“Poison Ivy” – Chapter Nineteen
Artist: Marcio Takara
Color Artist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Review by Fay Clark
We last saw Pammy dying on the floor, so let’s hope we see her coming back and recovering in Poison Ivy #19.
There’s so much chaos going on in this series right now that I can’t imagine how Ivy can possibly come back and kick all the zombie’s butts… but I know she will. That’s just how she rolls.
Mama, I’m in Love with a Criminal
Well, G. Willow Wilson’s always been one to throw us through a loop, but this is not what I was expecting for this issue. We get to learn Dr. Pamela Isley’s origin story, and women in STEM (which we love to see), plus, we get more information about the history between Jason Woodrue and Pam.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this character so much, but she needs to learn what a walking red flag is. Wilson has written Woodrue as a manipulative, narcissistic piece of work, so watching everything unfold was a masterclass in what not to do to another person.
We also meet some of the people in Pam’s doctorate class. They all play a part in everything that happened to her, but, unfortunately, they’re pretty forgettable characters. I’m unsure if they’ve been written that way on purpose or not.
Wilson’s delved into Pamela’s past before, and we get a lot of cool science/plant lessons. So, I have to wonder if Wilson herself has a Ph.D. in science or is just really good at researching all this.
Secret Lab, you say?
Marcio Takara’s back! We have had a different arist for the last couple of issues, so it was a lovely surprise when I opened this one and immediately recognized Marcio’s work. Once again, the attention to detail is amazing and there’s so much going on in every single panel.
The backgrounds always seem to be filled to the brim with scientific equipment and, once again, I have to wonder if this is just what Marcio and Arif Prianto think a lab looks like, or if they researched a few and drew from that experience. Either way, what we get looks 100% like a working lab.
Conclusion
Poison Ivy #19 gives us more background on Woodrue and Pammy, which is always interesting, but I’m just not sure about the pacing. We were in the middle of a MAJOR plot point, so the switch to a slightly calmer comic feels a bit weird. However, I trust our team. They’ve gotten us here so far and the ride has been amazing.
I just don’t want to believe that this is Pam’s life flashing before her eyes, as she dies! Give me issue #20!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment