6 Interesting Facts About Mr. Freeze
My first exposure to Mister Freeze was through Joel Schumacher’s 1997 film, Batman & Robin. This film has aged interestingly since its release. To some, it is a representation of the low-end DC cinema. George Clooney, who played Batman in the film, stated “I’d actually thought I’d actually destroyed the franchise until somebody else brought it back years later and changed it,” on the Graham Norton Show. To others, perhaps due to the age they were when they first experienced it, there is a fondness for the film’s campiness and charm.
One of the things that sticks with me is Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal of Mister Freeze and how, to me, his character seemed to have been so out of place in the film. There was so much depth hinted at in the film that was overridden by the tone and subsequent scenes of ice hockey and Christmas specials. Some DC fans understand how spectacular Mister Freeze is as an oppositional force, however, for those that don’t we have collected a list of interesting facts and moments from Mister Freeze’s canon. Here are 6 interesting facts about Mister Freeze!
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1. He Made His First Appearance In 1959
Mister Freeze was introduced to the world in Batman #121 in February 1959. The comic now sells for thousands of dollars and calls the antagonist “Mr. Zero.” This was before the character was renamed Mister Freeze. Along with a name change, the character has undergone dramatic redesigns over the years. The comic book cover sees Mister Freeze sporting yellow and red along with a clear helmet.
2. He Is A Scientist
Victor Fries, despite being consistently bullied during his studies, ultimately became a professor. However, his time in academia and the conventional study of science was short-lived after his wife, Nora, became ill and he needed better resources to take care of her. His brilliance, however, is still clearly on display well into his tenure as a member of Batman’s rogue’s gallery. He creates a suit and subsequent weapons technology that helps him survive and fight what stands in the way of him accomplishing his goals.
3. He Is Driven By His Love For His Wife
Mister Freeze is unique in that his clashes with Batman have little to do with Batman himself. Batman is more consistently an obstacle. He is motivated by his sick wife, who will ultimately pass on if Mister Freeze is unsuccessful in his experimentations to save her. After she fell ill, Mister Freeze left his teaching career for one in cryogenics. A technology, he believed could be experimented with to save her. Working at Gothcorp, he was unfortunately exposed to the super-coolants that would lead to his condition.
4. His Connection To The Cold Began In Childhood
Mister Freeze’s connection to the cold did not begin with the experiments to save his wife. They did not begin with trying to manage his own condition either. The connection was established in his youth. According to the DC Comics Encyclopedia, Mister Freeze was, unfortunately, a victim of an abusive father. Mentally, Mister Freeze needed control and security, so he took to freezing things like his pets in an effort to preserve and have them last forever by his side.
5. He Clashed With Batman Over Diamonds
Mister Freeze’s condition renders him incapable of surviving exposure to average temperatures. This necessitated his creation of a cryo-suit. We see him sport this suit in Batman & Robin. The suit utilizes diamonds as a primary power source. The heists of these diamonds often put him at odds with Batman.
6. He Sought Help From Ra’S Al Ghul's Daughter
In Batgirl #70, released in January 2006, we see Mister Freeze desperate. He seeks out the aid of Nyssa al Ghul, daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, hoping she has the ability to heal Nora. What follows is a tragedy. After Nyssa uses the Lazarus Pit Nora becomes Lazara, summoning an army of the undead. Chaos ensues between Mister Freeze, the League of Assassins, and Nyssa. The events come to a conclusion with Mister Freeze destroying the League’s headquarters.
Thank you for coming on this journey as we explored one of the DC universe’s most fascinating characters! Do you think we missed any interesting facts that would have been on your list? I hope you had fun, and see you next time!
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