MIRROR MASTER & KILLER FROST versus GREEN ARROW & BLACK LIGHTNING
Heading into the Light Part Two: Cold Reflections (DC)
Where: Green Arrow #55 When: December 2005
Why: Judd Winick How: Ron Garney
The Story So Far...
Doctor Light has recovered his erased memories and is out to reestablish himself as a villainous force to be reckoned with! After failing to defeat his adversaries in the Teen Titans he's set his sights on ruining the life of Green Arrow and he has the resources of The Society to make it happen!
Green Arrow and Black Lightning are working to resolve the predicament, but when Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi is hospitalized, they find themselves ambushed by the second stage of Light's scheme: Mirror Master and Killer Frost!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Killer Frost 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Killer Frost 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Lightning 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Black Lightning 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Green Arrow 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Green Arrow 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Black Lightning 5 (Lasers)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)
Mirror Master and Killer Frost might seem like an unusual team-up, but they've been recruited by Doctor Light through his affiliation with The Society. The secret cabal is an organized union of super-villains working together for mutual goals.
This is the Evan McCulloch incarnation of Mirror Master: a mercenary who was given Sam Scudder's old gear by the FBI to work covert operations. He quickly turned on the feds and went mercenary, becoming a regular foe for The Flash.
His predecessor's advanced technology grants access to a mirror dimension he can travel through using any reflective surface. Mirror Master can also trap people in breakable mirrors, and create convincing illusions and duplicates of himself.
Killer Frost is identified in this issue as Dr. Crystal Frost, but all accounts before and since confirm her earlier death. It's much more likely that this is Dr. Louise Lincoln, who recreated the accident that transformed Dr. Frost, as a means of avenging her death as the second Killer Frost.
We saw her employ her heat absorption and ice powers while battling Kyle Rayner in Green Lantern #127. She was taken down by Wonder Woman during a clash with the Injustice League in Justice League of America #13.
We saw Mirror Master combine his powers with Doctor Light to take down The League of Titans in Final Crisis #1. Killer Frost's ice should create interesting potential for collaboration with his mirror powers.
Green Arrow and Black Lightning are more experienced fighting partners and will need to use that to their tactical advantage.
GA's arrows have taken down everyone from the gimmick wielding Penguin in Justice League of America #135, to the supreme fighter Deathstroke in Green Arrow #62. Black Lightning's electrical charge will prove valuable in evening the score against super-powers, but there is a question over whether or not he can za Killer Frost -- or will generate the type of heat she likes to consume.
The Tape: Green Arrow & Black Lightning Ranking: Green Arrow (#20)
What Went Down...
Where: Green Arrow #55 When: December 2005
Why: Judd Winick How: Ron Garney
The Story So Far...
Doctor Light has recovered his erased memories and is out to reestablish himself as a villainous force to be reckoned with! After failing to defeat his adversaries in the Teen Titans he's set his sights on ruining the life of Green Arrow and he has the resources of The Society to make it happen!
Green Arrow and Black Lightning are working to resolve the predicament, but when Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi is hospitalized, they find themselves ambushed by the second stage of Light's scheme: Mirror Master and Killer Frost!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Killer Frost 3 (Athlete)Intelligence: Killer Frost 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Lightning 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Black Lightning 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Green Arrow 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Green Arrow 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Black Lightning 5 (Lasers)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)
Mirror Master and Killer Frost might seem like an unusual team-up, but they've been recruited by Doctor Light through his affiliation with The Society. The secret cabal is an organized union of super-villains working together for mutual goals.
This is the Evan McCulloch incarnation of Mirror Master: a mercenary who was given Sam Scudder's old gear by the FBI to work covert operations. He quickly turned on the feds and went mercenary, becoming a regular foe for The Flash.
His predecessor's advanced technology grants access to a mirror dimension he can travel through using any reflective surface. Mirror Master can also trap people in breakable mirrors, and create convincing illusions and duplicates of himself.
Killer Frost is identified in this issue as Dr. Crystal Frost, but all accounts before and since confirm her earlier death. It's much more likely that this is Dr. Louise Lincoln, who recreated the accident that transformed Dr. Frost, as a means of avenging her death as the second Killer Frost.
We saw her employ her heat absorption and ice powers while battling Kyle Rayner in Green Lantern #127. She was taken down by Wonder Woman during a clash with the Injustice League in Justice League of America #13.
We saw Mirror Master combine his powers with Doctor Light to take down The League of Titans in Final Crisis #1. Killer Frost's ice should create interesting potential for collaboration with his mirror powers.
Green Arrow and Black Lightning are more experienced fighting partners and will need to use that to their tactical advantage.
