Endless Winter

DC first announced the storyline in July 2020.[1] Initially planned to last two months as part of a major relaunch/rebranding effort by the publisher,[2] by September 2020 it had been compressed to a five week event.[3] DC further advertised the story in a special 6-page section of their comics released on November 17.[4]

The crossover was spread across nine issues of various comic book titles, beginning and ending with the two-issue limited series titled Justice League: Endless Winter. Additional chapters appeared in issues of the ongoing series Flash, Aquaman, Justice League, and Justice League Dark and in three one-shot specials focused on the characters of Superman, Teen Titans, and Black Adam.[3] The comics were all released between December 1 and 29, 2020.

At a panel discussion during the October 2020 New York Comic Con, writer Ron Marz said the story came together around "Justice League Viking", a 10th-century version of the modern superhero team.[5]

The Justice League (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, the Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman) thwarts a villainous plan devised by Multiplex, Icicle, and Catman to rob a bank. Meanwhile, in Greenland, a man named Sebastian Stagg discovers a new ice strain which can achieve cold fusion. One of his workers berates him for using a device called the Snow Crawler without her permission, but Stagg ignores her. However, it's revealed Sebastian doesn't want to achieve cold fusion and finds a Kryptonian crystal. The workers on the Snow Crawler inform Sebastian that a great storm is going to hit them in an hour and he orders them to pick up the pace despite their reluctance.

The Flash and Superman talk about their personal lives, specifically Iris West, Superman's son and public identity while running over the Atlantic Ocean. Superman has to leave to go to Sri Lanka because there's trouble, and The Flash goes talk to Black Lightning in Metropolis to talk about how Black Lightning balances his superhero life with family. Meanwhile, Sebastian Stagg's workers get attacked by ice wolves in the Snow Crawler. The Justice League arrives to help deal with the ice beings, but suddenly a being named Frost King comes out of the Snow Crawler, vowing vengeance on those who imprisoned him. Superman tries to attack Frost King, and there is a huge explosion. When the dust clears, it is revealed that they are standing on top of the former Fortress of Solitude, and Black Adam, Hippolyta, Swamp Thing, Viking Prince, and The Wizard Shazam had imprisoned Frost King in the 10th Century. Meanwhile, the arrival of Frost King has brought winter storms across America, including Gotham City, Metropolis, Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and Kahndaq.[6]

The Flash runs around the world trying to help everyone while the other heroes deal with the Frost King's monsters in different cities, and no one has heard from Aquaman yet. The Flash passes out after being ambushed by Ice monsters, but Black Adam rescues him and shoots his magic lightning at Flash so he can regain his speed to find the Frost King and Sebastian Stagg. Flash saves Iris West from an ice monster before running off to help other people.[7]

It is revealed that the Frost King was an original man name Edwald Olaffson who developed ice powers after saving his son from a polar bear attack in Greenland in the 10th century. Edwald was a metahuman who initially used his powers for good, however, not knowing how to control his powers, he accidentally brought cold weather which caused famine and less exposure to the sun which caused his villagers to mistrust him and be angered. The villagers tried attacking Edwald but he fought back. During the chaos, his son was killed and Edwald grew angry to the point where his village was completely encased in ice.

In the present, Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane are about to be killed by ice monsters on top of the Daily Planet when Superman saves them. After making sure they're safe, Superman goes out to help people but is soon overwhelmed by the ice monsters. Superman flies off to his hometown Smallville to save Krypto the Superdog, and his adopted parents Jonathan and Martha Kent. After getting a reassuring pep talk from them, Superman leaves to help more people.

Back in Metropolis, Lois writes an article for the people of Metropolis, inspiring them not to lose hope, even during these harsh times. Meanwhile, in Gotham, Sebastian Stagg and his research team are still trying to uncover the secrets of the ice sample Stagg Enterprises took from the Arctic Circle. They have discovered that the ice contains Kryptonian crystals and a mysterious energy signature. They have also discovered that there are people buried underneath the ice and they are still alive.[8]

In the 10th Century, Hippolyta, Swamp Thing, and the Viking Prince had freed Black Adam in the past to deal with the Frost King when his magic nearly destroyed the world. In the present day, Aquaman, Mera and their daughter go to Amnesty Bay to deal with ice monsters in Atlantis. Aquaman plans to enlist the help of Fire Trolls to help deal with the Frost King, and is ambushed by the Fire Trolls but is saved by Mera. The Fire Trolls are impressed with Mera and go help Atlantis. Meanwhile, the Frost King is meditating and asks "Where are they?" [9]

In the past, Black Adam found out the Frost King's true identity and uses them as bait to attack the distracted Frost King. John Stewart helps out civilians before going to Washington D.C to meet with Detective Chimp on what's going on. The Frost King appears in front of John and nearly kills him before Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Flash arrive to the rescue. During the battle, John destroys the statue but realizes that it's just a fake, and the heroes wonder where the Frost King is. The Frost King realizes that the thing he is trying to find (preservations of his family) is in Stagg Industries Research Facility in Gotham.[10]

In the past, The Frost King accidentally opens a chasm, causing his family to fall to their death. Meanwhile, the Teen Titans allow kids to stay in their Titans Tower to wait out the storm. The Teen Titans decide to go to Brooklyn to deal with ice monsters and help a sleeping metahuman name Summer Zahid deal with an ice monster. While recovering, Flash, Cyborg, and Starfire teleport in the Titan Tower using a Boomtube to check on the heroes. Donna Troy realizes the Frost King is the story that Hippolyta told her when she was in Themiscyra and tells Cyborg to teleport her and Flash there to help the Amazons.[11]

Queen Hippolyta tells Wonder Woman that in the past, the Frost King escaped while killing the Viking Prince. Flash tells them the Frost King forces are overwhelming the heroes, and Zatanna tells Wonder Woman that they need to go to New Myria to find where the current Swamp Thing is. They find Swamp Thing, but Swamp Thing says his powers are weakening due to the Frost King's powers. Back on Earth, Queen Hippolyta summons the spirit of the Viking Prince for help, and the Viking Prince explains that they need to find Frost King's family to find Frost King. Wonder Woman and Zatanna arrive holding an empty vessel of the Swamp Thing. The vessel possesses the Viking Prince, turning him into the new Swamp Thing.[12]

Multiplex travels across the world and finds the Frost King's family in Stagg's Industries in Gotham. Silver Banshee, Icicle, Catman, Rampage, Black Adam, and the Frost King arrive to take the frozen Frost King's family who is in stasis right now. Multiplex tries helping Black Adam but he over exhausts himself and asks Black Adam to help him. Black Adam refuses, saying Multiplex is pathetic and lets Frost King kill him. Black Adam threatens to kill Frost King's family and while Frost King is distracted Simon Stagg sends out a robot that can fire cold fusion cannons, but it makes the Frost King stronger instead. Just before Black Adam is killed, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman, and John Stewart arrive.[13]

Batman reveals that he let Simon Stagg be used as bait to find the Frost King, and the heroes start fighting against him. Frost King escapes, and Superman learns Simon Stagg was trying to get crystals from the Frost King's family to build weapons and make more money. Batman tells the heroes that he put a tracker on the Frost King, and they attack the Frost King at his hideout in Greenland once again. The Viking Prince/Swamp Thing arrives in battle and realizes this is just an avatar of the Frost King. Batman and Hippolyta find the Frost King's true body in the Fortress of Solitude, where it was revealed that in the past Edwald was trapped in the Fortress of Solitude, but once Simon Stagg indirectly freed him, he absorbed the powers of the Fortress of Solitude to create avatars and wreak havoc.

Black Adam plans to kill Frost King to end his threat once and for all, but Superman tackles him and the two start to fight. The Frost King starts to overwhelm the heroes, but Aquaman arrives with the Fire Trolls to help turn the tide. Hippolyta and Wonder Woman nearly convinced the Frost King, but his avatar starts raging out of control and causing chaos across the battlefield. There is a huge explosion, and the Frost King and his horde are seemingly destroyed. Black Adam leaves while swearing vengeance on Superman, and the rest of the world celebrates the Justice League's heroics.

Simon Stagg is sent to prison, The Viking Prince returns to the afterlife while the Swamp Thing finds another avatar, Superman starts rebuilding the Fortress of Solitude. It's revealed the Frost King is still alive, and he decides to go into cyrostasis until his family is freed once more.[14]

The story received positive reviews from critics for its action and art style. However, there was criticism of the underdeveloped plot. According to review aggregator Comic Book Roundup, the crossover received a score of 7.7 out of 10 based on 52 reviews.[15]

The second chapter appeared in The Flash #767. Bleeding Cool criticized it for not revealing new information nor moving the plot along, and found it lackluster compared to previous work by the writers and art team.[16]