The moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived with such a wonderful gift for this Pride, the Poison Ivy miniseries has begun and we couldn’t be more excited. I feel this series will clear up a lot of questions Ivy fans have about the direction in which DC is taking her. Especially since we all know Harley and Ivy didn’t leave each other on the best of terms, with them taking some time out and deciding if they are what’s good for one another.
The Gardener gathered Harley, Catwoman, and Miracle Molly to help get Ivy back to normal. But Ivy feels betrayed as her most powerful self was stripped away for the sake of her not being completely absorbed by the Green and becoming nothing but flora. Even worse, she can no longer hear, see or feel the Green, it’s completely gone.
A few tears were shed by myself as I read how Ivy doesn’t blame Harley for trying to save her, how could she have known this is what Ivy wanted? She wanted her to be safe so they could be together again.
Ivy sets off on her own, writing a letter to Harley as she goes on through the badlands, away from Gotham City, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. It’s not that she enjoys murdering people, but she doesn’t exactly mind it either, after all, she has given humanity so many chances before only to be rewarded with pitchforks.
Regarding the letter; this has me extremely nervous as Ivy states, once Harley reads it that she will be dead. In my opinion, Harley wouldn’t want any kind of world, better or not, without Ivy by her side. Considering how fragile previous comics handled Harley’s well-being, I’ve a feeling this would completely break her. It’s a major factor I will focus on as I’m eager for the conclusion.
Speaking of conclusions, I am in desperate need of a decent one when it comes to this Harley and Ivy back and forth trope we’ve been experiencing endlessly over the years. I feel like I’ve seen more panels with Harley crying beside Ivy than I have with The Joker at this stage and I’m sure I’m not the only one who is gasping for an answer. I’ve been following Harley and Ivy for years; they don’t tend to last long together whenever DC decides to entertain fans by having them together for a few weeks, only to have them separate one or two issues after.
That being said, for me, it’s also extremely important to have Ivy developed just as much as Harley and to not have one boil down to the other’s sidekick. I understand Ivy is basically immortal when it comes to the Green; she feels it’s her duty to protect it. It wouldn’t make sense to throw them together right now, no one wants a half developed character alongside a fully-fledged one. It also shows imperfections among an “ideal” couple, bringing realism and connection to the story; because nobody is perfect right?
You want layers to a character to peel back and get into the middle, find all the good bits, the unspoken and unheard of. Poison Ivy #1 delivers exactly that; providing insight to a side of Ivy we have never seen before. It’s set up for an enticing self-discovery adventure, and this is exactly what good character development needs. I’m thrilled we have a solo focusing on Ivy alone. A nice characteristic I’ve always enjoyed about Ivy is how she sees Harley in everything she does and with everyone she meets. Much like how us fans see her. This comes up in Poison Ivy #1 again, to really show us there is compassion and kindness inside of this woman who only wants a better world; despite the ecoactivism or terrorism, whichever way you decide to look at it.
Overall, despite a few concerns; I enjoyed this first issue; I trust this team will give us a good run regardless of the outcome. The art is so achingly gorgeous; you literally want to throw yourself into the pages. The colors are mesmerizing in each panel. This issue shines some optimism on the whole Ivy situation; planting hopeful seeds for a new beginning.
Poison Ivy #1
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art by Marcio Takara
Color by Arif Prianto
Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
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[…] mentions she and Ivy are still very much in love living in an apartment together while allowing the Poison Ivy solo series to go on. I’m relieved we as readers don’t have to suffer through the “gal pal” ordeal with […]