GA's arrows have taken down everyone from the gimmick wielding Penguin in Justice League of America #135, to the supreme fighter Deathstroke in Green Arrow #62. Black Lightning's electrical charge will prove valuable in evening the score against super-powers, but there is a question over whether or not he can za Killer Frost -- or will generate the type of heat she likes to consume.
The Tape: Green Arrow & Black Lightning Ranking: Green Arrow (#20)
What Went Down...
Green Arrow takes a knee and draws an arrow in the direction of the freshly made hole in the side of Kimiyo Hoshi's hospital room. Her bandaged body lies helpless on the ground courtesy of Killer Frost and Mirror Master's explosive entrance!
Crawling on hands and knees, Black Lightning shakes off the impact and answers GA's request to clear the room. He unleashes an electric blast that launches the villains into the night sky -- sending them hurtling across the city!
Killer Frost crash lands hard into the street some six blocks away, but Mirror Master walks away without a scratch. She can hardly believe his luck when an arrow stakes itself into the ground at his feet. Mirror Master knows better.
He runs as fast as he can from the arrow as a red light starts to gleam and it emits a high pitched shriek. A nearby car window provides a parked portal clear from danger as the arrow explodes -- again sending Killer Frost wildly airborne!
Green Arrow reads the play, recognizing Mirror Master is the more savvy of the pair while he shields from the blast behind another parked car.
The illusion of protection is shattered when Mirror Master's hand extends from the car's window and grabs Green Arrow by the throat!
GA deals with the problem at its source -- violently throwing his elbow into the glass to shatter Mirror Master's portal!
He staggers backward into the street, drawing his bow in the direction of the attack. He falls back, but lands close to a puddle with Mirror Master lying in wait!
He staggers backward into the street, drawing his bow in the direction of the attack. He falls back, but lands close to a puddle with Mirror Master lying in wait!
Hands once again extend impossibly from the two-dimensional plane, locking Green Arrow in an unanticipated choke hold!
It looks as if it's about to get a whole lot worse when Killer Frost recovers from the explosion and prepares to join in -- but Black Lightning calls her attention to an elemental face-off from a building ledge overhead!
Frost gladly answers the challenge -- unleashing a stream of bitter cold that engulfs Black Lightning and lifts him off the ledge!
She leaps into the air to make chase. Lightning cautiously fires off a bolt, but it fails to connect as Frost splits her legs and dodges it. She joins him on a rooftop and sends icy shards extending across. He has no choice but to jump!
Meanwhile on the street, Green Arrow does his best to dive clear of a volley of shots fired by Mirror Master's gun. He dives behind a car and pulls another arrow, but finds himself surrounded by an army of mirror clones!
Green Arrow slings arrows at record speed, shattering the duplicates while deducing that Mirror Master is more than likely playing with him.
The villain expresses his admiration for his opponent's feats while emerging from the reflection on a shattered piece of glass on the hood of GA's cover. Arrow grabs his pop-up attacker by the wrists and slams his forehead into a waiting nose!
The vicious blow prompts Mirror Master to drop to his knees and clutch his busted nose. Green Arrow uses the opportunity to run from a foe he can't beat, hoping to change the playing field by jacking a nearby jeep and making an exit.
A short drive away: Killer Frost blasts unrelenting cold in an effort to see if there's a temperature that will freeze electricity. It's all Black Lightning can do just to keep the cold at bay with his gleaming bolts.
The cavalry arrives in a stolen chariot, leaning out of the driver's side window to fire off an arrow that hits Killer Frost in the shoulder!
GA drives right through the battle zone, calling for a partner switch that Black Lightning is all too happy to take! He rockets towards Mirror Master on bolts of electricity -- finding himself suddenly surrounded by reflections on all sides!
Black Lightning flips through the air, avoiding a spray of Mirror Master's mirrored gunfire. He lands on one knee and returns fire -- unleashing a deadly charge that fills the empty street with a leaping field of electricity!
Knowing Mirror Master could slip through any tiny shard of reflective glass, he pushes himself to the maximum to cut off any angle of entry. Smoke fills the street as he finally relents, but just like GA, he overlooked the puddle between his feet with a grinning face and a hi-tech pistol slowly emerging.
Knowing Mirror Master could slip through any tiny shard of reflective glass, he pushes himself to the maximum to cut off any angle of entry. Smoke fills the street as he finally relents, but just like GA, he overlooked the puddle between his feet with a grinning face and a hi-tech pistol slowly emerging.
Mirror Master's jibes give him away, allowing Black Lightning to unleash one final mighty charge that evaporates the puddle and leaves his opponent unconscious!
A few streets away its a scene of absolute winter as snow blasts through cold winds. The gale makes it impossible to fire arrows toward the source, so GA tries a different tact, aiming for a street light.
Killer Frost gleefully deflects the heavy metal pole with a focused blast of ice, but the distraction serves well enough to ease the cold front and allow Green Arrow one shot with a very special arrow.
