For nearly 60 years of publication history, Pamela Isley, known by the moniker of Poison Ivy, has waged a one-woman war on behalf of Mother Nature. Bound and determined to save the Earth by any means necessary, Poison Ivy’s crusade is a noble one, although her methods may be a bit extreme. Time and time again, Ivy is willing to kill or sacrifice human life to advance her cause of healing the world and reversing the damage from decades of environmental devastation and destruction caused by humans. With various powers such as manipulation of plant life and toxins derived from the elemental force known as the Green, Poison Ivy is not just an environmental activist or a mere supervillain, but a formidable force of nature as well.
Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson is an attempt to restore some humanity to the character of Poison Ivy and present Isley as a complicated and nuanced character with interiority and depth beyond the carefully constructed persona that Isley has created for herself as her supervillain identity, Poison Ivy. Specifically, Wilson softens Isley and makes her more sympathetic to readers through her relationships with other characters, such as her romance with fellow Gothamite Dr. Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn. Wilson’s Poison Ivy gives us a Pamela Isley with a beating heart and the capacity for empathy running underneath her forbidding appearance. Her characterization of Isley makes Poison Ivy more endearing, and thus we find ourselves feeling sympathetic and in agreement with her cause of protecting the Earth from environmental harm.
In today’s political climate, where environmental issues such as pollution and climate change are hot-button issues, many readers share Poison Ivy’s concern for a world in desperate need of salvation and safeguarding from further desolation of the environment. Much like many comic readers have come around to the notion that “Magneto was right”, the main takeaway from Poison Ivy seems to be that “Poison Ivy was right”.
Besides her relationship with Harley Quinn, another relationship of great importance in Isley’s life in this book is the one she has with Janet from Human Resources. Introduced as a supporting character in this run, Janet is a human mortal ally of Poison Ivy, and one who frequently finds herself in various states of distress. In this particular issue, Poison Ivy #33 finds Janet once again in danger, and forced to make a choice that could bring her out of harm, but in doing so could jeopardize her friendship with Isley and compromise the trust and faith that Poison Ivy has placed in her new companion and confidante. In the issues that follow, will Janet emerge unscathed with her friendship with Isley intact?
As Janet’s fate remains uncertain, Poison Ivy prepares to go to battle and make an uneasy alliance to maintain her sovereignty over the pastoral paradise of Marshview that she has created for herself. The issue suggests that Ivy may be forced to make a decision that could have lasting ramifications for herself and Janet. Will Ivy be willing to sacrifice Marshview to protect Janet, or will she find herself unable to give up Marshview, even if it means letting Janet suffer? In the first issue of this series, we saw Ivy being more than willing to go to any length and kill as many humans, including herself, all for the good of Mother Nature. Isley has come a long way since then and has developed a greater love and compassion for humanity, however, she has remained committed to her mission and dream of healing the world. As we saw in the preview for the issue, Ivy says, “ What if that dream landscape was something we could make here on Earth?” Will Ivy be willing to give up that dream to save her friend, or will that cost be too high for Ivy to consider?
Ivy gazes upon the paradise she has created, basking in the glory of all that she has accomplished. Image courtesy of DC Comics
Series regular artist Marcio Takara returns to deliver enchanting and fantastical art that feels both picturesque and dreamlike. Fusing Takara’s art with Arif Prianto’s vibrant and dynamic colors, each page in this book is as beautiful as it is often also haunting and disturbing, especially at times when the supernatural and body horror elements become central and defining moments in the series. Wilson’s Poison Ivy has a strong and commanding presence in the book as well, with each line of dialogue both bittersweet and dripping with venom as she does not attempt to mask or disguise her contempt for the evils of man against nature. Ivy’s dismissive attitude towards Janet at times is difficult to watch, as we see the mistreatment not only fracture her relationship with Janet, but also often puts her in danger as well. It seems that Ivy sometimes forgets that Janet is not as self-reliant as Harley, and like a delicate flower, requires both protection and nurturing to survive. At the end of this issue, it is clear that a reckoning is coming for Pamela Isley, but Poison Ivy may not be the only one who suffers.
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