Hear me out: I am NOT a fan of DC comics. I have always been a Marvel girl. Generally I find the stories to be lackluster and not as compelling. However, these DC graphic novels have been coming out and changing the game for me.

This one is no different! I was drawn in by the beautiful and stunning artwork and hooked with the heartbreaking and hope filled plot. This graphic novel was well worth the read and I literally couldn’t put it down!

Completely loved this story. It was definitely a love story and like all good love stories, it has a heart-ache, but a perfect amount. It didn't go into schlocky or overly sentimental. The artwork was gorgeous and the characterization of both Victor and Nora was spot on. They were believable as people, as were the secondary characters.

I love that this could be just a love story, but knowing that this is the beginning of a major character in the Batman-verse, it makes that character all that much more sympathetic.

The love story tugged at me and it was beautiful and tragic and hopeful, all wrapped up together, like all good love stories are. Completely loved it and will be recommending this one for sure.

Trigger warnings: fatal illness, attempted suicide, death of a sibling, death of a parent. Would say this is for YA and above. 5 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and DC Entertainment/DC Comics for an eARC of this book to read and review.

3 stars = Good/solid/fine
(Personal rating would be lower - this wasn't a great fit for me)

Painfully shy, grieving, guilt-bearing, obsessive Victor Fries meets vivacious Nora who is determined to live while she can, even to the point of planning to lose her virginity before she dies. This is dark with lots of references to death, suicide, and visions of bird attacks that seem to be metaphors for Nora's illness. The story is well-constructed and makes sense for where readers probably know things are going if they are familiar with the characters from DC already. But it was too dark for me personally. (Some language, talk of death, off page sex, TW: Suicide, grief/loss)

Victor & Nora: A Gotham Love Story bursts off the page with amazing art by Isaac Goodhart and colors by Cris Peter. While Goodhart does a spectacular job with the facial expressions and emotional resonance, it is Peter who seals the deal with the way the colors are so distinct, yet remain muted. It is important that the colors don’t jump off the page here. This is a close story that is closed to the rest of the world. The characters need to see the world through their own lenses and it is Peter’s colors that do that work.

There are a few pages where the art changes into a story within a story and those pages are simply delightful. Goodhart clearly is showing off

I had a hard time putting this graphic novel down. The story is a riveting one, and it was cool to see how these two people first met. It was a whirlwind romance, and when Victor learns a shocking truth, he finds a new purpose in life. As this graphic novel came to a close, Nora made a tough choice. Fans of these characters will want to check this graphic novel out.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published after the release date (November 3rd, 2020)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Talk of death, talk of suicide and suicidal thoughts, scene of attempted suicide, loss of a loved one (in the past), loss of a parent (in the past), grief, PTSD/trauma, terminal illness


“So. Fire. Ice. Both hold the power to snuff out life. But love. Stronger than fire, more powerful than ice. Where love surrounds, life abounds.”

I don’t talk about it often, my love and appreciation for one of the saddest love stories in all of the Gotham Universe. While there are many love stories, many ships and pairings that happen, none of them quite compare to the love story of Victor and Nora. Victor Fries/Mister Freeze is probably one of my most favorite Gotham “villains” and truly, he’s just a man on a mission to save the one he loves. Being able to read this graphic novel in advance and see a whole new take on Victor and Nora makes me fall in love with this couple all the more. Also, I now have a deeper appreciation doe these characters and their younger side

Our story follows Victor, a cryogenicist, who’s headed to Gotham Cemetery to visit his brother’s grave, as his grief and trauma weigh heavy on his shoulders. Nora and her family have just moved to a new house in Saint Agnes, to be closer to where her mother is buried. Upon their arrival at the new house, Nora decides to go visit her mother’s grave. Thus, these two characters cross paths and spark a very unusual conversation between one another. From here on out, these two will be pulled two one another and a romance will slowly bloom between them.

When I say I loved these two characters and how they come together, I mean I really loved these two characters come together. Victor isn’t like your typical love interest. He’s very soft spoken, brilliant, and so compacted with love and passion. And Nora, she’s one hell of a firecracker. She’s whimsical, sarcastic, and she brings people out of their shell. These two balance each other out incredibly well. The chemistry shared between them is apparent from the very beginning, despite the unusual conversation. I don’t talk about it enough because it’s such a fifty-fifty chance, but I like to believe there are the cases where two broken people can heal one another, love each other so fiercely and deeply, and make the world seem a little brighter. And I truly believe with my whole and soul that Victor and Nora are one of those relationships.

What I truly love most about Victor and Nora’s relationship is their love. Out of all the love and relationship pairings, none shine quite as bright as this particular relationship. These characters love one another so beautifully, so deeply, and I don’t think here has ever been a relationship in the Gotham Universe that had a more devoted partner than Victor when it comes to Nora. For those who aren’t familiar with the DC Universe or the Gotham Universe, Victor gave up everything for Nora. His love for Nora basically consumed him to the point of the only thing that has ever mattered has been finding a cure for Nora. Victor never cared if he came off as villain or how his actions impacted the those around him, his whole world revolves around Nora and finding the cure. And seeing how Nora and Victor come to love one another in this book, despite knowing everything they both carry on their shoulders, their love for each other grounds them in those difficult times. I really loved that the author included those moments of grounding because it’s so important to show how powerful love truly can be.

“Just, for years I’ve reached out to no one. And if anyone reached out to me… Well, I made sure to keep my heart protected. And then this girl comes along. And… and… She melts me.”

Of course the story itself is very well done. I’m not sure if the author actually researched the story of Victor and Nora, but reading this graphic novel felt like author did. I loved how the author alternated the story between Nora and Victor’s perspective. Most of the graphic novels out there only has Victor’s perspective of everything. So it’s a nice breath of fresh air to see Nora’s side of things. It’s also a nice change to see these this couple in their youth. Before Victor became Mister Freeze and before Nora became frozen. It’s nice to see these two characters in love and being in their relationship with one another. And just the mundane things like hanging out with friends and arguing with family. We also see the harder, more difficult side of things concerning their mental health and Victor who’s coping with his trauma and PTSD. I really appreciated see those sides of Nora and Victor. It’s just nice to see that side of these characters before everything became intense in their story.

And I have to talk about the art because as always, Isaac Goodhart has such a beautiful art style. I really loved seeing the Tim Burton type of twist in the beginning. That was such a pleasant surprise and I think that was my particular favorite. However, the artist has a fantastic way of highlighting these scenes that are softer, kinder and the scenes that are intense like the panels where Nora is seeing the crow. The way those panels were designed with the shading and lighting really made for a great reading experience.

My only real issue with this graphic novel has to be the one key detail that’s always remained true to Victor and Nora’s story line. Victor and Nora were and always have been married when Victor froze Nora. While I’m not sure if this was an intentional change for the story, given the audience this graphic novel is trying to target, but this is one key element that should have been included especially since this could have impacted the way this graphic novel concluded. Even more so, it seems the scene of attempted suicide was included (which has never be a part of Victor and Nora’s story) to replace the fact that Victor and Nora have been married. If you were to really look at the context of the graphic novel, we already see Nora and Victor fight over Victor suggesting he cryogenically freeze Nora until he can find a cure. Then the whole scene of attempted suicide comes in to play. In a way, depending on what you take away from this, all of these events lead to painting Victor in a negative light and making it seem like he was giving Nora no other choice than to be frozen. For my reading experience, personally, I would have preferred if we saw them elope or actually have a wedding ceremony compared to this one tweak of their story line. It comes off as hopeless, very negative way to lead into an ending for this graphic novel and I think it would have really benefitted this graphic novel to have a little more good scenes than fully wrap this graphic novel up on such a heavy note.

“But I don’t care. I’m just happy to be alive. Happy to be in love.”

Overall, I really enjoyed myself reading this graphic novel. I definitely think the marriage panel could have been added in to help balance the heaviness of the ending and to also stay semi-true to Victor and Nora’s original story. Also, I think this graphic novel shouldn’t have been so heavy with the death and suicide elements. If this graphic novel is targeting a younger audience, I’m not sure if going the darker route was the best past to take especially when it concerns those who are typically reading middle grade level books. However, I really liked this. It was so refreshing to see these characters outside of their usual setting, you know, Victor being a villain and Nora being fully frozen. And if you couldn’t tell, I just really love and appreciate the love story that is Nora and Victor’s. My heart felt so full reading this. And I have to mention the mental health and trauma/PTSD representation was very well done. I really liked how we got see those pieces throughout the book. I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy the DC Universe or even the Gotham Universe. I especially recommend this to those who love Victor and Nora’s relationship like I do. And of course, if you need a quick read or you’re look for a new graphic novel to pick up then I have to recommend this graphic novel!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story is a young adult graphic novel love story that takes place in Batman’s fictional city of Gotham. Anyone familiar with the backstory for Mr. Freeze can guess what will happen within the pages of this book, but it is more than worth the read.

I was actually very intrigued to see that DC Comics would be doing an origin story for Mr. Freeze for young adults. It wasn’t something I had expected to see and I was excited to read it. The story, of course, has some very sad elements, but at the same time, I was happy to see a lot of joy and love within its pages. It was just plain fun to read and probably one of my favorite DC young adult novels that I’ve read so far.

What I like specifically about this graphic novel is just how beautiful and fun it was. The art is fantastic, the page layouts are beautiful and the story still ended up being a lot of fun, despite the tragedy to come. It was overall a very enjoyable read. It’s easy to see from Victor’s passion and love for Nora, how he became the Mr. Freeze we know him as. Nora is his single focus and nothing is more important to him than saving her.

Read my full review here: https://thegeekiary.com/victor-and-nora-a-gotham-love-story-graphic-novel-review/88503

Victor has protected his heart from loss by being cold and distant. He feels he is responsible for his brother’s death in a house fire a decade earlier and has dedicated himself to science. Nora wants nothing more than to live her life fully, but since she has an illness that will end her life in short order, she plans to be in control of her death, even if that means taking her own life. When these two young people meet in the cemetery, a budding friendship makes each of them question the path their life has taken. Will Nora be able to thaw Victor’s cold heart? Will Victor help Nora see the truth about her life choices?

Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story is a graphic novel with broad-ranging reader appeal. There is science fiction with the techniques that Victor is studying and there are parallel scenes that will be easily recognized from classic stories and movies. Although it is a love story, that is not all that this book is about. Myracle and Goodhart take the topic of planned suicide and make the reader think about the trauma to the people left behind without diminishing the feelings of the person. This story gives history and backstory to the DC character Mr. Freeze and even readers who love to hate this villain will begin to understand his plight.

I am officially a fan. This was heartbreaking and hopeful. I need some more of this love story. Illustrations were fantastic-I particularly enjoyed the worst ways to die montage.

For Libraries: DC fans? Buy it!

It's a special kind of book that has me crying after an hour of reading. It's also a very special kind of book makes me fall in love with Mr. Freeze. Well Done. I think this book suffers in its brevity. I would honestly have loved to see an extended version of the story. Especially one that gave more focus to the darker side of Victor's research. This story really doesn't try to explain why Victor must stay in a frozen suit or die, like in the comics. And it also doesn't really lend much to the villainous nature of his character. It simply outlines his motivations in the most tragic of ways. I really did love the story as a love story. Not really an origin story. That said, I really wish these two could get a happy ending someday. If it weren't for that Batman!!!

Victor and Nora continues DC Ink’s wonderful and inspiring series of more grounded young adult adventures set in the comic book universe. Though the settings and characters are familiar, authors like Lauren Myracle take the narrative to new places.

I loved the romance at the heart of this new graphic novel, and the symbolism was incredibly well done. It’s a story that resonates and I could even see it as its own narrative after a few pages, regardless of the shared universe aspect.

Isaac Goodheart’s art is beautiful and fills the page with wonder. This is a book to enjoy and share with others, including young readers who perhaps haven’t found the right book them (just yet).

An enthusiastic five stars.

Huge thank you to DC Comics and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This story completely ripped my heart out! It's emotional, it's messy, it's engaging, it's smart, it's romantic and a wild ride. For those not familiar, this is an adaptation of the story of Mr. Freeze, a supervillain from the Batman series. I loved this story. There were a few changes from the original Mr. Freeze story, but they were so tastefully done they just made for an even better story. The art is gorgeous! It's clean, bright and perfect for this story. I can't wait to see what happens in this story. PLEASE release the next installment ASAP! I need to continue Victor and Nora's story.

5 stars! If you haven't read it, read it now. I will be rereading this story until I can get my hands on the next one!

A sold start to the origin story of Victor Fries, who will one day become notorious DC villain Mr. Freeze.

It’s a good premise for a “how they went bad” type of origin story, though when we leave off after this graphic novel, we have no clue as to how that might happen. Indeed, it’s a strangely hopeful finish to a story that we know will ultimately end very, very badly.

Normally I would assume this was merely the first installment in Myracle’s version of how Fries becomes Freeze, but these YA villain origin graphic novels don’t tend to work like that. So it feels a bit empty and odd to end where it does, but perhaps our patience will ultimately be rewarded with a follow-up.

The relationship between Victor and Nora feels a little rushed, but otherwise well plotted. The art is lovely, and Myracle, as always, does a good job of tugging your heartstrings without getting too schlocky.

This graphic novel did exactly what it set out to do. We got to see the possible origin story for a rarely admired character in the DC universe. I particularly liked the variety of art styles in the story as it added gaiety and drama to certain scenes.

A new version of Victor (DC supervillain, Mr. Freeze) and Nora's love story! Origin stories are always fun and interesting. This telling gives us a glimpse at a young love blooming out of personal loss, leading to a unique bond between Victor & Nora. The colors used in this graphic novel fit the story and the illustrations are stunning. I especially enjoyed the nods to other dark literature--Poe, Romeo/Juliet, Frankenstein, and even Titanic.

Spoilers Below:
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I’m a big DC fan, but I mostly read women-led comics. I felt like this was such an unhealthy relationship, and I found that I really didn’t like Victor or agree with a lot of his choices, particularly at the end. I’m not saying that isn’t how it would happen, and I knew how this story went. I just didn’t expect it to be against Nora’s wishes for most of the graphic, and it threw me off. That said, I would read a second volume.

A perfectly fine graphic novel however the aspect of being an origin story for Mr. Freeze felt like an afterthought.

I went into this blind and honestly had no idea what DC character this was based on until I looked up reviews. That being said, I flew through it and finished in one sitting. Art is really cool, especially Nora's gorgeous hair haha. Story was a bit of a roller coaster but that's to be expected when its a love story... in Gotham... between two people with their own tragic stories.

I cannot gush about this one enough, I NEED an in-hand copy to keep FOREVER.

I loved getting a back story about some of the DC original characters in this relatable YA story. Things like this are where fandom + patience collide, because until now I didn't KNOW I needed to know more about Victor & Nora, their meet cute and their beginnings that made him into the super villian we all know and love, but this was so fun & enjoyable to read!

The illustration was everything I've come to love from DC, and I look forward to more graphic novels like this in the future!

There was a lot of depth to the emotions and characters in this book. Themes of depression and suicide are tough to handle, but a combination of positive characters, uplifting art, and some fantastic elements make this story more than a superhero story (in fact there is very little other than the names of the characters to suggest superheroes)