An upcoming cover for Image Comics hit horror-anthology series Ice Cream Man, illustrated by Martin Morazzo, is a clever homage to the cover of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's iconic Batman and Robin #1. While it may not seem like Ice Cream Man and Batman and Robin have much in common, the characters of Batman and Damian Wayne have always lent themselves to the horror treatment, making this homage quite appropriate.
Debuting in 2009, Batman and Robin - written by Grant Morrison with illustrations by Frank Quitely - is one of the most beloved Batman runs of the 20th Century, and Quitely's unique artistic style and choices make his images instant classics, perfect for homages. Ice Cream Man - written by W. Maxwell Prince (One Week in the Library, Electric Sublime) with art by Martin Morazzo (The Electric Sublime, Snowfall) and colors by Chris O'Halloran (Generation Gone, X23) - debuted in 2018 to critical acclaim because of its genre-defying stories and tone.
Ice Cream Man is an anthology horror that tells several "disparate tales of sorrow, wonder, and redemption" each issue, with the terrifying and mysterious Ice Cream Man, or Rick, featured in the background of most stories. Martin Morazzo revealed the cover for Ice Cream Man #33, which has not been solicited yet, on Twitter. The issue will begin the ninth arc of the Ice Cream Man series, with a cover that is "an homage to Master Frank Quitely's Batman & Robin iconic cover." Rick, later revealed to be named Riccardus, is a cosmic horror entity described as a, "Friend. Foe. God. Demon. The man who, with the snap of his fingers -- lickety split! -- can change the course of your life forever." In many ways the chaotic and unknowable Ice Cream Man is reminiscent of the more sinister portrayals of the Joker, a man or creature whose only goal is chaos and entertainment, who has remained a major enemy to Batman and Robin since his debut.
Morrison and Quitely's Batman and Robin was a unique take on the Batman/Robin dynamic because it cast Dick Grayson's Batman as the more lighthearted and easygoing character, juxtaposed with Bruce Wayne's biological son Damian who is perpetually cankerous and rigid. Morazzo's homage cover features a young female "Ice Cream Person,"who has not yet been seen in the pages of Ice Cream Man, in the same heroic "tough guy" pose as Damian Wayne. As with many comics, the covers of Ice Cream Man do not always align with the stories within, especially since Ice Cream Mean is an anthology, but the idea that Rick might have a young female child working alongside him in his ice cream truck is truly horrifying. If this mystery ice cream sidekick does appear in Ice Cream Man #33 it would be hilarious is she had a similar demeanor and affect as Damian Wayne, and finally gave Rick some of the grief and payback he so desperately deserves.
While Morazzo's homage cover may be just that, an honoring of the legendary Frank Quitely's art, the Batman franchise is often framed through a horror lens, such as DC Black Label mature reader Batman runs like Batman: Reptilian. So using a this iconic Batman and Robin cover as an homage cover for Ice Cream Man from Image Comics is certainly in line with both comics' dark vibes.
Source: Martin Morazzo