Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany

Poison Ivy (2022-) (Collected Editions) #5

by G. Willow Wilson, Marcio Takara (Artist), Arif Prianto (Colorist)

About Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany
Poison Ivy goes All-In for year three of the critically acclaimed series from Hugo Award-winning writer G. Willow Wilson (Wonder Woman) and superstar artist Marcio Takara.

The GLAAD award-winning series from writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Marcio Takara returns for year three as part of DC’s “All In” initiative. Poison Ivy returns to Gotham City to resume her war to restore the balance of the natural world. However, when she unintentionally resurrects an ancient place buried deep within Gotham’s past, it awakens something hungry.

Collects: Poison Ivy #25-30

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Fantasy, LGBT, Superheroes, Queer

184 pages, Paperback

Published July 8, 2025

About the author

Hugo, World Fantasy and American Book Award-winning author of novels and comics, including THE BIRD KING, INVISIBLE KINGDOM, and ALIF THE UNSEEN. Co-creator of Ms Marvel. Honorary doctor of letters, Rutgers University. I accidentally started a dutch baby baking cult during quarantine. Not very active on here right now, but often found on Twitter.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This was a solid volume but I’m a bit perplexed as to why DC seem to be turning Ivy into Swamp Thing when they already have Swamp Thing…

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still damn good!

Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany continues to solidify its place as one of DC's standout series. Writer G. Willow continues to impress with her portrayal of Ivy, crafting a character that is as complex as she is compelling, caught between her desire to protect the planet and the darker, more sinister side of her nature. The storytelling is both rich and engaging, showcasing Ivy’s struggles while keeping her wicked charm intact.

The art in this volume remains breathtaking, effortlessly shifting from stunning beauty to moments of eerie intensity. There are scenes that are seductive, while others are downright chilling, maintaining the perfect balance that I’ve come to love in comics. The visuals complement the narrative beautifully, capturing the essence of Ivy's duality and adding another layer of depth to the story.

This volume delves into a cult that believes Ivy is the Green Knight they've been waiting for. However, when an old foe resurfaces, chaos ensues, adding complexity to the already intriguing plot. I’m especially impressed with how Ivy’s journey is intertwined with the development of the supporting characters. It’s a perfect blend of fun, intrigue, and fantastic artwork, making Poison Ivy one of the most enjoyable comics available right now.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapter 25 gets five stars alone.

Every time I pick up a Poison Ivy comic, I’m reminded how much better the art is than most others. The artists better be making a killing. I’m excited to see where this storyline goes.

[André Habet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is consistently engaging though the quality varies highly between arcs. I love this take on Ivy but I wish there was more oomph in these issues. The book is always stunning and I enjoy some of the exploration of the Green and Grey here. I dunno. I just want more. 🙃

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janet is a slut and I’m living for it. I think the terrorism plot line is falling apart little flat but the tea is piping

[Matt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For an old swamp thing head this book is really fun. In the earlier volumes I was wondering if they were going to mention the grey since mushrooms were such a big part of this run. Well that was answered in this volume. They did all but call out Matango by name. Kinda wish they had but they did reference the war between the Green and the Grey.

So far this new arc is starting strong! Can’t wait to read the next volume.

[bearygood_epub · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the part that I'm not particularly fond of. The technicalities and mysteries. I get easily confused and I feel the information overload while also raising a lot of questions. But it's really exciting that Ivy is now connected to both the Green and the Grey. I'm so excited about how all of this will work out.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid. I’m happy to see the return of The Gardener. I’m even happier to get some reintroduction to The Grey, which I have been hoping to have mentioned since issue 1.

[Bertazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 30 issues I think it is time to Wilson decide if she will embrace the cosmic and otherworldly aspect of the series (good) or will insist in that already overused Woodrue plot.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love the writing - it feels so poetic and profound. Love the path this story is going down and as always such luscious and grotesque art.

