce Wayne becomes Batman, Nora contracts a fatal disease, so Fries begins developing a freeze ray for GothCorp in order to preserve her in suspended animation until a cure can be found. Fries' boss Ferris Boyle decides to tell the Mob about the gun, leading Batman to create a team of specialists to help him do his job better. As Fries puts Nora in suspended animation, Boyle interrupts and tampers with the experiment, resulting in an explosion that kills Nora. Fries survives, but the chemicals in the freeze ray lower his body temperature to the point that he must wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive. He swears revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife (whom he talks to often) and becomes Mr. Freeze, the first superpowered villain whom Batman faces in this continuity. Eventually, Batman's operatives find Freeze, who shoots one of them with his freeze gun, but Batman eventually apprehends him.
During the "Underworld Unleashed" storyline, Mr. Freeze sold his soul to Neron in exchange for cryokinesis and temperature control where the latter ability enables him to survive in warm temperatures without use of his cryogenic suit. While planning to freeze the elderly in order to preserve them, Mr. Freeze was secretly planning to steal their assets causing his henchmen Ice and Cube to get concerned. Though Batman defeats Mr. Freeze, he ends up getting away. He would somehow revert to his pre-upgraded appearance causing him to sport a new cryogenic suit and wield a new freeze gun.
Initially locked in Arkham Asylum, Freeze was eventually transferred to the Gotham State Penitentiary, from where he escaped and attempted to steal technology from S.T.A.R. Labs until he was stopped and returned to prison by Batman.
During the "No Man's Land" storyline, Mr. Freeze sets up a base in the sewers which is stumbled upon by Gearhead and Tommy Mangles. Mr. Freeze finds them and uses his freeze gun on them after getting information about a storage room with canned food in it. He and Ratcatcher were defeated by Robin and arrested by Detective Mackenzie Bock with the Gotham City Police Department also bringing the frozen bodies of Gearhead and Tommy Mangles into their custody as well.
Freeze's crimes tend to involve freezing everyone and everything that he encounters so he forgoes alliances with the other criminals in Gotham, preferring to work alone. On rare occasions, he has worked with another member of Batman's rogues' gallery, usually, as an enforcer for Gotham's mob bosses, such as the Penguin during his reign or Black Mask during the return of Jason Todd.
In one of his notable team-ups, Freeze constructs a cryogenic machine for Hush so that Hush might take revenge on Batman, Freeze's equipment allowing Hush to preserve Catwoman's surgically removed heart to use as a means of threatening her life.
During the "Infinite Crisis", Mr. Freeze appears as a member of Alexander Luthor Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains.
After Batman's death, most of the Arkham inmates were freed by a new Black Mask. Freeze was among them and he started working on a project called Ice-X Protocol when the GCPD tried to capture him. He stunned them with his gun and captured Gordon, taking him to his secret lair. Gordon managed to break free and defeat Freeze by causing an explosion that weakened Freeze. After his capture, Freeze was taken to Iron Heights Prison.
During the "Salvation Run" storyline, Mr. Freeze is among the villains that are sent to another planet by a Boom Tube by the Suicide Squad.
Mr. Freeze later fashions a sub-zero machine for Nyssa al Ghul in exchange for the use of her Lazarus Pit. He attempts to restore Nora to life without waiting for the adjusting needed in the pool chemicals; she returns to life as the twisted Lazara and escapes. She blames her husband for her plight, and she estranges herself from him.
The New 52
In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, during the Night of the Owls crossover, the Court of Owls sends assassins known as Talons to kill 40 of the most important citizens of Gotham, including Mr. Freeze. The Red Hood, Starfire and Arsenal choose to save him, and subsequently remand him into Batgirl's custody. Batman Annual (vol. 2) #1 introduces a new origin for Mr. Freeze. Here, Victor Fries' fascination with cryonics began when he was a boy and his mother fell through the ice of a frozen lake. The ice was able to keep her preserved long enough for help to arrive, thus sparking his lifelong obsession with cold. It is later revealed that the accident left Fries' mother in constant pain, and Fries ended her suffering by pushing her into the same frozen lake. In this new origin, Nora was never Fries' wife. Her name was Nora Fields, a woman born in 1934. When Nora was 23, she was diagnosed with an incurable heart disease, so her family placed her in cryogenic stasis hoping that a cure would be found in the future. Fries, having written his doctoral thesis on Nora, took on a position as a cryogenic researcher and technician at Wayne Enterprises, the facility that housed Nora's body. Eventually, he fell in love with Nora and became dedicated to finding a reliable method for slowly thawing cryogenic subjects. However, Bruce Wayne ordered the project to be shut down, as he began to feel uncomfortable with Fries' obsession with Nora. Furious, Fries hurled a chair at Wayne, who dodged the attack; the chair smashed into an array of cryonic chemical tanks, the contents of which sprayed onto Fries and transformed him into Mr. Freeze.
The Court of Owls uses Freeze's cryogenic-thaw formula to revive their Talons, and then they try to kill him. Freeze survives but is captured by the Red Hood and sent to Arkham Asylum. He escapes shortly afterward and rearms himself with the Penguin's help. Freeze decides to kill Bruce Wayne and takes Nora, whom he believes to be his wife so that they can leave Gotham City behind forever. Infiltrating Wayne Enterprises, Freeze has a brief fight with Nightwing and Robin, but he subdues them. Then, Freeze goes to the penthouse, where he finds Batman and the frozen Nora. Batman defeats Mr. Freeze by injecting his suit with the thawing formula, which he had intended to use to revive Nora from suspended animation.
During the "Forever Evil" storyline, Mr. Freeze appears as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains at the time when the Crime Syndicate arrived from their world. The Scarecrow later visits Mr. Freeze to let him know of the war going on at Blackgate Penitentiary. The Man-Bats are able to bring the remaining Talons to Mr. Freeze after the Man-Bat and the Scarecrow steal them from Blackgate. Mr. Freeze and Clayface later encounter the Rogues when they land in their territory. Mr. Freeze tells the Mirror Master III he is not interested in capitalizing on the bounty on their heads, only to use the Weather Wizard to create optimal conditions for him to freeze Gotham. As the Rogues are fighting the two, Black Mask (alongside his False Face society) arrives to capture the Rogues to receive the bounty.
DC Rebirth
In the Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock, Mr. Freeze is among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by the Riddler that talks about the Superman Theory. When Comedian crashes the meeting, Mr. Freeze's helmet is punctured by a bullet shot by an unseen combatant. In the "Ends of the Earth" story arc of All-Star Batman, Freeze has awoken many people that have been held in cryogenic stasis — using them as an army to steal resources for his research to cure his wife Nora, himself, and all of these people — and plans to release deadly bacteria held in one of the world's oldest ice cores to make a new world, but Batman has injected himself with a cold-resistant virus that becomes airborne when his skin is exposed and is able to kill the spores.
During the "Dark Nights: Metal" storyline, Mr. Freeze was given a special playing card by The Batman Who Laughs which enables him to perform cryokinesis. Mr. Freeze and his frost monsters fought different superheroes who moved through his domain. Robin is the one who defeated Mr. Freeze and he regressed back to normal when the threat of the Dark Multiverse was sent back to its own dimension.
Mr. Freeze was suspected of murdering three women and was put on trial. Due to Batman's later investigation, he found that Mr. Freeze didn't commit the crime and he was found not guilty by the jury.
Several years later due to the events in "Year of the Villain", Lex Luthor's Apex Lex form gives Mr. Freeze a vial that would cure and furthermore revive his frozen wife. Freeze had to kidnap several women who matched his late wife's characteristics in both mental and physical states, going as far as modifying their DNA to hers in order to experiment with the vial before reviving his wife. In the end, it worked and his wife came back to life cured. She soon took up the name "Mrs. Freeze". After Mrs. Freeze betrayed him, Mr. Freeze turned to Batman for help. During the fight, Mrs. Freeze used a syringe on Mr. Freeze which started to heat him up while also eradicating the special nanites that kept him cold without the assistance of his cryogenic suit. Batman had to put Mr. Freeze in the same cryogenic state that Nora was in while Mrs. Freeze fled to the northern parts of Canada.
Mr. Freeze was later seen as an inmate at Arkham Tower.
Powers and abilities
Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze's crimes are often centered around a specific theme; in his case, ice, cold and snow. The lab accident that bathed him in chemical coolants radically altered his biology and lowered his body temperature to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, transforming him into a metahuman who is impervious to sub-freezing temperatures and incapable of surviving outside of them. As a result, anything Freeze's skin comes into contact with will freeze. He can generate ice around his body, encase an entire person's body in ice simply by touching them, and cause ice to rapidly form along structures through physical contact. The demon Neron briefly grants Freeze the ability to generate absolute zero temperatures around him, though his body is soon reverted to its original sub-zero state. Since the chemicals he was exposed to were meant for cryo-stasis, Freeze's aging has been decelerated to the point that he is considered to be virtually immortal, and he is immune to most toxins, bacteria, viruses, and illnesses.
Freeze possesses a genius-level intellect and a gifted scientific mind. He is an expert in physics, chemistry, neurobiology, medicine, and mechanical engineering, having built his own specialized cryogenic suit and equipment to keep his body temperature below freezing, as well as a "freeze ray" gun capable of creating gusts of cold that approach absolute zero. Freeze's armored suit also increases his strength and durability to superhuman levels. His inventions have been described as being as technologically advanced as that of Apokolips or Lex Luthor.
Reception
IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time List ranked Mr. Freeze as #67.
Other characters named Mr. Freeze
Robot Mr. Freeze
In Blackhawk, Mr. Freeze appears as a robot created and controlled by Professor Thurman to pose as a villain so that Thurman could use his "Instant Freeze Icing Machine" invention to commit crimes without incriminating himself, but the plan is eventually foiled by the Blackhawks and Thurman is arrested.
Earth-Two Mr. Zero
An issue of The Brave and the Bold revealed that there was a criminal on Earth-Two who also operated as Mr. Zero. While not much is known about Earth-Two's Mr. Zero, his freeze gun was among the weaponry used by Earth-Two's Hugo Strange to attack Robin, Batwoman, and Batman of Earth-One.
Other versions
Flashpoint
An alternate timeline variant of Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze appears in Flashpoint: Citizen Cold. This version is a friend of Fallout and an enemy of the eponymous Citizen Cold, who later kills Freeze. Additionally, Freeze's motivations revolve around seeking a cure for Fallout's radioactive powers.
Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze appears in Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. After being exposed to mutagen by the Shredder, Freeze mutates into an anthropomorphic polar bear and joins other mutated Arkham Asylum inmates to attack Batman and Robin before the inmates are defeated by Splinter. Sometime later, the inmates are stated to have been cured and in A.R.G.U.S. custody.
Batman: White Knight
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries appears in Batman: White Knight. This version retired from his criminal lifestyle to focus on curing his wife Nora Fries' disease. Additionally, his cryogenically mutated physiology considerably slowed his body's aging process. Years prior, Victor unnamed father and Nora's father, Jacob Smithstein, worked as cryogenic researchers in interwar Germany. Amidst the rise of the Nazis, Victor's father joined them as an SS officer and became cold and abusive towards Victor. After being conscripted to experiment on Jewish prisoners using cryotech, Victor helped the Smithsteins escape, during which Jacob was shot and made Victor promise to protect Nora. After arriving in the U.S., Victor would go on to help deliver Bruce Wayne after the latter's mother Martha went into premature labor and attempt to save Alfred Pennyworth.
Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story
An alternate universe variant of Victor Fries appears in the DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults novel Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story, written by Lauren Myracle and with art by Isaac Goodhart.
