Mr. Freeze is a
supervillain appearing in
American comic books published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. The character was created by Dave Wood,
Sheldon Moldoff
Sheldon Moldoff (; April 14, 1920 – February 29, 2012) was an American comics artist best known for his early work on the DC Comics characters Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and as one of Bob Kane's primary "ghost artists" (uncredited collaborator ...
and
Bob Kane
Robert Kane (born Robert Kahn ; October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998) was an American comic book writer, animator and artist who co-created Batman (with Bill Finger) and most early related characters for DC comics. He was inducted into the comi ...
, and first appeared in ''
Batman'' #121 in February 1959 as the ice-based criminal Mr. Zero.
He was soon renamed "Mr. Freeze" and, years later, received a revamped
origin story
In entertainment, an origin story is an account or backstory revealing how a Character (arts), character or group of people become a protagonist or antagonist, and it adds to the overall interest and complexity of a narrative, often giving reason ...
based on the one conceived by writer
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–19 ...
for ''
Batman: The Animated Series''. Dini's depiction of the character as a tragic
villain
A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character ...
popularized Mr. Freeze into becoming one of
Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his
rogues gallery
A rogues' gallery (or rogues gallery) is a police collection of mug shots or other images of criminal suspects kept for identification purposes.
History
In 1855, Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, established a ...
.
Mr. Freeze is the
alter ego of Dr. Victor Fries, a German-born
cryogenics
In physics, cryogenics is the production and behaviour of materials at very low temperatures.
The 13th IIR International Congress of Refrigeration (held in Washington DC in 1971) endorsed a universal definition of “cryogenics” and “cr ...
expert in
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
who was caught in a laboratory mishap whilst attempting to cure his terminally ill wife,
Nora
Nora, NORA, or Norah may refer to:
* Nora (name), a feminine given name
People with the surname
* Arlind Nora (born 1980), Albanian footballer
* Pierre Nora (born 1931), French historian
Places Australia
* Norah Head, New South Wales, headlan ...
. The accident drastically lowered his body temperature to sub-zero levels, forcing him to wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive. Fries turns to crime to find a cure for his wife's illness through any means necessary, which often puts him into conflict with Batman.
The character has been adapted in various media incarnations, having been portrayed in live-action by
George Sanders
George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...
,
Otto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor.
He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...
and
Eli Wallach
Eli Herschel Wallach (; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. From his 1945 Broadway debut to his last film appearance, Wallach's entertainment career spanned 65 years. Origina ...
in the 1960s ''
Batman'' television series,
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1997 film ''
Batman & Robin'', and
Nathan Darrow in the
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
crime drama ''
Gotham''.
Michael Ansara
Michael George Ansara (April 15, 1922 – July 31, 2013) was an American actor. He portrayed Cochise in the television series '' Broken Arrow'', Kane in the 1979–1981 series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', Commander Kang in '' Star Tr ...
,
Clancy Brown
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles.
Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...
,
Maurice LaMarche
Maurice LaMarche (born March 30, 1958) is a Canadian voice actor, comedian, and impressionist. He has voiced the Brain in '' Animaniacs'' as well as its spin-off '' Pinky and the Brain'', Big Bob in ''Hey Arnold!'' (1996–2004), and a variety of ...
, and others have provided his voice in media ranging from animation to video games.
Creation and development
Introduction
Mr. Freeze made his first appearance in ''
Batman'' #121 (February
1959), and was created by Dave Wood,
Sheldon Moldoff
Sheldon Moldoff (; April 14, 1920 – February 29, 2012) was an American comics artist best known for his early work on the DC Comics characters Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and as one of Bob Kane's primary "ghost artists" (uncredited collaborator ...
and
Bob Kane
Robert Kane (born Robert Kahn ; October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998) was an American comic book writer, animator and artist who co-created Batman (with Bill Finger) and most early related characters for DC comics. He was inducted into the comi ...
.
[''Batman'' #121 (February 1959)] 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.
He was originally called Mr. Zero in the comics, but the producers of the 1960s ''
Batman'' television series renamed him Mr. Freeze and portrayed Batman addressing him as "Dr. Otto Schivel", and the name quickly carried over to the comic books.
In the
Pre-''Crisis'' 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.
Origin story
Originally called Mr. Zero,
he was renamed and popularized by the
1960s ''Batman'' television series, in which he was played by three different actors (
George Sanders
George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...
,
Otto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger ( , ; 5 December 1905 – 23 April 1986) was an Austrian-American theatre and film director, film producer, and actor.
He directed more than 35 feature films in a five-decade career after leaving the theatre. He first gai ...
, and
Eli Wallach
Eli Herschel Wallach (; December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television, and stage actor from New York City. From his 1945 Broadway debut to his last film appearance, Wallach's entertainment career spanned 65 years. Origina ...
).
Nearly 30 years later, a television adaptation of Batman revitalized him once again. ''
Batman: The Animated Series'' retold Mr. Freeze's origin in "
Heart of Ice", an episode by writer
Paul Dini
Paul McClaran Dini (; born August 7, 1957) is an American screenwriter and comic creator. He has been a producer and writer for several Warner Bros. Animation/DC Comics animated series, most notably '' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–19 ...
. The episode introduced his terminally ill,
cryogenically frozen
Cryo-preservation or cryo-conservation is a process where organisms, organelles, cells, tissues, extracellular matrix, organs, or any other biological constructs susceptible to damage caused by unregulated chemical kinetics are preserved by co ...
wife
Nora
Nora, NORA, or Norah may refer to:
* Nora (name), a feminine given name
People with the surname
* Arlind Nora (born 1980), Albanian footballer
* Pierre Nora (born 1931), French historian
Places Australia
* Norah Head, New South Wales, headlan ...
, which explained his obsession with ice and need to build a criminal empire to raise research funds.
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
The killing off of a character is a device in fiction, whereby a character dies, but the story continues. The term, frequently applied to television, film, video game, anime, manga and chronological series, often denotes an untimely or unexpected ...
by the
Joker.
Freeze was resurrected in the comic after the episode aired. 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
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
in the comics and has been the character's official origin in almost every incarnation of Batman until September 2011, when
The New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
rebooted DC's continuity. Elements of this origin story were incorporated into the 1997 film ''
Batman & Robin'', in which he was portrayed by
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Fictional character biography
Pre-''Crisis''
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
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
, 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 a 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, after which he changes his cryo-suit for 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 command. 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
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big c ...
. Freeze is unable to accomplish his goal and is stopped by Batman and
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. 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
Victoria Vale (usually called "Vicki" or "Vickie") is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character debuted in ' ...
and
Julia Pennyworth, whom Freeze previously captured.
Post-''Crisis''
Following the
Crisis
A crisis ( : crises; : critical) is either any event or period that will (or might) lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affair ...
rebooting the history of the
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
, Mr. Freeze is revamped using a history similar to the one created by Paul Dini for ''Batman: The Animated Series''.
Dr. Victor Fries, Ph.D. (surname pronounced "freeze") is a brilliant cryogenicist. 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 boarding school, where he is miserable and feels detached from humanity. In college, he meets
Nora
Nora, NORA, or Norah may refer to:
* Nora (name), a feminine given name
People with the surname
* Arlind Nora (born 1980), Albanian footballer
* Pierre Nora (born 1931), French historian
Places Australia
* Norah Head, New South Wales, headlan ...
, 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.
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
Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs) is a fictional scientific research facility and organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It first appeared in ''Superman'' #246 (December 1 ...
until he was stopped and returned to prison by Batman.
Freeze's crimes tend to involve freezing everyone and everything that he encounters
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
Penguin during his
reign
A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, List of Belgian monarchs, Belgium, Co-prince of Andorra, Andorra), of a people (e.g., List of Frankish kings, the Franks, List of ...
or
Black Mask during the
return
Return may refer to:
In business, economics, and finance
* Return on investment (ROI), the financial gain after an expense.
* Rate of return, the financial term for the profit or loss derived from an investment
* Tax return, a blank document or t ...
of
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Batman (comic book), Batman'' #357 in March 1983, Todd was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin (chara ...
. In one of his notable team-ups, Freeze constructs a cryogenic machine for
Hush
Hush may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young
* ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow
* ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi
* ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...
so that Hush might take revenge on Batman, Freeze's equipment allowing Hush to preserve
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she is ...
's surgically removed heart to use as a means of threatening her life. After Batman's
death
Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
, 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
Iron Heights Penitentiary is a fictional setting in the , a maximum-security prison which houses the many Flash rogues and superhuman criminals of Keystone City and Central City when captured. Iron Heights first appeared in ''Flash: Iron Heights ...
prison. During his time with the
Secret Society of Super Villains, he 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
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, during the ''
Night of the Owls
"Batman: Night of the Owls" is a comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics in mid-2012, and featuring the Batman family of characters. Primarily written by Scott Snyder, the arc is the first major crossover storyline of The New 52.
Th ...
'' crossover, the
Court of Owls
The Court of Owls is a criminal organization and secret society appearing in DC Comics continuity as adversaries of the superhero Batman. The Court is described as an organization of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the city of Got ...
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 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. 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
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
behind forever. Infiltrating
Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises, Inc., also known as WayneCorp and Wayne Industries, is a wealthy fictional company appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Wayne Enterprises is a large, gr ...
, 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
"Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David Finch. It is the fir ...
'' 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
This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
* the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
* Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City fo ...
. The
Man-Bat
Man-Bat (Dr. Robert Kirkland "Kirk" Langstrom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Introduced in ''Detective Comics'' #400 (June 1970) as an enemy of the superhero Batman, the character belongs to t ...
s are able to bring the remaining Talons to Mr. Freeze after Man-Bat and Scarecrow steal them from Blackgate. Mr. Freeze and
Clayface later encounter the Rogues when they land in their territory. Mr. Freeze tells
Mirror Master
Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
II he is not interested in capitalizing on the bounty on their heads, only to use
Weather Wizard
Weather Wizard (Mark Mardon) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.
Weather Wizard made his first live appearance in the television series '' The Flash'', played by actor Liam McIntyre, who played Mark Mardon. He appear ...
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
''Watchmen'' is an American comic book maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 before being collected in a single-vo ...
'' sequel ''
Doomsday Clock
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', Mr. Freeze is among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by
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.
Several
years later
''Years Later'' is the third studio album by American rapper Soulja Slim.
Track listing
References
Soula Slimat AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It c ...
due to the events in "
Year of the Villain
''Year of the Villain'' is a crossover comic book event published by DC Comics. Since May 2019, the event narrates the aftermath of '' Dark Nights: Metal'' and the prelude to '' Batman/Superman vs. The Secret Six'' and '' Dark Nights: Death Metal ...
,"
Lex Luthor
Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: April ...
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.
Powers, abilities, and equipment
Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze plans his crimes about a specific
theme
Theme or themes may refer to:
* Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work
* Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos
* Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
; in his case, ice, snow, and cold. An accident caused Mr. Freeze to become genetically altered with a bizarre condition that has irreversibly frozen him to the bone, transforming him into a cold-blooded mutant whose body temperature must always be kept below zero. His altered biology caused his skin cells to become storage units for the cold to help his body chemistry to be comfortably chilled, allowing him to become both entirely immune and adapted to sub-freezing temperatures. Extraordinarily, his age progression has slowed drastically in a suspended animated state; some interpretations also suggest that the chemical he was soaked in was
glycerol
Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...
, a cryo-protectant he intended to use for cryopreservation. His unique physiology makes him immune to most
toxin
A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...
s,
bacteria
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...
, and
virus
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea.
Since Dmitri Ivanovsk ...
es.
Freeze has one weapon that is more powerful than his gun, suit, and other cryotechnology: his mind. A brilliant scientific genius with an incredible mind for invention, he is skilled in
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
,
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
,
genetics
Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinian friar wor ...
,
computer science
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...
,
chemistry
Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...
, and
medical science
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...
. His science and technology are even as advanced as Apokilips or Lex Luthor's. His childhood obsession with cryogenics has led him to become one of the most gifted cryogenicists in Gotham. Victor was also able to build a cryonic life support machine for
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she is ...
, whose heart was surgically removed by
Hush
Hush may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young
* ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow
* ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi
* ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...
, and was capable of inventing a wide variety of cryotechnology for his extensive array of cryogenic weapons and armor. Freeze is a remarkable medical scientist in his research on the pathology and neuroscience of Nora's neurological illness. His specialization in cryonics has successfully proven his thesis on immortality through suspended animation; preserving his wife in a frozen state to delay her illness until a cure could be found is the best example of his research.
Combined with his suit, Freeze's strength and durability are augmented to superhuman levels. Freeze's suit protected him from a bomb attack by the
Ventriloquist
Ventriloquism, or ventriloquy, is a performance act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) creates the illusion that their voice is coming from elsewhere, usually a puppeteered prop known as a "dummy". The act of ventriloquism is ve ...
's henchmen but the helmet of the armor was damaged by a sniper, causing the gases to leak due to the pressure. Freeze's strength and durability increased further after receiving a more advanced cryogenic armor, which was less heavy than the previous one, and was capable of withstanding gunshots and explosives. Freeze's most iconic weapon is his freeze gun, capable of creating gusts of cold that approach absolute zero. The gun is also capable of creating a "cold field" and imprison its opponents in a cocoon of ice.
In the ''
Underworld Unleashed
''Underworld Unleashed'' was a multi-title American comic book crossover event released by DC Comics in 1995.
The main theme of ''Underworld Unleashed'' involved the new ruler of Hell, a demon-lord named Neron, offering first many of the DC ...
'' storyline, the demon
Neron granted Mr. Freeze the ability to generate subzero temperatures, no longer needing his freeze gun or refrigeration power suit. However, after his encounter with
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
,
Donna Troy
Donna Troy is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is the original Wonder Girl and later temporarily adopts another identity, Troia. Created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani, she first appeared in ''The B ...
, and
Purgatory
Purgatory (, borrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Old French) is, according to the belief of some Christian denominations (mostly Catholic), an intermediate state after physical death for expiatory purification. The process of purgatory ...
in Central Park, he reverted to his original subzero biology. He then gained a new subzero armor and weaponry.
Reception
The character of Mr. Freeze has been analyzed as a stereotypical depiction of a villainous European in fiction. ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
''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 Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to:
Animals
* Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856
* Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus''
* Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii''
* Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus uru ...
'', 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.
Other versions
''Smallville Season Eleven''
In the comic book adaptation of ''
Smallville Season Eleven'', Mr. Freeze becomes an agent for the
Intergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime syndicate appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, they consistently appear as enemies of various DC super ...
so he can obtain money to continue researching a way to save his wife Nora. At a safe house, Joe Chill is confronted by Batman, who attacks him for murdering his parents until Superman calms him down. Superman calmly explains to Chill that they needed to locate a man known as the
Prankster whom they believe is developing the weapons Chill will sell to the Intergang. Mr. Freeze and the Prankster arrive to kill Chill. While Superman tries to distract the villains, Batman tries to get Chill out of the area. Mr. Freeze kills Chill and frames Batman for the crime. Batman escapes with an injured Superman while the FBI pursue them.
Batman and Superman arrive at a location to confront Prankster who attacks him with a robotic suit that
Toyman
The Toyman is the name of three supervillains and one adolescent superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly as an adversary for Superman.
The most well-known incarnation of the Toyman is Winslow Percival Schott, a criminal w ...
develops. Prankster reveals that Mr. Freeze is brainwashed by him and attacking the citizens of
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big c ...
. His suit's fuel cells are overloading and will explode with Freeze above Metropolis' water purification plant. Anyone within one mile will get killed in the explosion. Superman goes to stop the Prankster while Batman takes down Mr. Freeze with help from
Green Arrow. Mr. Freeze is then sent to
Arkham Asylum. There, he becomes a member of the
Yellow Lanterns with Bane and Poison Ivy, all because of Parallax. Fortunately, Professor Hamilton finds a way to reboot the rings, and all the Yellow Lanterns lose their powers. The inmates of Arkham Asylum nearly fall to their deaths from the sky, but Superman saves them all. After
Parallax is defeated, the criminals are returned to Arkham Asylum.
''Justice League Adventures''
Based in the
DC Animated Universe
The DC Animated Universe (DCAU; also referred to as the Timmverse or Diniverse by fans referring to the creators and producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini respectively) is a shared universe consisting primarily of superhero-based animated televis ...
, Mr. Freeze is part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "
Cold Warriors
"Cold Warriors" is the twenty-fourth episode in the sixth season of the American animated television series '' Futurama'', and the 112th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on August 25, 2011 on Comedy Central. American actor Tom ...
