SYNOPSIS: For centuries children have been told to be careful about what they wish for, and after years of yearning for his beloved to return, Mr. Freeze finally gets it. But frozen hearts don’t melt easily, and after years in cryostasis, Nora Fries is the ultimate ice queen. Gotham and Victor Fries will never be the same again.
Tomasi is really putting the pedal to the metal in this issue. Not only does he nail Batman as we have become accustomed to but his Mr. and Mrs. Freeze is something fresh and unexpected. Tomasi has really brought something worthwhile to the table for this tale and it will go down as one of the best Mr. Freeze tales you will read.
Tomasi goes off this issue, bringing in some fine storytelling with more than a few twists and turns that will prevent you from picking your jaw up from the floor. First and foremost, there are some magnificent Batcave activities going on in 1015. The dream team has been assembled Batman, Lucious Fox, and Alfred. The interactions between all three are so true to character. You couldn’t ask a writer for more, Luscious with his brilliance and dedication, Batman’s stubbornness/drive while Alfred and the voice of reason and liaison to both. At some points, you can’t help but think of various scenes from the Dark Knight Trilogy.
The wild card in these past couple issues has been Nora. I never expected Tomasi to take the turns with her that he has and I think it is just brilliant. Since the minute she has awakened she has provided some serious thrills. Not a damsel in distress but someone who is taking charge and taking names. She wants to be the one in control and doesn’t want to live in anyone’s shadow, not even her beloved Victor.
This issue is co-drawn by Doug Mahnke and Jose Luis. While I normally praise the art in Detective this time around it just fell a bit flat for me. In fact, it didn’t actually feel like a Mahnke issue at all but almost more like a Pat Gleason book. There are scenes in the book I do enjoy, as the book is not drawn poorly at all. The splash page of the Freeze robberies, the Nora/Victor confrontation and the Batman/Mr. Freeze rooftop scene stands out. The rest just didn’t resonate with me. I wasn’t a fan of the look of Bruce Wayne in this issue. I’m not sure how they divided the issue but this issue at times just felt generic, with certain scenes, panels, and backgrounds.
Detective #1015 is one of those stories that has that vintage feel to it. This story brings Batman back to his roots while providing something new to the mythology. What Tomasi did with Mr. Freeze was a welcome enough interpretation but what he has now done with Nora is a wonderful twist that I know I did not see coming. I feel this Mr. Freeze tale is yet another fine chapter in the great history of this tragic villain and I cannot wait to see how this story ends. – Peter Verra