In Poison Ivy #19, the story takes a welcome detour from its ongoing narrative for the first of a three-part origin story.
Title: Poison Ivy #19
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Marcio Takara
Colors: Arif Prianto
Letters: Hassan Otsamne-Elhaou
Cover: Jessica Fong
Variant Covers: Yanick Paquette, Dave McCaig, David Nakayama
Release Date: February 6, 2024
This comic book review contains spoilers
Back to the Beginning
G. Willow Wilson’s Poison Ivy has established itself as one of the most consistent and well-performing books in the comic industry. However, some readers, including myself, have noticed a lack of direction as the series has extended beyond its originally intended length. To address this, Wilson takes a break from the main storyline and treats us to a three-part prequel focusing on Pamela Isley’s college days and her early relationship with Dr. Jason Woodrue.
Following the events of the previous issue, where Ivy gives birth to a Jason Woodrue plant monster, we are taken back at least a decade. A teenage Pamela Isley is determined to maintain her 4.0 GPA to get into the Seattle Bio-Chem program. However, her mother is more concerned about the manipulative men she may encounter. As time passes, Isley successfully makes it into the program and forms a stronger connection with her professor than her peers.
Dr. Woodrue invites Isley to his office after hours to discuss a new project involving hybridizing plant and animal DNA. Despite Woodrue’s temperamental personality, Isley remains interested in him, and their office meetings turn into love-making sessions. Their affair leads to the alienation of other students, and Isley becomes completely under Woodrue’s spell. When the university cuts off funding for Woodrue’s experiments, Isley steals the necessary materials from the school’s biology lab, marking the birth of Poison Ivy.
Does This Seem Familiar?
G. Willow Wilson’s writing addresses hot social issues while maintaining entertainment value. In this issue, Wilson focuses on the abuse of power structures, drawing parallels to the “Weinstein effect.” Woodrue is portrayed as a Keith Raniere-type figure, abusing his position of power to manipulate Isley into a sexual relationship and push her towards crime. While this messaging is important, some readers may find the change in Ivy’s history disappointing. The similarities between Ivy’s origin and Harley Quinn’s origin in Paul Dini’s Mad Love are undeniable. It would be refreshing to see a female villain origin story that passes the Bechdel test and does not revolve around a man forcing them into evil.
Furthermore, this story does not showcase Ivy’s dominant personality as effectively as it does with Quinn. Ivy is reduced to a victim, which does a disservice to her character. Hopefully, Wilson has something unique planned for the next two parts of the story to provide a different perspective.
The Art
The artwork by Marcio Takara is exceptional, as expected. Takara’s attention to detail brings the college setting to life, and the facial expressions of Ivy convey her emotions effectively. Arif Prianto’s color choices and deliberate contrast add depth to the story, enhancing the isolation and darkness that Ivy feels. The use of shadow and selective highlighting adds a captivating visual element to the book.
Overall, Poison Ivy #19 takes a detour from the main storyline to explore Ivy’s origin. While it tackles important social issues, some readers may find the similarities to other female villain origins disappointing. The artwork by Marcio Takara and colors by Arif Prianto elevate the storytelling, making it visually captivating.
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