" that try to overthrow a small
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n nation. The Cold Warriors appear in ''Justice League Adventures'' #12 (December 2002).
''DC Super Friends''
In ''DC Super Friends'' #16, Mr. Freeze is part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "Ice Pack" that encases an entire city in ice and snow. They end up fighting each other for control of the group until Mr. Freeze suggests to compete for dominance by committing dastardly cold crimes. While his colleagues are busy, Freeze simply removes his cryo-suit and takes a walk through the city. The Super Friends melt the ice, forcing Victor to surrender in order to return to his suit.
''Flashpoint''
In the alternate timeline of ''Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint'', Mr. Freeze attacks the
S.T.A.R. Labs
Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs) is a fictional scientific research facility and organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It first appeared in ''Superman'' #246 (December 1 ...
in Central City (DC Comics), Central City to find a cure for his wife Nora. However, Captain Cold, Citizen Cold 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. This version of Mr. Freeze is a friend of Fallout's and pursues revenge against Citizen Cold for murdering him. It is later revealed that radiation produced by Fallout is the cure Mr. Freeze was searching for.
''Injustice: Gods Among Us''
In the ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'' reality, Mr. Freeze did not stay locked inside Arkham after clashing with Batman, despite his cell still being kept cold for him. Instead, he remained surprisingly low-key during Superman's Regime, remaining in hiding for five years before being captured by Killer Croc. Detained in a prison in the sewers of Gotham, Freeze was soon rescued by Harley Quinn and her Joker Clan.
''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles''
In ''Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' Crossover (fiction), crossover, Mr. Freeze appears mutated into a polar bear as one of the various other Arkham inmates mutated by Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Shredder and Foot Clan to attack Batman and
Robin. Batman is captured, but Robin manages to escape. The Ninja Turtles and Splinter (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Splinter then arrive, where Splinter defeats the mutated villains, while Batman uses his new Intimidator Armor to defeat Shredder and the Turtles defeat Ra's al Ghul. Later, James Gordon (character), Gordon tells Batman that the police scientists have managed to turn all of the inmates at Arkham back to normal and are currently in List of government agencies in DC Comics#A.R.G.U.S., A.R.G.U.S. custody.
''Batman: White Knight''
Victor Fries appears in the 2017 series ''Batman: White Knight''. In this series, Victor Fries retires from his criminal lifestyle to focus on curing his wife's disease. It is later revealed that, due to his unique, cryogenically-dependent physiology, Fries's aging had been slowed considerably. His father was a member of the Nazi SS during the Second World War, but acted as a double agent, allowing America to stay one step ahead of Nazi Germany, Germany on the scientific front. As a result of this, a massive freeze cannon is constructed beneath a lighthouse off the coast of
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
. The superweapon is discovered by Neo-Joker (the second Harley Quinn who felt that by taking pills to retain his sanity, Joker (character), Jack Napier was destroying the most beautiful part of himself) and is used to freeze most, if not all, of Gotham. Freeze is able to reverse the effects with the aid of Barbara Gordon, Batgirl. It is also revealed that Fries had been contacted by Batman in an attempt to secure the villain's aid to save the life of Alfred Pennyworth. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain.
''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story''
In DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults, Nora and Victor's backgrounds and the beginnings of their romance are the premise of ''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story'', written by Lauren Myracle and with art by Isaac Goodhart, released in November 2020.
''Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story'' at DC Comics
/ref>
In other media
See also
* List of Batman Family adversaries
References
External links
Mister Freeze
at DC Comics' official website
Mr. Freeze UGO profile
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeze, Mr.
Action film villains
Villains in animated television series
Batman characters
Characters created by Bob Kane
Comics characters introduced in 1959
DC Comics film characters
DC Comics male supervillains
DC Comics metahumans
DC Comics scientists
DC Comics television characters
Fictional assassins in comics
Fictional characters with ice or cold abilities
Fictional characters with slowed ageing
Fictional chemical engineers
Fictional mutants
Fictional cryonically preserved characters in comics
DC Comics cyborgs
Cyborg supervillains
Fictional German American people
Fictional monsters
Fictional inventors
Fictional life scientists
Fictional mass murderers
Fictional matricides
Fictional physicians
Male film villains
Video game bosses