Mr. Freeze

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Mr. Freeze
Freezebig.png
Mr. Freeze and Batman
Art by Greg Land
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance as Mr. Zero: Batman #121
(February 1959); as Mr. Freeze: Detective Comics #373
(March 1968)
Created by Bob Kane(credited); David Wood & Sheldon Moldoff (uncredited)
In-story information
Alter ego Victor Fries
Team affiliations Injustice League
Secret Society of Super Villains
Notable aliases Mister Zero, Doctor Zero, Doctor Schimmell
Abilities - Genius-level intelligence in cryogenics
- Wields a Freeze Gun and wears an exo-suit that keeps his body temperature below freezing and gives him superhuman strength.

Mr. Freeze, real name Dr. Victor Fries (pronounced as Victor "Frees" or "Freeze"), is a DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of Batman. Created by Bob Kane, he first appeared in Batman #121 (February 1959).[1]

Freeze is a scientist who must wear a cryogenic suit in order to survive, and bases his crimes around a "cold" or "ice" theme, complete with a "cold gun" that freezes its targets solid. In the most common variation of his origin story, he is a former cryogenics expert who suffered an industrial accident while attempting to cure his terminally ill wife, Nora.

In the original Batman television series, Mr. Freeze was played in various episodes by George Sanders, Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach. He was voiced in Batman: The Animated Series by Michael Ansara, and by Clancy Brown in The Batman. In the 1997 film, Batman & Robin, he was portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

IGN's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time List ranked Mr. Freeze as #67.[2]

Contents

[edit] Overview

Originally called Mr. Zero,[1] he was renamed and popularized by the 1960s Batman television series, in which he was played by several actors.[3][4][5] His character was used because the series creators had originally wanted to use the character of Two-Face (aka Harvey Dent), but network executives thought the character would be too scary for the numerous children who watched the show; as a result, an alternative villain with a physical deformity and a more serious personality, Mr Freeze, was substituted.

Over two decades later, a television adaptation of Batman revitalized him once again. Batman: The Animated Series retold Mr. Freeze’s origin in a landmark episode by writer Paul Dini , introducing his terminally ill, cryogenically frozen wife, which greater explained his obsession with ice and need to build a criminal empire to raise research funds.[6] The episode was seen as groundbreaking for a Saturday morning cartoon and helped set the tone for the complex moral motivations seen constantly in the rest of the series. This backstory was also made canon in the comics and has been Fries' official origin in almost every incarnation of Batman since. This leads many fans to think of him as the most sympathetic villain.

Elements of this back story were incorporated into the 1997 film Batman & Robin, in which he was portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.[1][7]

[edit] Fictional character biography

From the time of his first appearance in 1958 onward, Mr. Freeze was portrayed as one of many "joke" villains (see also Killer Moth, cast as stock enemies of Batman.)[1] Originally called Mr. Zero,[1] the producers of the 1960s Batman television series renamed him Mr. Freeze (and portrayed Batman addressing him as "Dr. Schivell"),[1] and the name quickly carried over to the comic books.

Nearly 30 years later, Mr. Freeze would receive another update on television. In the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Heart of Ice", he was made into a more complex, tragic character.[6] This version of Mr. Freeze 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 Joker. Freeze was resurrected in the comic after the episode aired.[1]

[edit] Silver Age

Batman #121 (1959), the first appearance of the character as "Mr. Zero". Cover art by Curt Swan

In the Pre-Crisis continuity series, 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 his needing subzero temperatures to survive.[1]

[edit] Modern Age

Post-Crisis, Freeze was revamped utilizing Paul Dini's backstory. Dr. Victor Fries is an expert molecular biologist. As a child, he is fascinated by freezing animals. His parents, horrified by his "hobby", send him to a strict boarding school, where he is miserable, feeling detached from humanity. In college, he meets a woman named Nora, whom he falls in love with and ultimately marries.[1]

