Ice (comics)

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caption=Ice, art by Adam Hughes
character_name=Ice
publisher=DC Comics
debut="Justice League International" #12 (April 1988)
creators=Keith Giffen (writer)
J. M. DeMatteis (writer)
Kevin Maguire (artist)
real_name=Tora Olafsdotter
alliances=Justice League Global Guardians Cadre
aliases=Icemaiden
powers=Ice magic|

Ice (Tora Olafsdotter) is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine in publications from DC Comics. Created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire, she first appeared in "Justice League International" #12 (April 1988).

Publication history

Ice is a separate character from Icemaiden, although the two are similar in appearance, group affiliation, and powers. When Icemaiden first appeared, she had blue skin, pointy ears, and was named Sigrid Nansen. When the character joined Justice League International, the comic book creators believed that her real name had never been given but were mistaken; it was revealed in the Global Guardians entry in "Who's Who in the DC Universe".

After Ice was killed, the original Icemaiden (Sigrid Nansen) joined the Justice League. A backstory revealed that she was the first Icemaiden, and quit the Global Guardians when Tora appeared.

Fictional character biography

Global Guardians

The princess of an isolated tribe of magic-wielding Norsemen, Tora Olafsdotter has the natural ability to create and manipulate ice. She joined the Global Guardians as Norway's member (replacing Icemaiden Sigrid Nansen) after they promised to protect her people. After the Guardians' UN funding was withdrawn in the wake of the Justice League's reformation as the Justice League International, her friend Green Flame (later Fire) talked her into walking up to a JLI embassy and asking for a job. Remarkably, in the wake of Black Canary's resignation and the abduction of several members, the short-handed JLI took them on.

Justice League

Ice's personality was a mix of girl-next-door wholesomeness and innocent-abroad naiveté, which served as a contrast to the impulsive, libidinous traits of her friend and teammate Fire. The two changed their names from Green Flame and Icemaiden to Fire and Ice.

Ice served with the Justice League International for years (remaining with the American branch even after a European branch was opened), occasionally dated Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and expressed an open crush (albeit unrequited) on Superman after he joined the team. Ice was present at Superman's death (in "Superman" #75). She was one of the few Justice Leagers still standing after Doomsday, Superman's killer, had mauled the team.

She was killed by the Overmaster while under his mental influence. Mark Waid, who wrote those issues, has admitted that the death was a mistake. [http://www.unheardtaunts.com/wir/c-mwaid.html]

Before her death, Ice displayed enhanced powers. This was after a battle with her brother, who had tried to conquer Ice's homeland.

Ghost appearances

Ice has appeared on several occasions since her death. In "Showcase '96" #7, Fire and Cruiser are involved in an accident which leaves them cold, tired, and snowbound. They swap their life stories, and as she begins to drift into unconsciousness, which would be fatal following her concussion, Fire sees a vision of her late friend Ice, who helps her decide to live. It is not revealed if Ice was a ghost or a figment of Fire's imagination, but Fire awoke to a warm burning fire and she and Cruiser had traded sitting positions.

Ice's spirit once again appears in "JLA Annual" #2. She and several other deceased JLA members are resurrected by Felix Faust. In the end, she sacrifices herself again to save the JLA from his dark magic, and recites the same final words she spoke when killed by the Overmaster.

Either the spirit or an illusion of Ice appeared in "I Can't Believe It's Not The Justice League", in which she was (possibly mistakenly) damned to Hell or a similar dimension. After Fire and Guy Gardner negotiate her release, Fire looks behind to see that Ice is following while they leave, which violates Hell's Orpheus clause, causing Ice's spirit to vanish. Together Guy Gardner and Fire mourned the again-lost Ice, even though they had never been entirely certain that this manifestation was really her. It is implied that Ice vanished to Valhalla.

Resurrection

While on mission in Azerbaijan, Barbara Gordon's Birds of Prey discover Ice unconscious within a Rocket Red exosuit which they wrest from the possession of an underworld figure, Kerimov. Kerimov has hired the Secret Six to transport the exosuit, and the Birds of Prey and Secret Six would come to blows after Big Barda and Huntress capture it. Kerimov plans to use the resurrection of a goddess to manipulate the Russian people by playing on their superstitions about ice princesses, and to use her great power to make himself a powerful ruler.

Tora, awakened by a member of the team, is enraged and unleashes her wrath upon both the Birds of Prey and Catman's Secret Six: she seeks to avenge her own murder. Huntress' mention of Guy Gardner, in addition to a hard slap, brings Ice back to her senses, while Deadshot dispatches Kerimov (as her savior, he retained influence over Tora). Ice leaves the country in the company of the Birds of Prey.

She meets up with Fire at a facility belonging to the United Nations-affiliated intelligence service Checkmate, where they talk about old times and catch up on current ones.

Although Ice is in the care of Fire and Checkmate, she has ventured out on occasion, helping Earth's heroes during the Sinestro Corps War. In the aftermath of the war, she is reunited with former love Guy Gardner. Tora asks for time to figure out what her resurrection means before entering into a relationship. Guy agrees, proposing that they simply begin the relationship anew.

Powers and abilities

In addition to being a proficient hand-to-hand combatant, Ice can project in various forms quantities of ice and snow through her hands just enough to down an opponent. She can create platforms of ice upon which she can skate. Before her initial demise, she was powered-up mysteriously (later revealed to be the result of the Overmaster). She was able to generate larger amounts of ice and snow, and gained super strength and the ability to fly. After her resurrection in "Birds of Prey", Ice's powers seem incredibly destructive, expelling people from the building she's in as she awakens with bright white eyes, and conjuring a massive icy figure before her as well as controlling the weather to some degree, by causing the beginning of a blizzard far stronger than those known in that area.

Other media and versions

* Ice starred in the 1997 live action television pilot "Justice League of America". She was played by Kimberly Oja. In this version she was a meteorologist who gained her powers from exposure to the villain's weather-control machine. She also began a relationship with the Atom.

* Ice and Fire have both made several appearances in the "Justice League Unlimited" animated series, though only Fire had speaking roles. Fire and Ice are often seen together in the animated series, as is the case in the comics. Ice's costume is a leotard with an iceberg insignia on the chest. She sports short, white hair.

* At Toy Fair 2007, Mattel announced Fire and Ice action figures would be released as part of the "Justice League Unlimited" line [http://www.collectorsquest.com/blog/2007/02/18/toy-fair-2007-mattel/] .

* DC Direct will be releasing a line of Justice League International figures designed by Kevin Maguire. Ice will be included in that set, wearing her Global Guardians costume, which is what she wore during Maguire's run on the title.

External links

* [http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/profiles/ice.html Cosmic Team Profile]
* [http://www.mykey3000.com/cosmicteams/tommorrow/I/Ice.htm Cosmic Team Profile II]
* [http://members.fortunecity.com/mjstauffer/Characters/Members/Ice.htm JLA Watchtower Profile]
* [http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/jlu/bios/ice/ JLU Animated Profile]
* [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=ice The Unofficial Ice Biography]