[Pickletape · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I was Janet, ifykyk

[Brannon O'Neal · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a DEVASTATING nosedive this series has taken in terms of story quality. The end of the first volume sets up Poison Ivy to take on the rich capitalists who are destroying the environment for the sake of corporate profits. Awesome! Has she actually done that at any point through this series yet? Not really. She’s spent most of the time “righting her wrongs.”

But now that THAT’S done maybe we can FINALLY get into eating the rich and saving the planet, right?

Nope! Instead we have to deal with “evil” radical environmentalists who are… blowing up a Whole Foods??? Because “rich people shop there”??? An act which kills civilians, including CHILDREN???

So we’re STILL not taking the fight to the actual problem. Now the people who want to fight the actual problem ARE the problem. Greeeaaaaat….

First off, I do not buy for ONE SECOND that radical leftist environmentalists would think bombing a grocery store was the right strategy (“We have to stop these oil barons from destroying the environment - quick, let’s kill a bunch of random middle-class shoppers and innocent workers who have to be there just to afford rent.”)

Second, WHY are these environmentalists being influenced by essentially a leftist version of Q-anon???? This shit SUCKS SO BAD!!! In real life, the Q-anon freaks are alt-right Nazis, but in this story, it’s the leftists who “care too much about the environment” who are the real freaks. I’m sorry, but why the fuck would we take the shit that ACTUAL Nazis are doing in real life and then use it in a fictional story to make leftists look like villains?????? Especially when no leftists are actually doing this shit???? (Because, again, NAZIS are the ones ACTUALLY doing it)

Finally Poison Ivy finds this “pro-environment Q”, and of course this Q makes great points about how they need to stop the rich from destroying the planet, but NOW Poison Ivy is the one pushing back against that, talking about how she was going to fight back and save the planet by re-growing a wetland. What the fuck happened to you, Ivy??? I bet the whole next arc will still be devoted to fighting against the radical environmentalists. WHEN DO WE ACTUALLY GET TO SEE HER SAVE THE PLANET??? WHEN DO WE TAKE THE FIGHT TO THE RICH??? Please, I’m fucking begging for some actual radical shit, not this twisted up, reductive, “both sides are bad” garbage.

What is this book telling us? What is the takeaway here? Apparently being a radical environmentalist is wrong, because if you are one that means you want to blow up grocery stores. Guess we should plant a tree and hope for the best? Should we vote blue no matter who? Should we support the lesser of two evils who will STILL commit genocide, but at least we don’t feel like our hands are getting dirty, because the blood isn’t on them, it’s on our tax dollars?

How is Luigi Mangione (allegedly) more of a superhero than anyone in all of comic books?????

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:

The last few months and years have forced Poison Ivy to take a good, hard look at herself. She needs to find a balance between protecting the planet and the people she loves. She’s coming to terms with what that may mean for her future.

However, there are many other complications still on the horizon, including a cult that believes Ivy is the Green Knight, something they’ve all been waiting for.

Review:

Poison Ivy Vol 5 takes a unique turn in Poison Ivy’s story, and once again has found new ways to surprise the readers. That’s one thing I’m quickly coming to love about this series: you never know what’s going to happen next.

This volume adds new tension on the human front, thanks to a cult that mistakenly believes that Poison Ivy would ever want to lead them (Ivy and people don’t mix). This spirals into a bigger problem–Batman. I seriously love how Poison Ivy portrays Batman; it adds perspective outside of his story.

What makes this volume interesting is that it basically forces Poison Ivy to fight against her previous methods. It’s a sign of growth. It’s good to be reminded of how far we’ve come, right? The other part that makes this tale even more interesting (for me) is the addition of the Grey. You don’t get to see that too often.

Finally, can we all agree that Janet from HR is both amazing and hilarious? She came out of left field and is so different from every other character, and that makes for a refreshing change.

Highlights:
DC Comics
Botanical Horror
Poison Ivy
Harley Quinn Cameo
LGBTQ+

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[Robert Bussie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out with a few one shot stories and then picks up the main story thread for better, worse, and even some best moments.

