Killer Frost

Killer Frost
Louise Lincoln as Killer Frost preparing to attack Firestorm and Lorraine Reilly. Art by Jamal Igle.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	(Crystal Frost) Firestorm #3 (June 1978) (Louise Lincoln) Firestorm (vol. 2) # 21 (March 1984) (Caitlin Snow) Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man #19 (June 2013)
Created by	Gerry Conway Al Milgrom
In-story information
Alter ego	Crystal Frost Louise Lincoln Caitlin Snow
Team affiliations	(Crystal Frost) Secret Society of Super Villains Hudson University Black Lantern Corps (Louise Lincoln) Suicide Squad Injustice League Secret Society of Super Villains (Caitlin Snow) S.T.A.R. Labs Secret Society of Super Villains
Abilities	(All) Cold and ice manipulation

Killer Frost is a name used by several fictional supervillainess appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations, with several different individuals in the DC Universe assuming the Killer Frost persona. Killer Frost appears mainly as an adversary of the superhero Firestorm.

Fictional character biographies

Crystal Frost

Crystal Frost was the first incarnation, appearing in Firestorm #3 (June 1978). While Frost was studying to be a scientist in Hudson University, she fell in love with her teacher, Martin Stein. While working on a project in the Arctic, Frost was upset to learn that Stein did not reciprocate her feelings. Frost accidentally locked herself in a thermafrost chamber but survived, being transformed in a way in which she was able to absorb heat from a living being and project cold and ice. Calling herself "Killer Frost", she began her murderous crusade against men and clashed with Firestorm on many occasions.^[1] Killer Frost eventually died after she absorbed too much energy from Firestorm.^[2] Crystal has been identified as one of the deceased entombed below the Hall of Justice.^[3] Her body was reanimated as a Black Lantern.^[4]

Louise Lincoln

Dr. Louise Lincoln is the second incarnation; she first appeared in Firestorm (vol. 2) #21 (March 1984) and used the "Killer Frost" name in Firestorm (vol. 2) #34 (April 1985). Lincoln was a colleague and friend to Crystal Frost. After her friend's death, she decided to repeat the experiment as a last respect to her former mentor, and became the new Killer Frost. She became just as ruthless as her predecessor and began her own personal vendetta against Firestorm, whom she blamed for Frost's death. She briefly served as a member of the Suicide Squad and sold her soul to Neron for more power.

During the Underworld Unleashed event, Killer Frost attacked Hawaii, freezing part of the islands before being stopped by Superboy and Knockout.

After a group of mobsters put out a hit on Lois Lane, Killer Frost rescued her from Solomon Grundy, only to then leave the reporter bound and gagged on a set of train tracks, hoping to take the credit and reward for Lane's death. Her plan was foiled by Superman who rescued Lois before the train could hit her.^[5]

Killer Frost was later freed by Effigy and the two had a brief flirtatious partnership before she was apprehended by Green Lantern.

In the Superman/Batman "Public Enemies" arc, Killer Frost was one of many supervillains seeking to earn a $1 billion reward offered by President Lex Luthor to sanction Superman and Batman, whom he considered treasonous. She teamed with Mister Freeze, Icicle (Cameron Mahkent) and Captain Cold in an attempt to ambush the two heroes in Washington D.C., but all four were defeated. They attacked in a second wave, along with more villains such as Giganta and Gorilla Grodd, but a similar backup of superheroes battered them all into submission. It was later discovered in Superman/Batman #3 that this ice-themed team of villains was being mind controlled by Grodd.

Dr. Light hired Killer Frost and Mirror Master to attack Green Arrow and Black Lightning at a hospital in Chicago, Illinois, where Kimiyo Hoshi was being held. Green Arrow stopped Killer Frost by firing an arrow filled with Greek fire into her thigh. Unable to absorb the heat from the arrow, she was defeated in Green Arrow (Volume 3) #54-55.

