When last we left Poison Ivy, Ivy’s past misdeeds were coming back to haunt her. The infection she planted was finally taking hold of her victims. Meanwhile, there was a weird love triangle going on between Ivy, Harley, and Janet. Consequently, I’ve admitted to having become rather disillusioned by this series, despite the fact that it is one of DC’s top selling titles at the moment. Will this issue win me back?
The first part of this comic FINALLY brings us back to the Ivy/Janet/Harley situation after months of leaving it up in the air. Unfortunately…this comic doesn’t progress that subplot at all. We just get a reiteration that Harley and Ivy are two perfect, best-friends-forever, eternal lovers who have both hooked up with the same woman, Janet. This is a fact that they both want to hide from each other so as not to harm their relationship, while Janet just wants the truth to come to light so they can all hash it out.
The Worst Relationship in Comics?
This love triangle subplot has been going on for literally almost a year now with absolutely no explanation as to what it’s about. Is Janet supposed to be a rival for Harley, or isn’t she? Ivy will flirt with her one minute and treat her like her slave the next. What’s Janet’s deal in hooking up with both Ivy and Harley out of no where? Why is she staying with them if she is treated like this? Does cheating matter in Harley and Ivy’s relationship, or doesn’t it? Harley is usually portrayed as if nothing Ivy does could ever negatively affect her, yet why are they hiding the infidelity from each other if it doesn’t matter?
Everything about this subplot is so messed up, and it’s going nowhere. I do have a theory as to why it’s happening though. Poison Ivy by G. Willow Wilson is a GLAAD award-winning book. I imagine Wilson wants to do something to keep up the queer representation in the book because of that. Repeating the same scene of Harley and Ivy rubbing noses would probably get old. Also, for all we know, there’s a limit on how much Wilson can even use Harley. So, I’m assuming that’s why Wilson invented this endless, trashy soap opera between the three characters. I’m not convinced even Wilson herself has an idea of where she wants to go with it. It’ll probably end up with the characters entering a polygamous relationship as that’s how a lot of media have been ending their romantic triangles recently. I’m just over the whole thing, however.
Pregnant Pamela
The second part of the book brings us back to the main plot of Ivy’s toxins taking hold of her victims. She goes to Killer Croc to help her with the situation, but a mysterious pain in her stomach keeps growing and hindering her. I enjoyed the interactions Ivy has with Croc much more than I did the stuff with Harley and Janet. Meanwhile, the artwork is this issue is absolutely delightful. They’ve switched out Marcio Takara for Luana Vecchio, an artist in which I became a huge fan after her introduction in Harley Quinn: Black, White, and Redder. Her style is so cute that I can’t help but love it for this issue. However, it might be too cute for this story…
Because, as has been revealed from the upcoming comic covers, we’re getting into a real body horror story of Ivy giving birth to something. Luana Vecchio’s artwork may be nice to look at, but I think Marcio Takara was far more fitting when drawing the gross-out, horror elements of the book.
Back to the story, I applaud Wilson for coming up with a new, shocking development for Ivy. However, after reading the book, I still felt like we hadn’t really gotten anywhere. Ivy meets with Croc, fights Solomon Grundy in the swamp, and discovers she’s pregnant with something – an event that was already spoiled on the solicitations. It feels like whatever story Wilson is telling, she’s drawing it out as long as possible to fill out the pages.
Stepping Away From Reviewing Comics…
I hope whatever story she’s telling turns out to be the best for the character of Ivy, but I’m out at this point. I’m just not enjoying or investing in the Ivy book like I was when it first came out. I don’t care how the Harley/Ivy/Janet triangle ends, and there isn’t enough in the main plot to keep me interested either. That said, I’ve also made the decision that it’s time for me to take a break from reviewing comics.
This decision did not happen overnight, and it’s not happening just because of Ivy. So many things have disillusioned me from DC Comics recently. It’s The Gotham War event that character-assassinated both Batman and Catwoman, the insistence of putting Tini Howard on so many books, DC’s continuous refusal to remotely fix anything regarding Harley Quinn, the fact that I wasted my time reviewing a Joker book that went absolutely nowhere, and, of course, the endless announcements of events, variants covers, and Joker origin stories.
I don’t LIKE giving out so many negative reviews to books, but I also have to be honest about my opinions. Most of the DC Comics I’ve reviewed have been unreadable. If the best this company has to offer is a book like Ivy, where the quality isn’t even that spectacular, I guess I’m out.
(I’ll be completing my reviews, at least for now, with the final issue of Harley Quinn: Black, White, and Redder and potentially an Op-Ed wrapping up some general thoughts).
Recommended if…
- You are a fan of Luana Vecchio’s artwork
- Body horror comics are your favorite
- You don’t mind unresolved, never-ending, love triangle subplots
Overall
Ivy’s not entirely a BAD book. There are still some interesting threads to follow in terms of Ivy’s individual character. The artwork is always top-notch. However, I can’t help but feel DC has fallen very far if this is supposed to be the best that they can offer. It’s just not enough for me.
Score: 7/10
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News a copy of this comic for the purposes of this review.