The Worst. The story drags along and is overall not interesting. It also seems to overly complicating things. There are now a Green and Grey that consists of the plant life and parasites, respectively. They have been at war since the existence of earth and tried to domesticate humans to their will. Surprise, it backfired on them.

The Better. The eco-terrorist plot was also dragging along until the surprise ending. Bella is back and behind it. It could have been a more dramatic reveal, but at least it is not Woodrue again.

The Best. Janet is still a refreshing breath of fresh air in this story. She is quirky and let's face it.... she is also horny. In the series she has had sex with Ivy, Harley, and in this book Killer Croc. I am not even going to try and fathom how with Killer Croc, but as a side character she definitely keeps the stories interesting. In the DC comics world of insane villains and superhero drama, Janet is a fun standout character.

The Art. The lines are fun, but could use more details in the characters. I really like the coloring; it is very well done with different tones. However, the line work and colors do not mesh well together.

[Vyshakh Aravindan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poison Ivy Vol. 5: Human Botany

Issues: #25–30 (or ongoing)

“Human Botany” is where Ivy truly finds balance — and where G. Willow Wilson’s long game pays off.
Here, Ivy’s journey comes full circle as she confronts the tension between her plant and human sides. The concept of “human botany” — the fusion of empathy and ecology — becomes both literal and philosophical. Can Pamela coexist with humanity instead of eradicating it? Can she forgive herself enough to try?

The story pushes Ivy into unfamiliar territory: alliances, mentorship, and even moments of hope. Wilson writes these shifts with tenderness, never betraying Ivy’s edge. She’s still fierce, still dangerous, but she’s finally looking forward instead of back.

Visually, this volume is spectacular — vines and veins intertwine, symbolizing Ivy’s integration of both worlds. There’s a poetic melancholy in how the story ends (or pauses), reminding readers that growth is always imperfect.

Overall, Poison Ivy (2022–) has become one of DC’s richest ongoing character studies — a dark fairy tale about ecology, identity, and moral evolution.
Wilson’s run cements Ivy as more than a villain or antihero — she’s a mirror for our own relationship with the planet, love, and consequence.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ivy's returned from the dead, as has this series, which is mysteriously continuing after what seemed like a pretty clear conclusion in the previous volume. Still, as far as unnecessary continuations go, this is a pretty decent one.

A mysterious eco-terrorist group has arrived on the scene, claiming Ivy as their prophet/leader. Since she's mostly trying not to do evil, Ivy hunts down the leader of this group to see what their deal is (unsurprisingly, it's a character from Ivy's past - and a former love interest - her lab partner under Woodrue). Also, the grey (fungal kingdom) have a bone to pick with Ivy after she destroyed all those lamia mushrooms she was controlling. Meanwhile, Janet from HR and Killer Croc try to figure out why a vacant old town has risen from Ivy's swamp.

Perhaps the plotlines will converge at a later date, but Human Botany is really all setup for (I guess?) the next arc of Poison Ivy. Marcio Takara's artwork is still terrific and exactly suited to this series, and G. Willow Wilson has these characters nailed down at this point. If we're going to get more Poison Ivy, could be much worse.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy's back for a third year, and now she's got a whole new set of problems. Trying to raise the drowned city of Marshview, she runs afoul of the Order Of The Green Knight, an eco-terrorism organisation that are apparently working in her name, as well as the Parliaments of the Green and the Grey.

This book's still so much fun, and now it's leaning into the parts of DC continuity I love most, by roping in the Parliaments and increasing the scale of things. There are also some experimental issues here, such as issue 25's multiple stories, including a look ahead at the next year, and issue 30's flipbook story that shows half the story from Ivy's perspective and the other from Janet-From-HR's, before they collide in the middle.

Also a rarity here, series artist Marcio Takara's still around. He contributes to the bigger issue 25, then draws the following 5 issues without a break. It shows faith in the creative team that DC haven't split them up for more than few fill-ins here and there.

Two years and counting, and Poison Ivy's still growing strong.

