Review: BATMAN WHITE KNIGHT PRESENTS VON FREEZE
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Sean Murphy
Artist:Klaus Janson
Letters: AndWorld Design
Colors: Matt Hollingsworth
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
“Promise me you’ll protect Nora!” -Jacob Smithstein, to Victor Von Freeze
“Get Watcha Need?” – Harley Quinn
This is a perfect compliment story to add to Batman: Curse of the White Knight!
Positives
Sean Murphy takes a bit of a break from Curse of the White Knight and writes another installment to his Batman canon that provides a rich back story to Mr. Freeze and his beloved Nora.
It would not be fair to give away any elements of this masterful story in this review, as Murphy is repainting the tapestry of the Batman universe. This is his first stand alone story that compliments both of his prior Batman works. And one cannot say enough positive things about this period piece that incorporates the connection between Thomas and Martha Wayne and Victor Von Freeze.
Without giving away the strand that connects these families, there is also a connection between Victor’s father, Baron von Fries and his research partner, Jacob Smithstein.
Set in Nazi Germany, this period piece should be handled literally with gloves as it is a frigid piece. See below!
Positives (Artwork)
Klaus Janson paints one snowy scene after another. You really should read it in your best flannel PJs as you are literally immersed into a very cold world sans the freeze gun! Well, the freeze gun is an element that is introduced. But the pencils and coloring make you shudder in crisp air.
Though his art is not as precise as Murphy, it’s clear he is drawing from inspiration of Murphy’s preceding White Knight works.
Negatives
The story is poignant and perfect as it fits like a glove within the pages of the White Knight tapestry. When Scott Snyder went off the rails a bit with a side bar issue in his The Batman Who Laughs and Grim Knight, that was awesome. Here Murphy is building and building his canon of Batman, and there are NO complaints here!
Verdict
Sean Murphy is building his case for more and more content in his DC Universe. I really can’t wait to see how this “watch” plays into the Curse of the White Knight story. And I really wish he would go all “Stephen King” in producing more additions to his reinvention of the Batman world. Finally, Harley and Bruce sitting in a tree…. when’s that kiss going to happen?
