One of the things that makes Batman great is his villains. They’re eye-catching, brutal, smart, and different from any other character. It’s why people don’t go to the movies just to see The Dark Knight. They’re also going for the antagonists. The Riddler’s clues, Harvey Dent’s face, and The Joker’s smile are three examples of what viewers need from Batman's rivals.
With DC Comics Absolute Universe, everything about the classic villains has been cranked up to a thousand. For example, Black Mask is more than just a random gangster in a black skull mask. He’s a brutal fighter with the ability to control people with cryptocurrency and manipulation of powerful people in Gotham. With that in mind, imagine what Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder will do with Mr. Freeze. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long.
As reported by Screen Rant, on April 9, 2025 in Absolute Batman No. 7, Gotham City will find out what killed the dinosaurs (it was the ice age).
"...a young, up-and-coming scientist named Victor Fries, his history with the Ark M experiment, and what it all has to do with the mysterious Joker."
During an interview with Owen Likes More Comics, Scott Snyder explains a major difference between Earth Prime’s Victor Fries and his Absolute Universe counterpart. Simply put, “he wouldn’t be Victor in love with Nora”. It shouldn’t shock DC Comics fans that Snyder is changing the backstory of Mr. Freeze. He’s done it before in New 52 Batman. And while there isn’t much to go on regarding the issue or the new version of Victor, we can expect something brutal. Especially if the above report is true and he’s connected to Joker and Ark M. Plus, without Nora, Victor will be more... cold-hearted.
Victor’s role in Ark M will likely show him experimenting on people. It could be similar to his story during Batman: City of Owls. He could be testing the cold on people to see if it keeps them alive or regenerates their bodies like the Court of Owls did for their Talons. With things being more extreme in this universe, it’s probably something more nefarious and that should both excite and terrify readers.
On top of Mr. Freeze, Scott Snyder has said that Bane is coming. There were already hints about his existence in Absolute Batman No. 3 with the mention of Santa Prisca and its connection to the Ark projects (Santa Prisca was Ark A). We should expect more of the definitive Dark Knight characters to be announced or hinted at in the upcoming months. Maybe Absolute Kite Man is on his way and he's a badass (hell yeah).
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