Summary
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13!
Batmanmay have a gallery full of Gotham’s villains, but there’s only one among them that the Dark Knight respects enough to draw inspiration from—Mr. Freeze. It’s clear that Batman’s latest Batsuit, the Haz-Bat, incorporates fundamental design elements from Dr. Victor Fries’s cryo-suits, but this isn’t the first time Batman’s attire has been influenced by this Gotham rogue.
Joshua Hale Fialkov, Lisandro Estherren, and Patricio Delpeche’s Batman and Green Lantern-centric narrative,The Invader, Part 1, stands out as one of the five must-read stories featured inBatman: The Brave and the Bold#13. The tale begins with the Dark Knight tracking down the impact site of an unidentified flying object.
However, upon reaching the crash site, Bruce’s equipment detects high levels of radioactive material, prompting him to don something “custom.“This turns out to be a Batman-themed hazmat suit that bears a strikingresemblance to Mr. Freeze’s cryo-suit.
Bruce Wayne’s New Hazmat Suit (The Haz-Bat) Takes Inspiration From Mr. Freeze
Despite Victor’s numerous redesigns over the years, like many DC characters,Bruce’s new suit shares several characteristics with Mr. Freeze’s original costume, worn when he was still known as Mr. Zero. Mr. Zero first appeared inBatman#121 in February 1959, crafted by David Wood, Sheldon Moldoff, Bob Kane, and Curt Swan. His lime green and magenta suit, complete with a cryo-helmet and tank on his back, made a striking, albeit gaudy impression. Batman’s Haz-Bat suit closely resembles this design, albeit with the Dark Knight’s signature black and gunmetal grey color scheme.
Similar to Victor’s original costume, Batman’s hazmat suit features thin material layered in a manner that includes black briefs on the outside of the base layer, along with a matching ruff adorning the collar area, gloves, and boots. Additionally,Bruce wears a clear helmet resembling Freeze’s cryo-dome.However, one notable difference is the addition of Batman’s iconic bat ears. Despite being a clear tribute to Victor’s original suit, this attire also incorporates a more modern design element—theIron Man arc reactor-esque attachment located over the heart area of the suit.
Batman’s Hazmat Suit InBatman: The Brave and the BoldIs Reminiscent of His Repurposed Mr. Freeze Suit inDCeased
Adding to the evidence that Batman’s Haz-Bat suit draws inspiration from Mr. Freeze is Bruce’s history of utilizing the rogue’s inventive costume designs. InTom Taylor’s critically acclaimed Elseworlds series,DCeased, Batman repurposed one of Freeze’s suits to slow the spread of the corrupted Anti-Life equation he had been infected with. This Elseworlds tale confirms Batman’s familiarity with Freeze’s designs and his ability to modify them to suit his needs. Hence, it’s likely thatBatman’sHaz-Bat suit is a remodeled version ofMr. Freeze’sattire.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13is available now from DC Comics!
BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #13 (2024)
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
