Cycle of Life and Death made HitFix's Best Comics of 2016 list
It took half a century, but DC Comics finally gave Pamela Isley her own comic this year. From the creative team of Amy Chu and Clay Mann, Cycle of Life and Death — along with Poison Ivy’s appearances as Harley’s girlfriend in the Harley Quinn ongoing — reestablished Pamela as less of a femme fatale and more of a lonely demigod. And like so many “one of a kind” creatures before her, Ivy takes creation into her own hands to start a species of her own. The book treats Ivy as morally ambiguous but not evil. Her disdain of humans is rooted in her love of plants, and while not above a judicious murder or two, Chu always makes sure the reader at least understands Pamela’s motivations. Also, if DC doesn’t do something with the daughters of Poison Ivy, it’ll be a real shame. — Donna Dickens