[Scarred Wizard · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the story is still interesting to read but nothing important is happening here. A monster is haunting Pamela's life being the main plot & while other plot are focusing on Janet, Janet & Janet. like why is this Janet so important in Poison Ivy's life instead of Harley Quinn?

3 star solely for Marcio Takara's artwork. damn! his drawings just keeps getting better & better by each volumes. I still remember when I first started the series, i'm not really a big fan of his artwork on Poison Ivy, Vol. 1: The Virtuous Cycle. Lazy & messy at the same times. but i swear his artwork really shine on this volume. beautiful & gorgeous! especially on Poison Ivy drawing.

will still be continuing this. but i hope something big is happening on next volume. giving my last chance for the next volume.

[Zoey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something I enjoyed about this volume:

Batman’s perspective on Poison Ivy was interesting. He is afraid of her, and that is why he cannot trust her. Even as she’s changing, he is wary that she will return to being the supervillain he fought for years. When so many lives are at risk, he can’t afford to be wrong. However, he still lets her try to redeem herself. When she argues with him about the Green Knight cult, he lets her go to solve the mystery. He acknowledges that she is capable of becoming a better person. This moment shows how their dynamic is evolving as they are becoming better people.

Something I don’t understand:

Janet from HR is such a random character. I still don’t quite understand the point of her. Why not just include Harley? Why is so much time being given to Janet? The author tries too hard to make her relatable, and instead, makes her boring, or maybe just too regular. Her attraction to villains is the most interesting thing about her (first Poison Ivy, then Harley, and her latest conquest Croc).

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me parece más que correcto que a falta de Swamp Thing, Hiedra Venenosa asuma su rol como protectora alternativa del VERDE. Una más díscola y aguerrida que llega a molestarse por ser acusada por una de las frondosas masas vegetales vivientes del Tribunal de los Árboles de haber liberado a otro avatar de una nueva entidad de fuerza vital del mundo. Antes de eso, Hiedra tiene que lidiar con ser la cara visible de un movimiento eco terrorista humano, lo cual reasume de forma bastante interesante este aspecto inevitable del personaje. Willow Wilson sigue demostrando haber pillado el punto perfecto al personaje y la cabecera que sigue cuidando a personajes de apoyo como Janet de Recursos Humanos (quien extiende sus affaires villanescos a cierto "sexy reptil") o recuperando a alguno presente en el pasado reciente editorial de Hiedra Venenosa.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a set up volume, but one that keeps things decently interesting along the way. The cosmic horror themes that have been present throughout the series continue to be churned into the mixture. It's an ideological war that has raged since the beginning of life on planet earth and Ivy is at the center of it all. I'm a sucker for more details about The Green, and it seems like we'll be getting a fair bit of that in the upcoming volume. Alongside the heart and humor that have made this series exceptional thus far, it's safe to say that this combination of storytelling elements makes for a compelling concoction.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power group of G Willow Wilson, Takara, Prianto and Fong deliver yet another magnificent volume! I was waiting for this Poison Ivy forever and I am so grateful someone turned my wish into reality and I can revel in it through every single Poison Ivy comic these amazing artists deliver. And I am so happy they seem to understand Poison Ivy and who and what she is... billion stars/points for their project and special thanks to G Willow Wilson for the story!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Issue #25 is mostly by other creative teams, I guess as an anniversary issue, and it feels like filler. Then Ivy gets unwittingly sucked into this ecoterrorist group, The Order of the Green Knight, and that story is still ongoing. She also is being visited by both the Green and the Grey as we delve into some Swamp Thing type things. Not bad.

[Chris Aylott · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had to happen eventually. Pamela has acquired a cult of ecoterrorist followers, and as she is the first to admit, she's not good with people! An excellent storyline as Pamela begins groping towards a new role and shenanigans ensue with Killer Croc and Janet-from-HR.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great wrap up of the of the story arc she's been telling. I'm excited to see where we go from here.

[Geo Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can we be done with Janet… please…?

[Fazun · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Neil Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent run, the wackiness of the premise etc is beautifully supported by the human drama. Wilson is one the best writers of our times

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Belfry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars