This is an amazing conclusion to what has been a masterful arc written by G. Willow Wilson. I can confidently say this is the best Ivy series I’ve ever read, and this is a fitting way to cap-off this big arc of her new origin.
There’s no getting around spoilers when discussing this one so strap in.
We all know that comic book characters never die long, and this story acknowledges that by handing us a beautiful spiritual exploration of death and rebirth rather than getting bogged down by some ‘dead character comes back’ subplot. Ivy undergoes a Phoenix-like transformation in this issue, shedding the cancerous spores that she’d been carrying since the beginning of the series.
While it may not be the subtlest metaphor for shedding a painful, toxic person from one’s life, I love the way that Wilson empowers artist Haining to render that growth.
Its a profoundly spiritual issue, one in which Ivy seems to come into contact with a Creator figure of some kind. In a reflection of Solomon Grundy’s nursery rhyme, she experiences death, birth and growth. It’s well done and offers some genuine theological depth. While it may strike some readers as a little vague, it allows Ivy to explore her purpose in a head-on way that Wilson knows how to handle intelligently.
Ivy and Harley’s drama with Janet-from-HR ends far more abruptly than I would have anticipated, but in a way that acknowledged the anarchic attitude of both characters. I had (wrongly) speculated that this would be a motivating conflict in the next arc, but I’m glad it won’t be. That would be entirely too mundane for a Poison Ivy comic.
I still don’t know why the hell the Red Hood showed up in the last issue, and I hope Wilson can keep doing what she does without DC editorial interrupting her too much in the future. That might be hoping for too much, we’ll see in September.
My complaints about the plot being stretched out too thin over the last few issues won’t be nearly as noticeable in a trade paperback format because you’ll be able to just power through to the end. With that in mind, I’d say this origin story is just about the best introduction to this character I’ve seen any writer offer. If someone asked me for a comic to pick up to understand Ivy as a character, Wilson’s series would be where I would point them.
Poison Ivy #24 exemplifies the best characteristics of the way Wilson writes Ivy. She’s selfless and cares for Mother Nature even at her own expense, and she isn’t afraid of being the ‘bad guy’ to achieve those ends. By the end of reading this, it’s clear that Pamela has landed in the antihero camp rather than being a pure villain. That’s great, and it offers new opportunities for this character if DC cares to explore the ramifications of this new origin.
Recommend if:
You love a great origin story.
You enjoy Harley and Ivy’s dynamic.
You want to see a major arc in this series conclude.
Overall:
After a few issues that overstayed their welcome, this conclusion of a major part of the titular character’s story makes all the patience readers invested worth it. I can confidently say that this is one of the best things I’ve read by a major publisher this year.