Poison Ivy #44
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Jaime Infante
BAD PRESS! Gotham City begins to turn on its new mayor as some less-than-wholesome things about her are brought to light. So what’s a super-powered, super-villain mayor to do in a time like this? Well, let’s just say it’s not completely legal. Meanwhile, something is alive in Robinson Park — something very, very big.
Black Cat #9
(w) G. Willow Wilson (a) Andrés Genolet, Gleb Melnikov
IF INTERDIMENSIONAL TREASURE HEISTS HAD A NAME… IT WOULD BE FELICIA HARDY! EVERYTHING is going wrong for BLACK CAT and VENOM! They’re getting away with their prize — just NOT the prize they set out for! And said treasure may turn out to be a hyper-destructive, Multiverse-ending apocalypse machine. I wonder how much Felicia can get for it?
Poison Ivy #43
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Jaime Infante
Mayor Pamela Isley investigates the state of her old stomping grounds, the Gotham City sewer system, and makes some unpleasant discoveries about what lies beneath. Meanwhile, a certain feline felon makes her long-awaited return to Ivy’s life.
The Nebula Awards has announced the nominations for the 61st annual event which honors the best sci-fi and fantasy writing. This year’s awards expanded with “Best Poem” and “Best Comic” with the latter causing some issues.
The awards are organized by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association and in their announcement, they only listed the “writers” and publishers in the “Best Comic” category.
The announcement was met with negativity with numerous individuals pointing out the “writing” of comics is far more than the script and can be a team that involves pencillers, colorists, letterers, editors, and more, all of whom work together to tell the story.
In their announcement the organization states:
Like the Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation and the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing, these new awards celebrate the writers at the heart of productions that also involve editors, artists, publishers, producers, and a wealth of other team members who make the magic happen.
Some pointed out the award is for “Best Comic” which would indicate the entire comic, not just the script. The organization did engage with individuals, though the response was more “speak up for next year’s awards” and that further promotion would include all of those involved in the comic.
The finalists for Best Comic as listed by the SWFA are:
The Nebula Award winners will be announced the first week of June.
Black Cat #8
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Gleb Melnikov
CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE, VENOM?! What was supposed to be a simple smash and grab for BLACK CAT and VENOM takes a nosedive into the COSMICALLY AND CATACLYSMICALLY FLARKED. Probably because they’re smashing and grabbing from the most heavily guarded place in the Multiverse. But this one’s personal for Mary Jane and Felicia, and the cat and the sinister symbiote ain’t leaving this party before they get a few good licks in!
It’s the beginning of a brave new era of Poison Ivy as Pamela Isley ascends to the role of Mayor of Gotham City. But what is her vision for Gotham’s future, and how far will she go to protect it?! Let’s just say things are going to get pretty bloody! Poison Ivy as Mayor of Gotham?! Poison Ivy #42 is a solid jumping on point with an interesting premise.
I haven’t kept up with Poison Ivy, the character and the series, but it felt like with a new status quo, Poison Ivy #42 was a nice opportunity to hop in and check it out. And, I’ve clearly been missing out. Written by G. Willow Wilson, the issue has Ivy in a new position, Mayor of Gotham. I missed the how of it all, but with Vandal Savage heading up the GCPD, the concept of two villains in charge of the city is a concept that’s interesting and intriguing… and Wilson delivers an issue full of surprises.
Ivy to me started as a clear villain but over the years has morphed into a villain but at times hero, whose intentions are often right but the execution of what she does all wrong. Ivy is an eco-warrior, out to protect Earth and nature, that’s a noble goal and in our real world she’d be labelled an eco-terrorist. She does harm and damage while attempting to achieve her goals. So, now she’s in charge and Wilson is taking clear inspiration from the real world.
Pamela Isley does have to deal with more traditional comic villains (clearly storylines carried over from the previous 41 issues) but now she’s faced with meeting the high expectations of the people who elected her. While we might expect there to be some sort of con or nefarious plan out of this, the comic plays her rather earnestly. She seems to want to do good and lead well, and even confronts Savage about militarizing the GCPD even further. She wants that back as well as improving infrastructure, increasing affordable housing, increasing healthy outcomes, and moving to clean energy. If she wasn’t a past super villain, she’d sound like a progressive just elected to office.
The art by Marcio Takara is great. With Arif Prianto on color and lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, the art event makes rather boring office meetings interesting and exciting. The characters look great and there’s a great emphasis on the variation of them. Savage and a demon like creature tower over Poison Ivy. Gotham also looks a little greener overall. There’s also a tension and sadness the art nails down as what is happening, and what Ivy gave up to make it happen, weighs on her.
Poison Ivy #42 does feature some of what’s been going on and not a complete fresh start, so new readers might feel a little lost. But, it’s a solid start that’s pretty easy to get into the big picture and enjoy. There’s something nice seeing Ivy bounce between being a Mayor for the people with great policy but also a hammer who is breaking tradition with how things are going. Overall, we’re teased with a story that’s not as straightforward in concept as it seems and full of layers. Overall, it’s a great start for a new direction.
Story: G. Willow Wilson Art: Marcio Takara
Color: Arif Prianto Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Poison Ivy #42
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
GOTHAM CITY HAS A NEW MAYOR! It’s the beginning of a brave new era of Poison Ivy as Pamela Isley ascends to the role of mayor of Gotham City. But what is her vision for Gotham’s future, and how far will she go to protect it?! Let’s just say things are going to get pretty bloody!
Black Cat #7
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Gleb Melnikov
BLACK CAT MEETS THE ALL-NEW VENOM… MARY JANE WATSON! The uncatchable thief teams-up with the sinister symbiote to pull off the most daring and dangerous heist Felicia Hardy’s ever attempted! Obstacles to overcome: Time. Space. Mind-melting interdimensional monstrosities. Spider-Man’s rogues’ gallery. Felicia and Venom’s dark and violent past. All in a night’s work.
Poison Ivy #41
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Davide Gianfelice
BEHIND BARS! After being caught red-handed for a crime she most certainly did commit, Ivy finds herself in the cold and unloving embrace of the Gotham City correctional system. Is this the end of Ivy, or has her war only just begun?
Black Cat #6
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Andrés Genolet
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL! FELICIA HARDY is down but not out of the super-hero game! But when the vilest lowlifes from the city’s (super-)criminal underworld are out for blood — she’ll need all the luck and (Dare)devilish charm she can muster!