It ignites as it strikes Killer Frost in the thigh. At first, she laughs at the feeble attempt to fire ice with fire, but this arrow is different. It was cooked up by Roy Harper. It's called "Greek Fire" -- a chemical batch that burns hotter in water!
The emerald archer has an arrow capable of neutralizing the flame, but he holds it back -- interrogating Killer Frost for the identity of who sent her. She writhes in agony in the flame, screaming the man's name: Dr. Light!
The Hammer...Pretty brutal tactics on Green Arrow's part, but it gets a result.
Killer Frost gives up that she and Mirror Master were sent by Doctor Light with intent to keep the hero busy, and away from home, while Light is stalking his adopted daughter Mia Dearden.
Green Arrow is specifically targeted for his role in unraveling a plot against Light's old enemies: the Teen Titans, but it's all in the name of revenge for the indignity Light suffered when the Justice League erased part of his mind.
Green Arrow was actually one of the heroes who stood opposed to using magic to rewire Doctor Light's personality in flashback portions of Identity Crisis. The decision was determined by the majority votes of Hawkman, Zatanna, Atom, and The Flash. They were opposed by Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern.
Black Lightning had nothing to do with the League at that time, or their dark dirty secret history. It probably would've occurred just before he established a friendship with Green Arrow, and received nomination for membership in Justice League of America #173. Readers of the recent and excellent Other History of the DC Universe will know he turned their offer down in the 1979 issue.
It wasn't until 2007 that Black Lightning finally relented and officially joined the ranks of the Justice League. We got to see him in action against Cheetah and the Injustice League shortly after. Fun, but it feels like all the classic hold-outs have been swept up in a tidal wave of everybody young 'n' old joining the big teams.
I kinda like Black Lightning doing his own thing, and having a more special kinship with Green Arrow. It certainly added to an already stacked period for GA!
This arc in particular packs a punch with significant post-Identity Crisis follow-ups with Doctor Light, a couple of appearances by Kimiyo Hoshi in a super-charged grudge match, as well as the usual Arrow family, and The Society's guest villains!
The battle against Mirror Master & Killer Frost essentially occupies the entirety of the issue and it's a pretty good, uncomplicated time.
It's always fun to see what happens when villains cross brands to test themselves against other iconic heroes. Mirror Master might cook up new ways to cause trouble for The Flash, but it's a whole new ball game when he goes after Green Arrow or Black Lightning.
That said, it doesn't quite feel like the unique chemistry is fully exploited in this one. It's kind of taken for granted that the good guys are winning on their way to bigger fish. The focus seems to be on the end result of their fight, rather than the scrimmage, which leaves some of the middle action a little hazy.
Black Lightning's method for flash-frying Mirror Master while he's coming out of a puddle is pretty ingenious. Taking Killer Frost down with a chemical fire is a little less inspired, given her penchant for absorbing heat. Credit to Judd Winick for pulling "Greek fire" out of real historic Middle Ages reference, and acknowledging that its property for burning in water makes it a unique weapon.
I'm not sure who's responsible for misidentifying Killer Frost by the alias of the deceased Crystal Frost. That one seems like it could be an editorial oversight compounded by DC's gradual restoration of pre-Crisis elements in the mid-2000s.
All references before and after, including Crystal Frost's brief return as a pseudo-zombie during Blackest Night, seem to confirm this should be taken as Louise Lincoln. You'd think DC would learn from this kind of confusion, but alas, we seem doomed to repeat these inconsistencies as they instate reboot after reboot.
The artwork is a little inconsistent on this one, but when Ron Garney gets a clean hit, it's a thing of beauty. He particularly seems to excel at drawing Green Arrow and Black Lightning. Inker Bill Reinhold compliments the detail in their faces with strong, black lines that seem to retain a soft, bendiness from the pencils.
I like the sharp detailing in that panel of Killer Frost pouring on the cold against Black Lightning, too. At other times the actions and rendering gets much less sharp, and reminds me of some of the incomplete looking treatment of Scott McDaniel when he isn't at his best. I don't know if there's an uncredited assist here, or if it's just coincidence he's a regular GA penciller around this time.
If you'd like to find more from Green Arrow or any of the subjects covered in this post you should check out the links throughout. Or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue!
You can check out today's featured battle in it's entirety collected in Green Arrow: Heading Into The Light. By using the Amazon link provided to do any of your purchasing you'll not only find a great deal, but also help support the site at no extra cost!
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured over 650 battles and ranked well in excess of 950 characters! You can now support the site directly on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. As thanks for donating you'll receive access to extra updates, voting polls, and even custom featured articles at higher levels.
Subscribe and follow on Twitter and Facebook to get free daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day! You never know who or what might show up. Don't forget to like and shares battles while you're there!
