Poison Ivy (2022-) #35

Poison Ivy (2022-) #35

by G. Willow Wilson, Marcio Takara (Artist)

The Order of the Green Knight’s leadership hangs in the balance as Poison Ivyand the Gardener go head-to-head in a brutal fight to see who will control theorganization and who will be stripped of their power (and perhaps even more).Can Ivy count on her new allies within the Order to have her back, or will theyturn on her?

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics

Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 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

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe ivy did that but also what a great way to defeat someone. chills.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this issue. Ivy makes some difficult decisions and there is a lot of heart in this one. I also really enjoyed the slower approach in this issue accompanied by some really nice art.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to remain so amazing, the art stays top tier, but it’s really the commentary that can be attributed back to the real world that has me re-reading almost every page. And while I pick up on most things, there is still so much depth being explored in these characters that it feels like trying to understand their motivations is only scratching the surface! And this issue just took it to a completely different level with that ending, I really can’t even begin to start explaining it. I partly can, but I can’t wait to read more to find out if what I was thinking was true. Jumping into the issue itself, one thing I have to clap for is how great a job each issue they do at subtly recapping the last. They don’t just go out and say this is what happened, but they naturally input events and discussion into the dialogue to make the reader remember what happened last. For instance, Ivy at one point mentions they are surrounded and need to go back to Bella. Makes you remember the stand-off with the police Ivy has last issue, Croc being taken in the process, and the split of the order of the Green Knight. Although the police retreated last issue, they are still surrounded and the “enchanted” woods aren’t the best place to camp out. Which is why Ivy leads the group to shelter in the town for the night. Before that happens though we get an update of the member of the green knight that came with Ivy that had half of her body seemingly overrun with some kind of purple fungus. Turns out, this character, Wendy Richardson, is from all the way back in issue 10 (something I have yet to read, jumping in from the all in point) and is the living consequence of going anti vax. Turns out in that issue Ivy came across a retreat that had an outbreak of fungal rashes and hallucinations, Ivy was able to synthesize and antidote from her own blood…except there was one person, Wendy, who refused to put those life saving “toxins” in her body. And Ivy made the mistake of letting her go, while I do admit Ivy has had experience with people forcing things in her body and I don’t blame her for letting the girl go. Actions have consequences and this one has found its way back 25 issues later. While she is on the side of Ivy, her body didn’t clear out the infection naturally like the girl wistfully believed it would, and instead it has left her like this as she lives in pain every day. She even joined the order to “atone” for her sins, and even worse she may be the reason a lethal fungus still exists out there.

Anyway, Janet is still doing worse and I swear seeing Janet like this sends chills into my body with how cold and on the brink of death she looks. As everyone goes to bed, Ivy is restless and decides to go out seeking advice. So who else would she go to than her own resident therapist: Harley Quinn! Ivy had to wake her up in the middle of the night, which isn’t a problem when Harley hears that Ivy is actually seeking advice, something she never does, lol. Ivy explains her situation with the ecoterrorist cult she told batman she wasn’t a leader of and would break up for him, except now she is partially their leader which also puts her on the hook for lying to batman. Harley asks point blank if she wants to be the leader of if it’s just convenient? Ivy admits that she thought she was done fighting, but then she saw how the order protected her and realized these people share her ideals and she can’t just break them up for batman. So as Harley points out, it’s time for a tough convo with Bella and even an apology.