Around this time, Lincoln discovered that she had contracted cancer, and tricked Jason Rusch, the new Firestorm, into curing her. With her health and powers restored Killer Frost went on a rampage, only to be defeated when Jason used his abilities to reverse his alterations to Lincoln's body, returning her cancer.^[6]

Killer Frost returned during the events of One Year Later, where she had apparently entered into a relationship with Mr. Freeze. Together, the two villains went on a killing spree in Manhattan, hoping to draw Firestorm into an elaborate trap. Once the hero arrived, Killer Frost used a device to send both of them into space, where she sought to absorb the heat energy of the sun. Firestorm narrowly managed to stop her plan, and both Killer Frost and Mister Freeze were taken into custody by Batman. As they were being sent away, Killer Frost angrily revealed to Mister Freeze that she had only been using him as a pawn, and had no romantic interest in him.^[7]

Killer Frost was later seen battling Firestorm in the Justice League of America Wedding Special until Lex Luthor, Joker and Cheetah arrived, subdued Firestorm, and invited Killer Frost to join the new Injustice League. She then appeared in Salvation Run, where she was sent to the Prison Planet after having been defeated and captured by the Suicide Squad.

In DC Universe #0, she was seen as the member of Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. She is later seen as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six, and ultimately helped deal the killing blow to the crazed supervillain Junior and the troubled vigilante known as the Tarantula.^[8] A short time after this encounter with the Secret Six, Killer Frost appeared as one of the participants in a metahuman fighting tournament in Tokyo. She was defeated by Wonder Woman and Black Canary, who had disguised themselves as villains in order to take down the tournament from the inside.^[9]

Caitlin Snow

In September 2013, as the "Villains Month" part of the Forever Evil storyline during The New 52, Killer Frost was featured in the one-shot Justice League of America #7.2, also titled Killer Frost #1.^[10] She can also be seen on the cover of Forever Evil #1, which hints at her involvement in that series. The issue revealed this is yet another version of Killer Frost, Dr. Caitlin Snow, a scientist sent to S.T.A.R. Labs Outpost #72 in the Arctic to work on a thermodynamic engine whose creator had committed suicide. Snow soon discovered the place had been infiltrated by H.I.V.E. agents. When they tried to kill her inside the engine, Snow frantically ripped off the coolant system, merging her body with ice. Transformed into a heat vampire, she killed the H.I.V.E. agents and continued to search for other sources of heat, eventually discovering that Firestorm's blasts can temporarily heal her condition. When he was declared dead by the Crime Syndicate, she lost hope for a cure.^[11]

Powers and abilities

All versions have shown the ability to absorb heat from external sources and transmute it into waves of cold. Using these powers, Killer Frost can create an ice-sheen across her entire body and generate objects composed completely of ice, such as projectiles and defensive walls. She can also instantly freeze animate matter through physical contact.

Other versions

DC Super Friends

Killer Frost appeared in the DC Super Friends comic as part of a group of ice-themed villains called the "Ice Pack" that encased a city in ice and snow.^[12]

Justice League Adventures

The Crystal Frost version of Killer Frost appeared along with Mr. Freeze, Captain Cold, Minister Blizzard, Cryonic Man, Icicle, Polar Lord and Snowman in the Justice League Adventures comic.^[13]

Justice League Unlimited

Killer Frost appeared in the Justice League Unlimited spin-off comic book along with her Secret Society teammate (and current romantic interest) Heat Wave.^[14]

In other media

Television

• The Louise Lincoln version of Killer Frost appears in the Justice League animated series and Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Jennifer Hale. She is motivated by a base desire to kill people and does not seem to care who she serves so long as she is afforded the opportunity to do so. In the former series, she joins Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society, relishing the chance to freeze Morgan Edge when the rest of the team is distracted with Clayface's release. They were eventually defeated by the Justice League. In the latter series, Killer Frost rejoins Grodd's Secret Society and was sent with Devil Ray, Heat Wave and Giganta to a mountain to steal a Viking ship frozen in a glacier. The ship held the remains of a Viking prince believed to hold the key to invincibility. When an avalanche threatened a nearby lodge, Killer Frost was forced by the Martian Manhunter to save the people there. Later, when the Secret Society mutinied on the way to Brainiac's former lair, she joined Grodd's faction but was defeated by Toyman. After the mutiny was defeated, Killer Frost impressed Lex Luthor with her powers. She subsequently appears as one of the Legion members who survive Darkseid's resurrection and ends up fighting alongside the Justice League in their struggle against Darkseid's forces.

Crystal Frost as Killer Frost in Young Justice.