Nora later falls terminally ill. Fries takes on a job working for a large company run by the ruthless Ferris Boyle. Fries discovers a way to put Nora into cryo-stasis (using company equipment without permission), and places her in that state hoping to sustain her until a cure could be found. Boyle finds out about the experiment and attempts to have her brought out of cryo-stasis, overruling Fries' frantic objections. A struggle ensues, in which Boyle kicks Fries into a table full of chemicals and leaves him for dead. Fries survives, but his body temperature is lowered dramatically due to mutations triggered by the chemicals; he can now only live at subzero temperatures and is thus forced to wear a special refrigerating suit to stay alive. As Mr. Freeze, he uses cryonic technology to create a gun, which fires a beam that freezes any target within its range.[1][8]

His first act as a costumed criminal is to take revenge upon Boyle, a plan with which Batman interferes.[1][6] Mr. Freeze fires his freeze-gun at Batman, but he dodges, causing the beam to shatter Nora's capsule. Freeze blames Batman, and swears to destroy whatever the Dark Knight holds dear (mainly Gotham City, and eventually Robin).[1]

Freeze's crimes tend to involve freezing everyone and everything he runs into [1] so he hardly ever 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, such as the time he was a hired enforcer/hitman for the Black Mask.[9] In Villains United #1, Freeze has frozen everyone inside a courtroom. While using a frozen man as a chair, he talks with the Calculator, who convinces him to join the Secret Society of Super Villains. During his time with the group, he fashions for Nyssa al Ghul a sub-zero machine in exchange for the use of her own Lazarus Pit. He attempts to restore Nora to life without waiting for the adjusting needed in the pool chemicals. However, she returns to life as the twisted Lazara, and escapes. She blames her husband for her plight, and estranges herself from him.[10]

In exchange for his services, Black Mask paid him with a new and improved suit and Nyssa Al Ghul paid him with use of a lazarus pit.

He is usually imprisoned in Arkham Asylum when apprehended by the Batman, as he has been found insane. The facility has accommodations for his medical requirements with a refrigerated cell.[11] He has been seen among the new Injustice League and is one of the villains featured in Salvation Run.

He has been seen as the main villain in "The Battle for the Cowl" One Shot "Commissioner Gordon".[12]

[edit] Powers and abilities

Like most Batman villains, Mr. Freeze plans his crimes about a specific theme; in his case, ice and cold.[1] He freezes areas around him using special weapons and equipment, most notably a handheld "Freeze gun". His refrigeration suit grants him superhuman strength and durability, making him a powerful villain in Batman's rogues gallery.[1]

In the Underworld Unleashed storyline, the demon Neron grants Mr. Freeze the ability to generate subzero temperatures, no longer needing his freeze-gun or refrigeration suit. However, after his encounter with Green Lantern, Donna Troy, and Purgatory in Central Park, he reverted back to his original subzero biology. He then gained a new subzero armor and weaponry.[13]

[edit] Animated abilities

According to Batman: The Animated Series, Freeze understands how to reproduce his condition.[14] Also his obsession with ice stems from personal tragedy, and his crimes are inspired by his desire to make the rest of the world as miserable as he is.[15] Furthermore, since the serum Freeze was soaked in was intended to be used for cryo-preservation, his age progression has slowed drastically to the point he is virtually immortal.[6]

In The Batman, Freeze has the ability of cryokinesis (i.e. to generate ice and cold with his mind, channeled via his hands).[16]

[edit] In other media

[edit] Television

Mr. Freeze as depicted in Batman: The Animated Series.
Mr. Freeze as he appears in The New Batman Adventures.


Mr. Freeze as he appears in Batman Beyond.


Mr. Freeze in The Batman.


[edit] Film

Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[edit] Video games

Mr. Freeze also appears in several Batman video games:

[edit] Web Series

In the third season of the Flash series Gotham Girls, a new villain is introduced: Dora Smithy, Mr. Freeze's sister-in-law. She dons his freezing equipment in a quest to wipe out Gotham's supervillain, due to a misunderstanding that Mr. Freeze's actions killed her only sister. As a result, there is an emphasis on Mr. Freeze himself throughout the season, and he is discussed several times, although he never actually makes an appearance.

[edit] Merchandising

Mr. Freeze is also the name of two LIM roller coasters at two Six Flags parks (Six Flags St. Louis and Six Flags Over Texas).[37][38]

Lego's Batman line features two sets, The Batcave: The Penguin and Mr. Freeze's Invasion, which includes minifigure incarnations of Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, Batman, Robin, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne, a henchman, and three hench-penguins. The second set, Batman's Buggy: The Escape of Mr. Freeze, includes minifigures of Mr. Freeze and Batman.

[edit] Dark Horse comic books

Mr. Freeze appears in the third Batman vs. Predator comic book, Blood Ties. His gang members are killed by the Predators, but he is spared since he is not visible to the Predator because of his body temperature.[39]

In Batman/Aliens 2, Mr. Freeze is not seen, but his freeze gun is used to destroy aliens, and an alien cloned from Fries' DNA can be seen.[40]

[edit] Miscellaneous

Freeze has made numerous appearances in the comics set in the DC Animated Universe.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "UGO's World pf Batman - Rogues Gallery: Mr. Freeze". UGO. http://batman.ugo.com/roguesgallery/mrfreeze/. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  2. ^ "Mr. Freeze is Number 67". Comics.ign.com. http://comics.ign.com/top-100-villains/67.html. Retrieved 2010-12-25. 
  3. ^ a b "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze". Bat-Mania. http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze.php. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  4. ^ a b "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 2". Bat-Mania. http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze2.php. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  5. ^ a b "Batmania UK: 1966 Batman: Villains: Mr. Freeze 3". Bat-Mania. http://www.bat-mania.co.uk/main/villains/mr_freeze3.php. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  6. ^ a b c d e "Heart of Ice". Toon Zone. http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/hoi.html. Retrieved 2008-05-09. "Mr. Freeze targets the industrialist responsible for his wife's death." 
  7. ^ "A Tights Squeeze". EW. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,291605,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-08. 
  8. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (2005-06-03). "IGN: The Best & Worst Batman Villains". IGN. http://comics.ign.com/articles/622/622304p2.html. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  9. ^ a b Burnett, Alan (2007-09-22). "The Batman: The Batman/Superman Story (1) Recap". TV.com. http://www.tv.com/the-batman/the-batman-superman-story-1/episode/1127696/recap.html. Retrieved 2008-05-11. 
  10. ^ Simone, Gail (w), Eaglesham, Dale (p), Grawbadger, Wade Von (i). Villains United (1) (March 2005), DC Comics
  11. ^ "Mr. Freeze". Batman The Animated Series. http://www.batmantas.com/cmp/freeze.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-18. 
  12. ^ "Secret Society of Super-Villains (03-2005+)". Comic Book DB. http://comicbookdb.com/team.php?ID=216. Retrieved 2008-05-18. 
  13. ^ Waid, Mark, Peterson, Harry (w), Porter, Howard Jimenez, Phil and others (p,i). Underworld Unleashed (3) (November 1995 - January 1996), DC Comics, 1563894475
  14. ^ a b Batman: The Animated Series. [DVD]. Warner Bros. Home Video. 2004. 
  15. ^ a b "Cold Comfort". Toon Zone. http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/tnba/cc.html. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  16. ^ "The Big Chill". Seung Eun-Kim. The Batman. The WB. 2004-11-06. No. 5, season 1.
  17. ^ [[Wallach.Mr freeze tv series.jpg|thumb|Eli Wallach as Mr. Freeeze in the Batman television series]].
  18. ^ The New Adventures Of Batman. [DVD]. Warner Bros. Home Video. 2007. 