In other media
Main article: Mr. Freeze in other mediaSee also
References
- ^ "UGO's World of Batman – Rogues Gallery: Mr. Freeze". UGO. Archived from the original on May 27, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
- Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 225. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
- ^ Batman #121 (February 1959). DC Comics.
- "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze". Bat-Mania. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 2". Bat-Mania. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 3". Bat-Mania. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- Detective Comics (vol. 1) #373. DC Comics.
- "Art of Mike Mignola - Bio". Art of Mike Mignola. 2010. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
- "Heart of Ice". Toon Zone. Archived from the original on 2008-04-28. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
Mr. Freeze targets the industrialist responsible for his wife's death.
- Dixon, Chuck (w), Kitson, Barry (p), Smith, Bob (i), Roy, Adrienne (col), Costanza, John (let), Peterson, Scott (comics) (ed). "Cold Cases" Detective Comics, vol. 1, no. 670 (January 1994). New York City: DC Comics.
- Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- Dixon, Chuck (w), Lyle, Tom (p), Smith, Bob (i), Ray, Adrienne (col), Harkins, Tim (let), O'Neil, Dennis (ed). "The Funniest Thing Happened..." Robin II: The Joker's Wild!, no. 1 (October 1991). New York City: DC Comics.
- Daly, Steve; Thompson, Anne (March 8, 1996). "A Tights Squeeze". Entertainment Weekly. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
- Detective Comics #373. DC Comics.
- Batman #291-294. DC Comics.
- Batman #308. DC Comics.
- World's Finest #257. DC Comics.
- Batman #375. DC Comics.
- "Mister Freeze". DC.com. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Batman Eternal #31
- ^ Batman Annual (vol. 2) #1
- "Heart of Ice interview "The Role of Mr. Freeze In The Animated Universe" page 2 – Finding a Voice". worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- Underworld Unleashed #1. DC Comics.
- Green Lantern (vol. 3) #66–69. DC Comics.
- Batman #525. DC Comics.
- Batman #535. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #595. DC Comics.
- Robin Vol. 2 #69. DC Comics.
- Robin Vol. 2 #70. DC Comics.
- Detective comics #804–806. DC Comics.
- Batman #635. DC Comics.
- Batman #836. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #850. DC Comics.
- Villains United #1. DC Comics.
- Battle for the Cowl: Commissioner Gordon #1. DC Comics.
- Salvation Run #1. DC Comics.
- Batgirl #69–70. DC Comics.
- Lobdell, Scott (w), Rocafort, Kenneth (p), Rocafort, Kenneth (i), Sienty, Dezi (let), Chase, Bobbie (ed). "Last Regrets – I've Had a Few" Red Hood and the Outlaws, vol. 1, no. 8 (June 2012). New York City: DC Comics.
- Snyder, Scott (w), Fabok, Jason (p), Fabok, Jason (i), Steigerwald, Peter (col), Cipriano, Sal (let), Marts, Mike (ed). "Night of the Owls: First Snow" Batman Annual, vol. 2, no. 1 (July 2012). New York City: DC Comics.
- Johns, Geoff (w), Finch, David (p), Friend, Richard (i), Oback, Sonia (col), Leigh, Rob (let), Cunningham, Brian (ed). "Nightfall" Forever Evil, vol. 1, no. 1 (November 2013). New York City: DC Comics.
- Tomasi, Peter (w), Kudranksi, Szymon (p), Kudranksi, Szymon (i), Kalisz, John (col), Sienty, Dezi (let), Marts, Mike (ed). "City of Fear" Detective Comics, vol. 2, no. 23.3 (November 2013). New York City: DC Comics.
- Tomasi, Peter (w), Eaton, Scot (p), Mendoza, Jaime (i), Delhouse, Andrew (col), Esposito, Taylor (let), Gluckstern, Rachel (ed). "Batman Death March" Forever Evil: Arkham War, vol. 1, no. 1 (December 2013). New York City: DC Comics.
