Poison Ivy #45
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Leandro Fernández
MONSTERS AT THE MAYOR’S MANOR! Poison Ivy is losing supporters quicker than she can kill them! After a hard day at the office, Mayor Pamela Ivy retreats to her luxurious Gotham City home for some R & R, but not even her home is safe! What terrible menace lurks in wait for her? Read this issue and find out!
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 Wilson, Batman: 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 Batman, Poison Ivy, Detective Comics, Batgirl, Batwoman, Catwoman, Nightwing, 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.
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.
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. Poison Ivy #43 is a hell of an issue that focuses on the tough choices, the evil choices, that are made to rule.
Ivy is now Mayor of Gotham City… and she’s actually trying to do a good job at it!? The idea of villains taking over and leading a city or country, hell even a world, isn’t anything new. But, they usually have some malicious plan behind it. There’s been some exceptions, but generally, it’s not a good thing. Writer G. Willow Wilson seems to be taking things in a different direction with this arc as Madam Isely actually attempts to make Gotham better.
Poison Ivy #43 takes two tracks as far as the story. The first is the horrible decision Ivy made when it comes to her relationship with Harley as she has become Mayor. Politics can destroy relationships (having worked in politics for 25+ years, I can personally attest) and being an elected official can really test the best relationships (again, seen it). Ivy’s decision is tragic and heartbreaking, but also shows she might be taking her new role seriously. There might be some actual altruism driving all of this. Ivy has always been an interesting character straddling clear villain and eco-warrior with good intentions and bad actions. Here, we see a focus on actual issues impacting Gotham and Ivy attempting to resolve them, maybe not in the best ways.
That gets us to the second story. While there’s a bigger mystery going on that plays out, Madam Ivy has focused on the sewer/pipe system of Gotham. There’s a clear environmental impact but also massive corruption. Wilson does a fantastic job of showing both sides of the argument in that “it’s shit, but it works” and “we can do better but corruption prevents that.” She’s right in her beliefs. She’s right in there needs new leadership. She’s right that corruption has led to all of this and the corporate stooge is just full of excuses. She’s wrong in how she handles it… Wilson has done a fantastic job of making the reader sympathetic and then just pulling rug out from under.
The art by Jaime Infante is fantastic. With color by Arif Prianto and lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, the comic does a great job of giving us the broken down Gotham we know but adding in a big of magic from Ivy’s natural world. There’s also a slight horror tinge to it all, delivered by the worn infrastructure. The team also does a fantastic job when it comes to the individual characters. Their body language and their facial expressions, the comic hits the emotional aspects perfectly. You can feel the frustration, the fear, the sadness, it’s just fantastic visually.
Poison Ivy #43 is a great issue that shows the difficulty in managing a city and the difficult choices Ivy has to make. There’s lots of drama, there’s lots of surprises, there’s more than enough to get you to cheer for Ivy to succeed (with less killing… maybe). I was intrigued to check out this new direction when it was announced and after two issues, I’m completely sucked in and excited to see what’s next.
Story: G. Willow Wilson Art: Jaime Infante
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 #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.
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!
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?
Poison Ivy #40
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Davide Gianfelice
POLITICAL IMMUNITY! Poison Ivy is tired of having to look over her shoulder constantly. Hoping to secure a place of safety for herself, she sneaks back into Gotham City to meet with Police Commissioner Vandal Savage! Will the immortal caveman help her out, or will this meeting be the spark that sets off an explosive new chapter in Poison Ivy’s life? Find out!
Poison Ivy #39
(W) G. Willow Wilson (A) Marcio Takara
Having a friend for dinner is simply lovely, isn’t it?
