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Batman: Bad Seeds begins August 26

As the sun sets on Gotham City, something ancient wakes beneath its streets! In Batman: Bad Seeds, the next major Batman event kicking off in August and running through October, Poison Ivy unleashes a desperate act of eco-terror that transforms Gotham into a hostile landscape of prehistoric plant life. Told across one long, dark night, the event unfolds as Gotham’s heroes, villains, and civilians fight to survive.

Led by showrunners Matt Fraction and G. Willow WilsonBatman: Bad Seeds is a Gotham-wide comic book crossover that pulls every corner of the city into the crisis. While Fraction (Batman) and Wilson (Poison Ivy) steer the event’s core narrative, the writers and artists behind Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batwoman, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Harley Quinn each deliver pivotal chapters that track Gotham’s transformation as the night deepens. Across ten weeks, readers will follow the crisis as it spreads from block to block, title to title.

As Ivy’s plants spread, Gotham begins to mutate—buildings swallowed by vines, streets overtaken by carnivorous flora, and entire neighborhoods reverting to a primordial state. With the Bat-Family hunted, the GCPD fractured under Commissioner Vandal Savage’s militarized rule, and civilians trapped in a city turning against them, Gotham City becomes a living battleground where every chapter brings a new evolution.

On August 26, DC will publish a Batman: Bad Seeds prelude in Poison Ivy #47.Written by G. Willow Wilson with art by Leandro Fernandez, a main cover by Jessica Fong, and variant covers by Noobovich, Kyuyong Eom, and Manny Vincent Carbonilla, this prelude issue reveals that Gotham City is done with Mayor Pamela Isley—there’s just one problem for everyone there: she’s not done with them.

Then, also on August 26, the Batman: Bad Seeds event officially begins with Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunset #1. Written by Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson with art and cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cliff Rathburn, and Tomeu Morey, plus variant covers by Dan Mora, Marcio Takara, Jorge Jiménez, and Jeff Spokes (Glow-in-the-Dark), this unforgettable first chapter opens as the sun goes down and Gotham loses power, showing that the only thing scarier than the night…might just be the morning sun. Gotham City’s mayor, Pamela Isley—deserted by her allies both political and arcane—is about to make a last-ditch power play that will leave Gotham decimated by daybreak. Having already declared war on the Bat-Family and flooded the streets with his private, paramilitarized police army, Police Commissioner Vandal Savage sees an opportunity to solve two problems at once!

Following August’s prelude and kickoff, the event continues across September and October in the pages of BatmanPoison IvyDetective ComicsBatgirlBatwomanCatwomanNightwing, and Harley Quinn, alongside several new event titles. More details on these chapters will be revealed in the coming months as DC unveils the full scope of Batman: Bad Seeds.

Mayor Poison Ivy? Poison Ivy #42 Has Ivy dealing with the Weight of Being in Charge of Gotham

Poison Ivy #42

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 ComicsKindle

Preview: Poison Ivy #42

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!

Poison Ivy #42

Preview: Poison Ivy #38

Poison Ivy #38

(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara

Time to die! Ivy’s had enough of Janet’s lies. She’s dragging the mewling, near-dead Janet-from-HR into the woods and giving her what she deserves once and for all. If there’s anything left for either of them to say to each other… now would be the time.

Poison Ivy #38

Preview: Poison Ivy #35

Poison Ivy #35

(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
In Shops: Aug 06, 2025
SRP: $3.99

The Order of the Green Knight’s leadership hangs in the balance as Poison Ivy and the Gardener go head-to-head in a brutal fight to see who will control the organization and who will be stripped of their power (and perhaps even more). Can Ivy count on her new allies within the Order to have her back, or will they turn on her?

Poison Ivy #35

Preview: Poison Ivy #34

Poison Ivy #34

(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
In Shops: Jun 04, 2025
SRP: $3.99

DISTURBING THE PEACE! The GCPD descends upon Marshview with its sights set on everything Pamela Isley has built over the last year. With her freedom shattered, her trust betrayed, and her home under assault…just how far is Poison Ivy willing to go in order to protect what’s hers?

Poison Ivy #34

Preview: Poison Ivy #34

Poison Ivy #34

(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
In Shops: Jun 04, 2025
SRP: $3.99

DISTURBING THE PEACE! The GCPD descends upon Marshview with its sights set on everything Pamela Isley has built over the last year. With her freedom shattered, her trust betrayed, and her home under assault…just how far is Poison Ivy willing to go in order to protect what’s hers?

Poison Ivy #34

Preview: Poison Ivy #33

Poison Ivy #33

(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
In Shops: May 07, 2025
SRP: $3.99

SERIES ARTIST MARCIO TAKARA RETURNS! An awful tragedy is unfolding, and it appears as though there’s nothing Pamela Isley can do to stop it. Will the verdant villain find a way through, or is her life about to hit an all-time new low?

Poison Ivy #33
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