Detective Comics #1014 Review – A Great Look At Mister Freeze’s Backstory

In the Gotham Pine Barrens, Mister Freeze has succeeded in reviving his beloved wife Nora, though only temporarily. Meanwhile, Bruce and Alfred are in the Batcave working to restore Freeze’s unfortunate test subjects back to health. Later, Mister Freeze and Nora attack the Wayne Tech Cryonics Lab. Freeze needs a special compound which he worked on years ago to finalize Nora’s resurrection.

Delving into Mister Freeze’s backstory with his wife Nora was a highlight of Detective Comics #1014. Without much action or bombast, Tomasi manages to keep the reader intrigued and even sympathise just a little with Freeze. The villain’s love for or rather an obsession with his wife drives him to madness and evil: something which is keenly understood by Tomasi, who uses it to move the story forward while keeping Freeze compelling as a character.

Also of interest, is Bruce, Alfred and Lucius Fox, hard at work attempting to crack Freeze’s cellular manipulation. Bruce meeting Nora and Freeze as a civilian was great. It allowed the evil couple to express themselves in a way they never would if they only encountered Batman.

Detective Comics #1014’s colours and inks are really good. The blue light that follows Freeze is so well done. Doug Mahnke’s work is easy to follow. His character poses have a welcome flair to them as well.