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  1. #1

    Default Poison Ivy Appreciation 2020

    This is the 2020 Appreciation thread for our favorite femme fatale villain/antiheroine, Pamela Lilian Isley, a.k.a. Poison Ivy

    A continuation from http://https://community.cbr.com/sho...reciation-2019

    6515340-poison_ivy.jpg

    Poison Ivy (Pamela Lillian Isley) is a fictional supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in Batman stories. Poison Ivy was created by Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff, and made her debut in Batman #181 (June 1966).

    dc comics - poison ivy.jpg

    She has teamed up on occasion with fellow villains Catwoman and Harley Quinn, with Harley being her close friend, recurring ally and sometimes romantic interest. She is a Gotham City misanthropic botanist and biochemist who is obsessed with plants, ecological extinction, and environmentalism. Ivy typically wears a green one-piece outfit adorned with leaves and often has plant vines extending over her limbs. She uses plant toxins and mind-controlling pheromones for her criminal activities, which are usually aimed at protecting endangered species and the natural environment. She was originally characterized as a supervillain, but as of the New 52 and DC Rebirth, she has periodically been depicted as an antiheroine, often doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

    5007385-2546732438-prett.jpg

    I hope we have a great year for the character. She's featured with her gal pal/love interest Harley Quinn in the books and cartoon for adults in the DC Universe streaming service in a prominent role. Let's hope for more to come! I'm hoping for her debut in the new DCU movies.
    A picture would last longer darling...

  2. #2
    The Spirits of Vengeance K7P5V's Avatar
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    BTAS Poison Ivy is still the best...





    No argument at all, at least from me.
    Last edited by K7P5V; 03-05-2020 at 03:28 PM. Reason: Added images.

  3. #3

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    She is indeed perfect in it.

    I do quite like her in the new Harley cartoon. She's less evil but has a very dry sense of humor.
    A picture would last longer darling...

  4. #4
    Post Editing OCD Confuzzled's Avatar
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    There was a lot of Ivy in this past week (quite literally if you read Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy #5).

  5. #5

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    I watched clips from the 'House and Garden' episode from B:TAS the other day. Reminds you how twisted Ivy is. That's what I like about Ivy. She wants things that anybody else would want (family, companionship) and her goals about the environment are noble and yet she goes about it in a dangerous, twisted way.

  6. #6
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    An interesting proposal for Poison Ivy found over on Twitter:

    Poison Ivy should be punted off Batman and become a major Wonder Woman character.

    Not because she's a female character and bisexual, though that's a nice plus, but because of her fascination with and need to champion the environment. No matter how bloody the means.
    I have had similar thoughts as well, and in many ways the modern Poison Ivy makes much more sense as a Wonder Woman-connected character than a Batman character. Ivy's power level is simply far too high for Batman, and both Ivy and Wonder Woman should be characters that have a lot to say about feminism and our relation to the natural world.

    But I'm not sure it's a good idea.

    The first is how DC currently handles Wonder Woman. The character has been removed very far from her feminist roots. I see no way that DC will be ready to handle a Wonder Woman who becomes far more feminist and far more radical in her critique of civilisation. They work extremely well in temporary teamups, postapocalyptic stories, and the like, but I'm not sure they will work well long-term.

    The other, and perhaps more important argument, is that Batman simply makes sense as an antagonist for modern Poison Ivy. Batman (and Bruce Wayne) is the champion of the modern city, the industry, glass, concrete, and other elements of modern human civilisation. Poison Ivy is a new Demeter-like character, a champion of nature, both generous and vindictive. They make sense as antagonists for each other.
    «Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])

  7. #7
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    In a similar vein: Batman’s Greatest Enemy Is… Poison Ivy, by Philippe Leblanc.

    There’s a movement of volunteers and like-minded environmentalist who are staging protests to bring people out of their torpor called Extinction Rebellion and they’ve been, much like Poison Ivy, been labelled as a disruptor, agitators and terrorists. I have no doubt that if the DC Universe was caught in a similar predicament as global climate change, Ivy would be standing right at the front of those marches. That, to me, is why Poison Ivy is Batman’s greatest foe.
    «Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])

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    Having Diana mooch off Bruce's world is not going to help the belief that her rogues gallery is less interesting than everyone else's.

    Quote Originally Posted by kjn View Post
    In a similar vein: Batman’s Greatest Enemy Is… Poison Ivy, by Philippe Leblanc.
    Okay, but Mr Leblanc, Ivy has been depicted as a terrorist.

