On Ice.

Got an e-mail from a colleague asking for more details on Ice.

He doesn't get what the big deal is about her being alive and... oh yeah... thinks that maybe she's more interesting dead if she got a big tragic death.

Buddy, the only thing tragic about Ice's death was the fact that anybody ever felt the need to make it happen.

Mark Waid, who wrote the story, says it's the biggest mistake he ever made as a writer. His exact comments can be found on Gail Simone's Women In Refrigerators site at: http://www.unheardtaunts.com/wir/c-mwaid.html

Here's the quote: "I'm responsible for the death of Ice. My call, my worst mistake in comics, my biggest regret. I remember hearing myself ask the editor, "Who's the JLAer whose death would evoke the most fierce gut reaction from readers?" What a dope. Mea culpa. But I've learned my lesson."

He also wondered if it wasn't a matter of plot convenience that Huntress knew who Ice was. After all, she's never been the most social of superheroes. In fact, she makes Batman look like the life of the party when it comes to playing well with others.

Still - as shocking as this is - Huntress and Ice were teammates. Huntress was in the Justice League from issues #26 - 35 of the 1987 Justice League of America Series while Ice was on the team. Ice had an open identity so it seems likely that Huntress knew her first name was Tora, though given Helena's secret identity issues at the time is is unlikely that Ice knew Huntress' real name.

And to answer said colleague's note that "there are lots of other cold-powered characters in the DCU", I would like to note that, as Stan Lee was once reported to say, "The Powers Are Not the Person".

Yes, there are other ice-powered characters in the DCU. But as a certain famous writer is fond of saying - The Powers Are Not The Person. By that logic, Captain Cold and Mister Freeze are the same guy but if you tried making that case to a Flash fan, you'd get laughed out of the park.

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Quick comic reviews later, when I have more time to write. Promise.