• The Crystal Frost incarnation of Killer Frost appears in Young Justice, voiced by Sarah Shahi. In the episode "Independence Day", she appears briefly at the beginning of the episode, where she attacks Pearl Harbor and is defeated by Aquaman and Aqualad. In the episode "Terrors", Killer Frost is seen as an inmate at Belle Reve. She is part of the breakout attempt alongside Captain Cold, Mister Freeze and both versions of Icicle. She freezes an undercover Miss Martian for stopping Killer Frost from finishing off a guard, but is stopped by Superboy. In the episode "Coldhearted", Killer Frost and the other ice-based villains were suspected of being behind the ice fortresses that attacked the United States. Hugo Strange told Batman and the Flash that neither of the ice-based villains left their cells.
• The Louise Lincoln incarnation of Killer Frost appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jennifer Hale (for the fourth time). This version is portrayed as Ronnie Raymond's vengeful ex-girlfriend. In the teaser of the episode "Darkseid Descending!", she crashes Raymond's class and attempts to kill Ronnie until Batman interferes. She battles Batman and Firestorm. They managed to defeat her and she is taken into custody by S.T.A.R. Labs vowing revenge on Firestorm.

Earth-2 Killer Frost, portrayed by Danielle Panabaker in The Flash.

• Danielle Panabaker portrays Dr. Caitlin Snow on The CW's The Flash, having debuted on Arrow. Along with Cisco Ramon, she is part of the S.T.A.R. Labs team which supports Barry Allen to save lives (as the Flash), and eventually becomes good friends with Barry, Cisco Iris West and Joe West. Caitlin struggles with the loss of her fiancé Ronnie Raymond as she believed Ronnie to have been killed in the accident behind Barry's powers. Caitlin ultimately discovers that her fiancé had merged with Martin Stein to be Firestorm. With the help of S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin stabilizes Firestorm's condition, allowing Ronnie to once again function as an individual. In the season finale, Caitlin and Ronnie marry. A glimpse of Caitlin as Killer Frost is also shown when Barry runs through the Speed Force. After Ronnie's sacrifice to stop Central City's destruction, Caitlin meets both Jay Garrick (the Flash of Earth-2) and Harry Wells. She soon develops a romantic relationship with Jay. At one point, Wells uses a metahuman sensory watch on Caitlin, which reveals her not to be metahuman.^[15] Jay is apparently killed in front of the S.T.A.R. Labs team, sending Caitlin into shock. For a time, she becomes distant and abrupt with others, but soon works through her feelings. Cisco, having encountered the Caitlin of Earth-2, becomes uncomfortable around Catlin and ultimately, at her insistence, tells her all about her doppleganger. After pulling a prank on him, Caitlin assures Cisco that she will never become Killer Frost. When Caitlin learns that Jay was in fact Zoom the entire time, she is left stunned. Caitlin is later kidnapped by Zoom and taken to his Earth-2 lair. She tries to escape with Killer Frost's help, only to be betrayed by the villainess and nearly killed by her. Zoom saves Caitlin and murders Killer Frost, then tells Caitlin if she tries to escape with the man in the mask, Zoom will kill him. ^[16] Zoom later takes her with him back to Earth-1, as he plans to conquer that world. Once in Central City, Jay tells Caitlin he no longer wants to be alone and that he has perceived the darkness within her, saying that it will emerge and encouraging her to embrace it. ^[17]
  • Caitlin's Earth-2 counterpart, with the Killer Frost name and powers, debuts in the episodes "Welcome to Earth-2" and "Escape From Earth-2". She is partnered with, and lover to, Earth-2's Ronnie Raymond/Deathstorm. She, Deathstorm and Reverb all work for Zoom and seek to track down the Earth-1 intruders, leading to fights with the Flash of Earth-1 and the death of Earth-2's Joe West. In their second fight, Zoom appears and kills Deathstorm and Reverb for nearly killing Barry, but spares Killer Frost as she was the only one who wanted to take Barry alive. She runs off afterwards, distraught over Ronnie's death. Cisco and Wells confront Frost to find the location of Zoom's prison, where Jesse Wells and Barry are being held. After a brief fight, Cisco convinces her to turn on Zoom to avenge Ronnie's death. She leads them up to the prison where she helps them escape Zoom's cells, only for Zoom to show up and reveal she gathered them there for Zoom to kill them. However, when Zoom threatens to kill Jesse in front of Harry, Frost turns on Zoom and uses her powers to hold Zoom down while the heroes escape. ^[18][19] Zoom imprisons Killer Frost in a glass case, and eventually she meets her Earth-1 counterpart when Zoom kidnaps her as well. The two agree to work together to escape, but Frost backs out of the deal, realizing that Zoom only kept her alive because she was Caitlin (whom Zoom loves) and attempts to kill Caitlin with an icicle. Zoom comes to her rescue and slays Killer Frost with her own icicle.^[20]

• The Caitlin Snow version of Killer Frost appears in the web series DC Super Hero Girls (voiced by Danica McKellar) as a student at Super Hero High.

