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Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze #1
- Writer:
- Gerry Duggan
- Artist:
- Matteo Scalera
- Letterer:
- Deron Bennett
- Cover Artist:
- Matteo Scalera
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $7.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-11-15
- Colorist:
- Dave Stewart
Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze #1 feels just like an amazing episode of the Batman The Animated Series, and there's no greater praise one can give a Batman story. Everyone on the creative team absolutely kills it, creating an exciting, emotional, and gripping one-and-done adventure. Written by Gerry Duggan, drawn by Matteo Scalera, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Deron Bennett, Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze is a must-read comic for any Dark Knight fan.
The "One Bad Day" slate puts familiar faces from Batman's rogues' gallery in the spotlight. While there's an understandably dark tone to Victor Fries' story of love and loss, Duggan expertly balances the tone. Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze #1 asks whether or not Victor's cold heart can be warmed, but it's also sprinkled with levity in just the right moments. The dynamic between Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth, combined with a young Dick Grayon's optimism, brings light to the bleak story, producing a tale that has a perfectly balanced tone.
The pacing will keep readers hooked, too. Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze #1 features amusing detective work -- complete with the return of Matches Malone -- and strongly choreographed action while remaining character-driven and keeping the focus on the Dynamic Duo and their frigid foe. It's an impressive balancing act from Duggan, and the end result is one of the strongest one-and-done Batman stories of 2022.
Scalera and Stewart's work is the perfect complement to Duggan's superb script. Scalera's use of various camera angles keeps readers fully immersed and engaged in each scene. Whether it's a straightforward conversation or a slugfest in the snow, Scalera's use of establishing shots and angles is dynamic, easy to follow, and just downright cool. Stewart's colors go above and beyond, too. Whether it's feeling the chill of a snowy day in Gotham City, the warmth of a fire, or exaggeration and filling up the background to bring more energy to an action panel, these two creatives have crafted a truly beautiful and cool book. Bennett's lettering deserves praise, too. His work helps bring life, understanding, and empathy to Victor's rage, pain, and sorrow while also giving the Caped Crusader's voice the authority readers have come to expect.
Batman: One Bad Day - Mr. Freeze #1 is a phenomenal comic about tragedy and hope, feeling like a true spiritual successor to the classic "Heart of Ice" episode of Batman The Animated Series that fans know and love. The creative team deserves a round of applause for this comic, and it's evidence that this team deserves its own Batman series. Thanks to its excellent storytelling and truly impressive artwork, this is a comic that lives up to its $7.99 price tag and then some.