Ice

Biography

Ice (Tora Olafsdotter) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in Justice League International #12 (April 1988), the character was created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. She is a member of the Justice League who possesses cryokinetic abilities and is often associated with fellow superhero Fire. The character has also been associated with the Global Guardians. Ice has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily television. Jennifer Hale voices Ice in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, while Kimberly Oja portrays her in Justice League of America.

== Publication history == Created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire, she first appeared in Justice League International #12 (April 1988). 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 and 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 they were mistaken. After Ice is killed, the original Icemaiden joins the Justice League. A backstory revealed that she is the first Icemaiden, and quit the Global Guardians when Tora appeared. An alternate origin was revealed in Justice League: Generation Lost #12 (2010), written by Judd Winick and art by Fernando Dagnino Guerra.

== Fictional character biography ==

=== Origin === The princess of an isolated tribe of magic-wielding Norsemen, Tora Olafsdotter has the natural ability to create and manipulate ice. In the Danish graphic novel Superman: A Tale of Five Cities, Superman and Lois Lane visit Oslo and encounter Ice (Isjomfruen), a local superhero, and her sister Ice Flower (Isblomst), in Frogner Park.

==== Alternate origin ==== A different origin was presented in Justice League: Generation Lost. It has not been revealed in what respects this story replaces Tora's original history. In the alternate origin mentioned in Justice League: Generation Lost story, Tora's parents and brother are Romanifolket, and her grandfather was the head of a small sect of Romanifolket known as the Is Bygd. Tora was trained to stay calm to control her metahuman ability to create and manipulate ice, to ensure that her grandfather (from whom Tora's parents sought to hide their daughter) could not find her and force her to use her power to keep control over the other Bygd residents. Eventually Tora's grandfather tracked his family down and, after seeing her father being beaten, she lost control, causing the death of several, among them her own father.

=== Global Guardians === When an engineer named Rod Schoendienst discovered the ice people, he made a pact with the King that allowed Tora to leave their kingdom. After Rod introduced Tora to Doctor Mist and the Global Guardians she joined the team as the second Icemaiden. Soon after, she became friends with Beatriz da Costa (aka Green Flame). After the Guardians lose their funding from the United Nations in the wake of the Justice League's reformation as Justice League International, Green Flame talks Icemaiden into joining the Justice League.

=== Justice League ===

Ice's personality is 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 change their names from Green Flame and Icemaiden to Fire and Ice. Ice returns to her kingdom after being summoned by her dying father, King Olaf, who wants to make her his successor to the throne of their kingdom when he dies. When Olaf dies, Ice's brother Ewald becomes the successor to the throne instead. Ewald had been in contact with the Overmaster, a powerful entity who considers himself a celestial force beyond good and evil, with the purpose to "act when judgment has been passed". The JLA set out to rescue Ice; when they reach her kingdom they discover that Ewald's power has increased due to an ancient staff he carries. As they come near Ewald, they are attacked by ancient Norwegian giants summoned by Ewald. Guy Gardner and Fire rescue Ice from Ewald while the rest of the Leaguers battle the giants. One by one, the weapons that the giants hold are destroyed, removing their powers. A similar tactic is used on Ewald, which kills him. Ice is free to take the throne of her kingdom, but believes the people should choose a leader for themselves – she leaves to rejoin her friends in the Justice League. Ice later falls under the mental influence of Overmaster. During a confrontation with the Justice League, Ice breaks free of Overmaster's control, only to be killed by him.