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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by kjn View Post
    An interesting proposal for Poison Ivy found over on Twitter:



    I have had similar thoughts as well, and in many ways the modern Poison Ivy makes much more sense as a Wonder Woman-connected character than a Batman character. Ivy's power level is simply far too high for Batman, and both Ivy and Wonder Woman should be characters that have a lot to say about feminism and our relation to the natural world.

    But I'm not sure it's a good idea.

    The first is how DC currently handles Wonder Woman. The character has been removed very far from her feminist roots. I see no way that DC will be ready to handle a Wonder Woman who becomes far more feminist and far more radical in her critique of civilisation. They work extremely well in temporary teamups, postapocalyptic stories, and the like, but I'm not sure they will work well long-term.

    The other, and perhaps more important argument, is that Batman simply makes sense as an antagonist for modern Poison Ivy. Batman (and Bruce Wayne) is the champion of the modern city, the industry, glass, concrete, and other elements of modern human civilisation. Poison Ivy is a new Demeter-like character, a champion of nature, both generous and vindictive. They make sense as antagonists for each other.
    Ivy would just be another superpowered female antagonist for Wonder Woman. OTOH, she is a one of a kind in Gotham, a wild nature goddess at war with a city corrupted by man's excesses and its dark avenger who inadvertently enables the status quo by protecting it (both as Batman and Bruce Wayne).

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by kjn View Post
    In a similar vein: Batman’s Greatest Enemy Is… Poison Ivy, by Philippe Leblanc.
    I agree with all of this. In fact, there is a popular belief online that the biggest reason DC is dragging its feet on giving Ivy's solo adventures a push is because her character is at direct odds with what they represent: big time, male-driven corporations.

    Hopefully with the breakout success of Joker and its strong anti-classism stance, maybe WB would be willing to give Ivy and her core anti-capitalist themes a chance, even if she is a far more political character in nature (no pun) than The Joker. But considering the level of discussion around award shows like the Oscars disregarding women's stories in favour of male stories like Joker, focus on Poison Ivy would be the next step in breakthrough narratives.
    Last edited by Confuzzled; 01-20-2020 at 11:39 AM.

  12. #12
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    Anyway, here is Poison Ivy's power-up in Harleen #3, by Stjepan Sejic. A must read for any Poison Ivy fan, despite her not really playing a part in the story yet.

    Harleen 003-029.jpg

    I especially like the way her vines rip the prison clothes off her body, as an additional symbol of her freeing herself.
    «Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])

  13. #13
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Confuzzled View Post
    I agree with all of this. In fact, there is a popular belief online that the biggest reason DC is dragging its feet on giving Ivy's solo adventures a push is because her character is at direct odds with what they represent: big time, male-driven corporations.

    Hopefully with the breakout success of Joker and its strong anti-classism stance, maybe WB would be willing to give Ivy and her core anti-capitalist themes a chance, even if she is a far more political character in nature (no pun) than The Joker. But considering the level of discussion around award shows like the Oscars disregarding women's stories in favour of male stories like Joker, focus on Poison Ivy would be the next step in breakthrough narratives.
    To be honest, I kind of blame Harley more then anything else.

  14. #14
    Extraordinary Member kjn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frontier View Post
    To be honest, I kind of blame Harley more then anything else.
    Why? It's not like Harley as a character has any agency or decision making power here. That rests solely with the publishers, editors, and writers at DC.

    And I think there is a really strong trend here. DC as a publisher consistently shy away from subjects like feminism, queerness, the experiences of people of colour, or ableism. Any such stories that appear do so despite DC's corporate culture, not because of it. Thus the erasure of Oracle. Thus the sidelining of Poison Ivy. Thus the downplaying of Harley's and Ivy's relationship. Thus the constant struggle (and inability) to get Wonder Woman "right".
    «Speaking generally, it is because of the desire of the tragic poets for the marvellous that so varied and inconsistent an account of Medea has been given out» (Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History [4.56.1])

  15. #15
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kjn View Post
    Why? It's not like Harley as a character has any agency or decision making power here. That rests solely with the publishers, editors, and writers at DC.

    And I think there is a really strong trend here. DC as a publisher consistently shy away from subjects like feminism, queerness, the experiences of people of colour, or ableism. Any such stories that appear do so despite DC's corporate culture, not because of it. Thus the erasure of Oracle. Thus the sidelining of Poison Ivy. Thus the downplaying of Harley's and Ivy's relationship. Thus the constant struggle (and inability) to get Wonder Woman "right".
    Not from like the actual character, but more how much DC promotes and utilizes Harley and downplays Ivy or reduces her down to Harley's sidekick as a result.

    Even the Amy Chu mini, one of the few solo materials for Ivy, had to have Ivy shoo out Harley so she could get 5-minutes to herself.

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