- Tomasi, Peter (w), Eaton, Scot (p), Mendoza, Jaime (i), Dalhouse, Andrew (col), Lanham, Travis (let), Gluckstern, Rachel (ed). "Das Bat!" Forever Evil: Arkham War, vol. 1, no. 3 (February 2014). New York City: DC Comics.
- Buccallato, Brian (w), Hepburn, Scott (p), Coehlho, Andre (i), Filardi, Nick (col), Sienty, Dezi (let), Cunningham, Brian (ed). "Dark Knight" Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion, vol. 1, no. 3 (February 2014). New York City: DC Comics.
- Buccallato, Brian (w), Hepburn, Scott (p), Coehlho, Andre (i), Filardi, Nick (col), Sienty, Dezi (let), Cunningham, Brian (ed). "Escape from Gotham" Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion, vol. 1, no. 4 (March 2014). New York City: DC Comics.
- Doomsday Clock #6 (July 2018). DC Comics.
- All-Star Batman #7 (2017). DC Comics.
- Teen Titans Vol. 6 #12. Marvel Comics.
- Nightwing Vol. 4 #29. DC Comics.
- Batman Vol. 3 #51-53. DC Comics.
- Tomasi, Peter; Mahnke, Doug (October 2019). Detective Comics #1014 - Cold Dark World: Awake!. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #1015. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #1016. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #1053. DC Comics.
- Waid, Mark (w), Porter, Howard; Jimenez, Phil and others (a). Underworld Unleashed, no. 3 (November 1995 – January 1996). New York City: DC Comics.
- Arkham Manor: Endgame #1. DC Comics.
- Detective Comics #849. DC Comics.
- "Mr. Freeze is Number 67". Comics.ign.com. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- Dillin, Dick (a), Dillin, Dick (p), Cuidera, Chuck (i). Blackhawk, no. 117 (October 1957). New York City: DC Comics.
- The Brave and the Bold #182. DC Comics.
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #1 (June 2011). DC Comics.
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #2 (July 2011). DC Comics.
- Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3 (August 2011). DC Comics.
- Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6. DC Comics/IDW.
- Sean Murphy (w), Klaus Janson (a), Matt Hollingsworth (col), Andworld Design (let), Mark Doyle (ed). Batman: White Knight Presents Von Freeze, vol. 1, no. 1 (January 2020). Burbank, CA: DC Black Label.
- Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story at DC Comics
Batgirl | |
---|---|
Incarnations | |
Supporting characters | |
Antagonists | |
Related identities | |
Publications | |
Related articles | |
The Outsiders | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Members |
| ||||
Supporting characters | |||||
Enemies | |||||
Locations | |||||
Other media |
Robin | |
---|---|
Robins | |
Supporting characters | |
Antagonists |
|
Related identities | |
In other media | |
Publications | |
Alternative versions | |
Related | |
DC Animated Universe | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Creators | |||||
Television |
| ||||
Films | |||||
Digital content | |||||
Comics | |||||
Video games |
| ||||
Characters | |||||
Miscellaneous |
- Action film villains
- Batman characters
- Characters created by Bob Kane
- Characters created by Bruce Timm
- Characters created by Paul Dini
- Comics characters introduced in 1959
- Cyborg supervillains
- DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability
- DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
- DC Comics cyborgs
- DC Comics film characters
- DC Comics immortals
- DC Comics male supervillains
- DC Comics metahumans
- DC Comics scientists
- DC Comics television characters
- Fictional characters with elemental transmutation abilities
- Fictional characters with ice or cold abilities
- Fictional cryonically preserved characters in comics
- Fictional German people
- Fictional inventors in comics
- Fictional marksmen and snipers
- Fictional mass murderers
- Fictional matricides
- Fictional physicians
- Fictional scientists in films
- Film supervillains
- Male film villains
- Undead supervillains
- Video game bosses
- Villains in animated television series