  19. ^ "Batman: The Animated Series - Actors - Villains". Toon Zone. http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/actors/villains.html#ansara. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  20. ^ "Deep Freeze". Toon Zone. http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/btas/df.html. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  21. ^ Batman: The Animated Series Volume Four. [DVD]. Warner Brother Home Video. 2005. 
  22. ^ "Cold Comfort". Hilary J. Bader, Dan Riba, Shirley Walker, Koko Yang, Dong Yang. The New Batman Adventures. The WB. 1997-10-11. No. 3, season 1.
  23. ^ a b "Meltdown". Toon Zone. http://www.toonzone.net/anbat/bb/meltdown.html. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  24. ^ a b "Meltdown". Hilary J. Bader, Alan Burnett, Butch Lukic, Lolita Ritmanis, Koko Yang, Dong Yang. Batman Beyond. The WB. 1999-02-13. No. 5, season 1.
  25. ^ "Starcrossed". Butch Lukic, Dan Riba, Rich Fogel, Dwayne McDuffie. Justice League. Cartoon Network. 2004-05-29. No. 50, 51, 52, season 2.
  26. ^ "Fire and Ice". Seung Eun-Kim, Michael Jelenic. The Batman. The WB. 2005-05-28. No. 21, season 2.
  27. ^ "The Icy Depths". Anthony Chun, Steven Melching. The Batman. The CW. 2006-05-06. No. 38, season 3.
  28. ^ "Artifacts". Brandon Vietti, Greg Weisman. The Batman. The CW. 2007-02-03. No. 46, season 4.
  29. ^ Swaim, Michael. "The 7 Least-Faithful Book Movies". Cracked.com. http://www.cracked.com/article_15665_7-least-faithful-comic-book-movies.html. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  30. ^ Maslin, Janet (1997-06-20). "Batman and Robin". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/batman-film-review.html. Retrieved 2008-05-23. "In other words they're a lot smarter than, say, Mr. Freeze, whose deadliest weapon in the film is an arsenal of puns. (e.g "I'm afraid my condition has left me cold to your pleas!" and "You are not sending me to the cooler!)" 
  31. ^ "Batman Vengeance - MobyGames". Moby Games. http://www.mobygames.com/game/batman-vengeance. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  32. ^ "Game Stop - Batman Vengeance". Game Stop. http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=15788. Retrieved 2008-05-08. 
  33. ^ "Game Stop - Batman: Dark Tomorrow". Game Stop. http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=21120. Retrieved 2008-05-08. 
  34. ^ Casarnassina, Matt (2001-11-19). "IGN: Batman Vengeance Review". IGN. http://cube.ign.com/articles/166/166827p1.html. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  35. ^ 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.
  36. ^ Reilly, Jim (2010-04-20). "Two More Villains Confirmed For Batman: Arkham Asylum 2". IGN.com. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1084741p1.html. Retrieved 2010-09-07. 
  37. ^ "Mr. Freeze: Six Flags, St. Louis". Six Flags. http://www.sixflags.com/stLouis/rides/MrFreeze.aspx. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  38. ^ "Mr. Freeze: Six Flags Over Texas". Six Flags. http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/rides/MrFreeze.aspx. Retrieved 2008-05-10. 
  39. ^ Gibbons, Dave (w), Kubert, Andy (p), Kubert, Andy (i). "Blood Ties" Batman vs. Predator (3) (February 1992), DC Comics, Dark Horse
  40. ^ Edginton, Ian (w), Johnson, Staz (p), Hodgkins, James (i). Batman/Aliens 2 (2) (2003), DC Comics, Dark Horse, 84-7904-703-8
  41. ^ Templeton, Ty (w), Burchett, Rick, Beatty, Terry (p,i). "Polar Opposites" Batman: Gotham Adventures (5) (October 1998), DC Comics
  42. ^ a b "The World's Finest - Batman Adventures: #15". World's Finest. http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/batribute/backstage/15.php. Retrieved 2008-05-09. 
  43. ^ Justice League Adventures #12

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