Posted By Dan Greenfield on Jan 11, 2024 | 5 comments

Perfect for January! DIY action-figure photographer Dwayne Pinkney brings you an icy gallery…

By DWAYNE PINKNEY

I have an obsession with Mr. Freeze. OK, now that that’s out of the way, we can begin.

My love of Batman’s most frigid foe begins with what is considered by many to be one of his worst iterations. I am of course referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s masterful performance from Batman & Robin. Yes, I love that film. Unapologetically. To me it was simply a big budget version of the Adam West TV series I grew up watching in 1970s reruns.

Weirdly, I never saw a single Mr. Freeze episode back then. But anyway, back to Arnold. It was his turn as Mr. Freeze that made me seek out all the other incarnations of the character, and I love them ALL. From Michael Ansara’s sinister, tragic version in Batman: The Animated Series, to Otto Preminger musing “WILD!”, to Nathan Darrow’s creepy version from Gotham, I just can’t get enough Mr. Freeze, and I set out to collect every single toy version of him ever made.

So, without further delay, sit back, relax and grab yourself an ice-cold beverage, as we review the TOP 13 MR. FREEZE ACTION FIGURES — RANKED:

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13. Gotham: Nathan Darrow as Mr. Freeze, Diamond Select Toys (2017). This stunning, 7-inch-scale figure is without a doubt the most accurate version ever made of a live-action Freeze. The image of Nathan Darrow is spot on, complete with his wavy silver hair and extremely detailed cold suit and weaponry. Unfortunately, his character time in the series was limited, otherwise he’d rank much higher.

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12. One:12 Collective Mr. Freeze, Mezco (2023). This 6-inch-scale figure is one of the most incredible versions of Mr. Freeze ever made… and the one I have the most mixed feelings about. After a nearly three-year wait from initial pre-orders, he finally arrived. He’s quite a sight to behold, with his quilted cold suit and light up weaponry and helmet. However, getting the seven miniscule batteries in was an hour-long exercise in frustration, and he cost so much I’m constantly afraid of breaking something.

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11. Batman Classic TV Series Otto Preminger as Mr. Freeze, McFarlane Toys (2022). This particular 6-inch-scale figure is one of my absolute favorites and would have scored higher but for one major downside. No freeze gun, due to a Warner Bros. Discovery-mandated ban on weapons with figures at the time. But the Otto Preminger likeness is superb, and his personality shines through.

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10. Secret Files Rogues Gallery Mr. Freeze, DC Direct (2005). This is just a great, classic Mr. Freeze. A 7-inch-scale figure, he borrows elements from the animated version and adds some nice original details as well. I particularly like the temperature gauge on his belt. He is a bit on the skinny side, though. Wearing an insulated suit, I feel he should be a tad bulkier.

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9. Gold Label Mr. Freeze, McFarlane (2023). McFarlane sure knows how to get my money. After releasing a regular, 7-inch version of old Freeze-face, they issued this limited version in classic Kenner Super Powers colors! This was of course an instant purchase, and he really stands out as something special on the shelf. As of this writing, McFarlane also has a limited edition Entertainment Earth exclusive First Appearance Freeze available for pre-order in his pink and green Mr. Zero outfit colors!

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8. New Adventures of Batman Mr. Freeze, Kenner (1998). This was a tough call. I kept going back and forth between this 5-inch figure and the first Kenner Mr. Freeze from Batman: The Animated Series. As much as I love this version’s redesign, ultimately, he came in second to the original. He does come with additional robot legs to carry his detachable head, but c’mon. That’s just weird.

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7. Mr. Freeze, Toy Biz (1989). OK… I’m about to commit blasphemy. This 5.5-inch Mr. Freeze is actually better than the Kenner Super Powers version it’s based on. There. I said it. The sculpting is nearly identical, but the Toy Biz version is slightly more detailed and has additional paint apps that the Kenner version is missing. But the real reason he’s the clear winner is his action feature. His head, arms, and legs turn icy blue when you put him in the freezer! A Mr. Freeze that ACTUALLY freezes! How cool is that?

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6. Ice Terror Mr. Freeze with Street Chill Dragster, Kenner (1997). What’s even better than a Mr. Freeze figure? One that comes with its own vehicle of course! This great 5-inch figure sports an awesome color scheme and the transforming vehicle is about as close as we ever got to the Freezemobile as seen in the movie. It’s all topped off with a giant ice-cannon that fires a simulated freeze ray. Just a really fun toy.

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5. Batman & Robin Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze Build-a-Figure, McFarlane Toys (2023). This 7-inch-scale figure could have been the ultimate Arnold version for me, but sadly was let down by lack of a better paint job, and the fact that his freeze gun is somehow completely reversed. Had McFarlane corrected these issues, this figure would have made my Top 3 if not No. 1. Still, to date he’s the most accurate version of Arnold we’ve gotten, and he’s proudly displayed front and center in my collection.

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4. Ice Blast Mr. Freeze, Kenner (1997). This is one seriously COOL figure! Based on early unused concept art for Batman & Robin, this 5-inch Mr. Freeze features armor consisting of an array of built-in refrigerator coils, and the entire figure is cast in translucent blue plastic. Check out that back armor! The head sculpt is interesting also, as it appears almost like cybernetic implants rather than the usual helmet. Very Reminiscent of RoboCop. It’s a visually stunning design that makes for a fantastic toy.

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3. Batman: The Animated Series Mr. Freeze, Kenner (1993). Not much needs to be said about this legendary, 5-inch action figure. The first new version of the character in years, Kenner perfectly captured the look of Bruce Timm’s design, and you cannot look at it without hearing Michael Ansara’s chilling voice. An absolute classic and a must-have for any Freeze fan.

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2. DC Super Heroes Mr. Freeze, Mattel New York Comic Con Exclusive (2006). Mattel was at the top of its game when they made this 6-inch Freeze. An absolutely mind-boggling sculpt, packed with the tiniest details, and everything is painted to perfection. There is frost at all the joints, as if his cryo-suit is leaking, frost on the barrel of his freeze gun, icicles hanging off him…there’s even ice and frost painted on the INSIDE of his dome! Just an amazing figure.

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1. Batman & Robin Cold Knight in Gotham Mr. Freeze, Kenner (1997). This little, 5-inch gem remains my all-time favorite for the simple fact his armor is SO shiny. Nobody ever did vac-metal as good as Kenner. Every tiny detail of the sculpt just sparkles. To date, he remains the only chromed Mr. Freeze figure that accurately depicts his look from the film, and he looks absolutely amazing on the shelf.

So that’s it…My 13 DEGREES OF FREEZE! Hope you enjoyed this look at the cool, cruel villain!

Until next time…CHILL!

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You can check out more of Dwayne’s fab action-figure photography here and here.

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MORE

— MR. FREEZE: The Fifth Beatle of Batman Villains. Click here.

— 13 Reasons GEORGE SANDERS is the Greatest MR. FREEZE of All. Click here.