Film

• The Louise Lincoln incarnation of Killer Frost appears in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, with Jennifer Hale reprising her role (albeit uncredited) for the third time. In this film, she teams up with fellow cold-based villains Mister Freeze, Captain Cold and Icicle to capture Superman due to a bounty placed by President Lex Luthor. After a brief fight with Batman, they are defeated by Superman.
• The Louise Lincoln incarnation of Killer Frost appears in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced again by Jennifer Hale (for the sixth time).^[21] She appears as a member of the Suicide Squad, given by Amanda Waller the secret mission of killing the Riddler. During the infiltration of Arkham Asylum, Killer Frost locates the Riddler, but decides not to kill him when she learns the reason she was sent to assassinate him: Riddler knows how to disable the bombs implanted in the Suicide Squad members. She also finds Mister Freeze's gun and uses it briefly to fight Batman, but has trouble lifting it and ends up leaving it behind after the fight. Later, Killer Frost is one of the Suicide Squad members, who has her bomb defused by the Riddler. Only King Shark (who Frost formed a relationship with) and Black Spider (who wasn't with the Squad because of Batman) are killed by Waller, when she learns what they've done. After the "Black Spider" with the Squad is exposed as Batman, and after the Joker breaks free and sets all the inmates of Arkham loose, Frost tries to escape from Arkham by stealing a police car. However, Bane grabs and throws the car.

Video games

• The Louise Lincoln version of Killer Frost is featured as an antagonist and playable character in the video game Justice League Heroes, voiced by Nika Futterman.
• The Louise Lincoln version of Killer Frost is also an outdoor raid boss in the MMORPG DC Universe Online, voiced by Christina J. Moore.
• The Crystal Frost version of Killer Frost appears as an unlockable character in the portable version of Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes.
• The Crystal Frost version of Killer Frost will appear as a boss in the video game Young Justice: Legacy, voiced by Vanessa Marshall.
• The Louise Lincoln version of Killer Frost appears in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced again by Jennifer Hale for the fifth time. In the alternate reality, she is a member of Superman's Regime and is shown to have her hair in a mohawk style. She fights Green Arrow at Wayne Manor (alongside Solomon Grundy) and Deathstroke at the Ferris Aircraft facility (alongside Wonder Woman). After the alternate Superman is defeated by Superman, Killer Frost is among the Regime members to be rounded up by the Justice League. In Killer Frost's ending, she becomes overconfident after her defeat of Superman, and S.T.A.R. Labs scientists manage to apprehend her, with the intent of using her ability to fortify the polar ice caps. They underestimate her, however, and she turns on them, eventually freezing the entire western hemisphere. The survivors of the incident currently struggle to overthrow the self-proclaimed "Ice Queen".
• The Caitlin Snow version of Killer Frost appears as a downloadable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.

References

1. Wallace, Dan (2008), "Firestorm", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 123, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5, OCLC 213309017
2. Firestorm (vol. 2) # 21
3. Blackest Night #1
4. Blackest Night #3
5. Superman (vol. 2) #182
6. Firestorm (vol. 2) #9-10
7. Firestorm (vol. 2) #24-25
8. Secret Six (vol. 3) #6-7
9. Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #35
10. Young, Bryan (June 5, 2013). "Exclusive: Which Villains Are Taking Over the Justice League?". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
11. Justice League of America Vol 3 #7.2: Killer Frost (November 2013)
12. DC Super Friends #16 (August 2009)
13. Justice League Adventures #12 (Dec. 2002)
14. Justice League Unlimited 21 (May 2006)
15. Abrams, Natalie (May 19, 2015). "The Flash boss on finale's shocking departure". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
16. episode Back to Normal
17. episode Rupture
18. Saclao, Christian (April 23, 2015). "'The Flash' Spoilers: Danielle Panabaker Reveals Caitlin Snow's Alter Ego Killer Frost Will Show Up Before The Season Ends". designntrend.com.
19. http://www.ew.com/article/2016/01/04/flash-robbie-amell-returning-deathstorm
20. episode "Back to Normal"
21. Gary Collinson. "First trailer for Batman: Assault on Arkham animated movie". Flickering Myth.