Winners: Black Lightning & Green Arrow
#17 (+3) Green Arrow
#66 (+41) Black Lightning
#363 (-114) Mirror Master (Evan McCulloch)
#978 (-19) Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln)
Killer Frost gives up that she and Mirror Master were sent by Doctor Light with intent to keep the hero busy, and away from home, while Light is stalking his adopted daughter Mia Dearden.
Green Arrow is specifically targeted for his role in unraveling a plot against Light's old enemies: the Teen Titans, but it's all in the name of revenge for the indignity Light suffered when the Justice League erased part of his mind.
Green Arrow was actually one of the heroes who stood opposed to using magic to rewire Doctor Light's personality in flashback portions of Identity Crisis. The decision was determined by the majority votes of Hawkman, Zatanna, Atom, and The Flash. They were opposed by Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern.
Black Lightning had nothing to do with the League at that time, or their dark dirty secret history. It probably would've occurred just before he established a friendship with Green Arrow, and received nomination for membership in Justice League of America #173. Readers of the recent and excellent Other History of the DC Universe will know he turned their offer down in the 1979 issue.
It wasn't until 2007 that Black Lightning finally relented and officially joined the ranks of the Justice League. We got to see him in action against Cheetah and the Injustice League shortly after. Fun, but it feels like all the classic hold-outs have been swept up in a tidal wave of everybody young 'n' old joining the big teams.
I kinda like Black Lightning doing his own thing, and having a more special kinship with Green Arrow. It certainly added to an already stacked period for GA!
This arc in particular packs a punch with significant post-Identity Crisis follow-ups with Doctor Light, a couple of appearances by Kimiyo Hoshi in a super-charged grudge match, as well as the usual Arrow family, and The Society's guest villains!
The battle against Mirror Master & Killer Frost essentially occupies the entirety of the issue and it's a pretty good, uncomplicated time.
It's always fun to see what happens when villains cross brands to test themselves against other iconic heroes. Mirror Master might cook up new ways to cause trouble for The Flash, but it's a whole new ball game when he goes after Green Arrow or Black Lightning.
That said, it doesn't quite feel like the unique chemistry is fully exploited in this one. It's kind of taken for granted that the good guys are winning on their way to bigger fish. The focus seems to be on the end result of their fight, rather than the scrimmage, which leaves some of the middle action a little hazy.
Black Lightning's method for flash-frying Mirror Master while he's coming out of a puddle is pretty ingenious. Taking Killer Frost down with a chemical fire is a little less inspired, given her penchant for absorbing heat. Credit to Judd Winick for pulling "Greek fire" out of real historic Middle Ages reference, and acknowledging that its property for burning in water makes it a unique weapon.
I'm not sure who's responsible for misidentifying Killer Frost by the alias of the deceased Crystal Frost. That one seems like it could be an editorial oversight compounded by DC's gradual restoration of pre-Crisis elements in the mid-2000s.
All references before and after, including Crystal Frost's brief return as a pseudo-zombie during Blackest Night, seem to confirm this should be taken as Louise Lincoln. You'd think DC would learn from this kind of confusion, but alas, we seem doomed to repeat these inconsistencies as they instate reboot after reboot.
The artwork is a little inconsistent on this one, but when Ron Garney gets a clean hit, it's a thing of beauty. He particularly seems to excel at drawing Green Arrow and Black Lightning. Inker Bill Reinhold compliments the detail in their faces with strong, black lines that seem to retain a soft, bendiness from the pencils.
I like the sharp detailing in that panel of Killer Frost pouring on the cold against Black Lightning, too. At other times the actions and rendering gets much less sharp, and reminds me of some of the incomplete looking treatment of Scott McDaniel when he isn't at his best. I don't know if there's an uncredited assist here, or if it's just coincidence he's a regular GA penciller around this time.
If you'd like to find more from Green Arrow or any of the subjects covered in this post you should check out the links throughout. Or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight in order of publisher, series, and issue!
You can check out today's featured battle in it's entirety collected in Green Arrow: Heading Into The Light. By using the Amazon link provided to do any of your purchasing you'll not only find a great deal, but also help support the site at no extra cost!
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured over 650 battles and ranked well in excess of 950 characters! You can now support the site directly on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. As thanks for donating you'll receive access to extra updates, voting polls, and even custom featured articles at higher levels.
Subscribe and follow on Twitter and Facebook to get free daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day! You never know who or what might show up. Don't forget to like and shares battles while you're there!
Winners: Black Lightning & Green Arrow
#17 (+3) Green Arrow
#66 (+41) Black Lightning
#363 (-114) Mirror Master (Evan McCulloch)
#978 (-19) Killer Frost (Louise Lincoln)
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