DC Comics’ Absolute Batman Issue #7 not only plunges readers into a Gotham wrapped in fear and frost, but it also introduces a chilling new origin for Mr. Freeze. And no, it’s not the Victor Fries we’ve known. This time, the icy mantle passes to his son—Victor Freeze Jr. With Scott Snyder and his creative team at the helm, Absolute Batman #7 delivers a dark, tragic, and horrifying new origin that redefines Freeze in a way we’ve never seen before. Let’s break down everything that makes this issue an absolute must-read.
A Frosty Flashback: Victor’s Childhood Trauma
The issue kicks off in Tanzania, far from the familiar streets of Gotham. We follow a young Victor Freeze Jr. on an expedition with his father. As they head toward a glacier, his father promises wonders beyond imagination—life inside ice more spectacular than the rainforest. But this awe-filled journey quickly turns eerie. Young Victor’s eyes begin to bleed, a haunting sign of the terminal condition that would shape his fate.
This scene isn’t just a glimpse into the past—it’s the origin of a nightmare. It sets the stage for Freeze Jr.’s eventual transformation, suggesting from the start that something ancient, preserved in the ice, is far more dangerous than it seems.
Mourning Matches Malone
Back in Gotham’s grimy present, Bruce Wayne finds himself among old friends—Harvey, Edward, Azie, and Whan—as they mourn the mysterious death of Matches Malone. They gather in Crime Alley, reflecting on childhood memories and his unmatched bravery. Matches was the kind of kid who always dared himself, always stuck his neck out for others. His loss weighs heavily on all of them.
When Bruce arrives and confesses he was the last to see Matches alive, tension rises. What follows is a flashback, unraveling the circumstances of Matches’s bizarre and horrifying death.
Inside the Arkham Conspiracy
We rewind to one week earlier. Gotham is under martial law following a major incident called the Blackade. The city feels unfamiliar. A strict curfew is in place. Police, armed with advanced tech, patrol every corner. Amidst this chaos, Bruce is determined to investigate a massive new black site being built offshore—Arkham.
To infiltrate the secretive Arkham construction crew, Bruce turns to Matches for forged work papers. But Matches goes beyond expectations—he infiltrates the site himself. His return is brief, frantic, and fatal. Before Bruce can get the full story, Matches begins to bleed from every pore and collapses in a gruesome implosion. It’s not just tragic. It’s a warning.
The Hidden Truth in a Phone
After Matches’s death, Bruce combs through his phone. Though data is limited, what he finds is horrifying—a short video showing rows of windowless titanium cells. The background noise is a cacophony of screams and begging. Alongside the video is a list of names: Langstrom, Eley, Strange, Freeze. All scientists. All involved in something deeply sinister.
One name stands out: Dr. Victor Freeze.
A Visit to Vcor
Victor Freeze—known in this version as the founder of Vcor, a cryotech company—operates from Midtown Gotham. What’s suspicious? Vcor pulls enough electricity to power ten city blocks, yet its purpose is vague, undocumented, and concealed from public record.
With Gotham under curfew and snowstorms raging, Bruce knows the only way in is from the skies. Gliding past patrolling blimps and dodging drones, Batman makes a daring infiltration—only to be discovered. But before he can flee, Alfred Pennyworth patches in from London with startling news.
A Bacterium Out of Time
Matches’s death wasn’t caused by a virus or a conventional toxin. Alfred reveals it was a bacterium—one not documented by any global health organization. Its origin? Unknown. The chilling implication: it may have been preserved in ancient ice.
This raises a terrifying question—if something has been frozen for centuries, what happens when it thaws?
The Frozen Zoo and the Man Behind It
Back in disguise as a city inspector, Bruce arrives at Vcor’s facility. What he finds is surreal—an eerie collection of frozen animals from around the world, suspended in pristine ice. From a Siberian tiger to a Yukon mammoth, they’re preserved like museum artifacts.
Then, a man appears. Calm, poised, and unsettling. He introduces himself as the director of Vcor and reveals the truth: he is Victor Freeze Jr., son of the original Dr. Freeze. The twist hits like a blizzard—both of Victor’s parents, Victor and Norah, lie preserved in ice behind him. They aren’t watching over the mission. They are the mission.
Ice, Legacy, and the Lies of Preservation
Victor Jr. shares the haunting legacy of his family. Vcor was created to preserve life—literally. Those facing terminal illnesses could be frozen, held in suspended animation until science caught up. Victor himself was their first test subject. When diagnosed with a fatal disease as a child, his parents chose to freeze him, believing he’d awaken in a better future.
And he did. But the future wasn’t kinder.
Ice Is Not Grace—It’s Fury
Victor Jr. recounts the agony of revival. Every moment in the ice, every second of consciousness, was a torment. His parents believed the ice was salvation. He knows now it’s punishment. He didn’t awaken healed—he awakened cursed.
Bruce realizes the bacterium that killed Matches likely came from Victor Jr.’s frozen tomb. The bacteria—trapped in ancient ice—survived the centuries and entered the modern world with Victor’s resurrection. And worse, it may have mutated into something far deadlier.
Transformation and Horror
As the conversation continues, Victor Jr.’s transformation begins. His veins darken, his skin turns icy blue, and his words grow more ominous. “The ice births monsters,” he tells Bruce. “Just like me.” He grabs Bruce by the face, beginning to infect or freeze him—possibly both.
Victor Freeze Jr. isn’t just a tragic villain. He’s a literal product of ancient forces that man was never meant to awaken.
Reinventing Mr. Freeze: Why It Works
This new take on Mr. Freeze is bold, smart, and genuinely unsettling. By shifting the origin from Victor Fries to his son, Snyder introduces a narrative rich in horror and heartbreak. Victor Jr. isn’t a man driven by revenge or grief. He’s a victim of misguided hope, of science pushed beyond morality, and of a world too eager to play god.
He didn’t choose this fate—he survived it.
And that survival cost him everything.
The Bigger Picture: Arkham and Absolute Threats
Beyond Freeze Jr., the series is building toward something massive. Arkham’s offshore facility, secret imprisonments, the list of scientists, and the strange alliance between biotech and martial law—everything hints at a larger, more terrifying scheme.
With Absolute Freeze now introduced, issue #8 promises a deadly confrontation between Batman and this monstrous new villain. And as teased, issue #9 will bring Absolute Bane into the fold. Clearly, Gotham hasn’t even begun to feel the full storm that’s coming.
Are you loving this new version of Mr. Freeze as much as we are? Do you think this version rivals the original in depth and fear factor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and stay tuned for our deep dive into Batman vs. Absolute Freeze coming soon in our breakdown of Issue #8!
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