And that’s exactly what we see Ivy do the next morning as she leads her group through the woods and to Seattle and the base camp for the order. As Ivy approaches Bella she starts the convo by asking if Bella was the one to reveal Marshview, that’s not Bella’s speciality and she really has no clue what Ivy is talking about. Ivy knows, and following Harley’s advice she apologizes to Bella for their last meeting. Bella was right and Ivy wanted to run away from what she has to be, but she now understands there can be no peace or Justice until the people exploiting the earth are made to pay, which is something that they can both strongly agree on. But too much has happened between these two, and the apology route isn’t working. Bella immediately turns out Ivy again, seeing her as someone who turned their back on them and now that she has had her “awakening” she is just waltzing back in and taking control. Bella puts it perfectly when she says “a house divided will fall,” and we see that in action right in front of us as someone from one of the groups casts a stone at the other and suddenly the two groups explode into a full brawl like a hairy trigger. Neither Bella or Ivy were fast or smart enough to put a stop to it. It’s very relatable seeing a world where two sides who in all definitions fight for the same thing, are instead at each others throats fighting over the “how” to do something instead of uniting on the “why.” Ivy of course is able to use her powers to tangle everyone up in vibes and put a stop to the fight. But then Ivy does something that surprises me, with the rain crashing down around them she approaches Bella again, now Bella is basically goading Ivy into killing her to turn her into a martyr so she can defeat Ivy even in death. But instead Ivy walks up and takes Bella by the hands, then taps into the trillions of microbes existing throughout Bella’s body to alter Bella’s body to turn her hands into a biotoxin so that if she touches anything it will rot. She will never grow another flower, never make another hybrid, and will never lead the order. WHAT?! As Bella crashes down to her knees in pain, she yells to Ivy that death would have been kinder. And Ivy even knows that, but she also says that even though she has never forgiven Bella for what she did to her, this isn’t about that. For once Ivy has done something that she can never come back from, there is no forgiveness for this action and I can’t help but sit here with my jaw dropped wonder why. Sure Bella is pretty awful, but what’s this alters the reason? At first I thought she was handing the reigns of the order back to Bella by turning her into a living martyr. But instead is Ivy seizing control herself? I know that these are her people, but is this truly what she wants? To lead the order? Or maybe that is why she tried coming here to talk first, in an attempt to take the rest of the order peacefully. And when Bella refused, she only found pain.

[Brannon O'Neal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just when I thought this series was turning around and the radical environmentalists were going to ACTUALLY get to fight against the wealthy, mass murdering capitalist polluters, it devolved into some STUPID manufactured infighting. I literally thought Poison Ivy was going to end the rivalry with Bella by being the bigger person and standing down, but instead she cursed Bella’s hands so that everything Bella touches fucking ROTS??? As if that’s going to end the infighting???? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, IVY??? YOU YOURSELF WERE SAYING THIS WHOLE TIME SHE ISN’T YOUR REAL ENEMY!!!! FUCK THIS MADE UP FEUD!!!! It seems like the author just CAN’T LET THEM ACTUALLY MAKE ANY PROGRESS TOWARD SAVING THE WORLD!!!! WHEN DO WE ACTUALLY FIGHT THE RICH RULING CLASS??????? It was fucking awesome when we were bashing cops last issue, but now we’re back to this dumb, stupid, senseless shit??? Why are they even fighting? It’s so childish! Please for the love of god just start fighting against the genocidal, warmongering capitalists now. We’re 35 issues in and there isn’t even a single capitalist villain. No actual focus on the harms that the rich are doing to the world. It’s crazy.

[Wm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible issue, a high point is a strong series.

After a life filled with regrettable decisions, having committed terrible crimes and "(m)aybe even one or two evil" deeds, Wilson and Takara's Poison Ivy has finally, in Pamala's own opinion, performed an unforgivable act.

This is my third-favourite ongoing Big Two title, after Ewing and Ferry's Mortal Thor (2025-) #1 (second-fave), and the best book on the stands, Thompson and Sherman's Absolute Wonder Woman (2024-) #1.

To me, the most amazing aspect of this issue is a simple, easily overlooked detail at the bottom of the final page – after Pam leaves a once-friend-then-rival-now-irrelevancy in a state worse than death – in the words that promise the next chapter.

Chef's kiss, DC editorial.

[Zoey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bella once took everything from Poison Ivy. It’s only fair that Poison Ivy returns the favor. Honestly, what was she expecting anyway? She simultaneously villainized and deified Pam, then became angry with her when Pam didn’t like that she did it without consent. She called Pam a narcissist, as if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black. Pam wouldn’t be Poison Ivy if she didn’t retaliate.

Also, I don’t think this author knows how to write Harley because even when she shows up, her interactions with Poison Ivy are short and minimal. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I haven’t been so far.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dude. ⊙⁠.⁠☉ If Ivy could do that to Bella, I don't want to know what she'll do to Janet from HR when she finds out what she did! I mean, Bella and Ivy have a more storied history, but JfHR's betrayal cuts deep.

Nice to see Harley even if it's brief and even if she's been redesigned *again*. ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ

I love this issue's cover. Ivy looks like a Goddess. Definitely displays the power one might expect from such, as well.

[Colin Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting character development as Poison Ivy shows she still has a villainous streak - but she’s conflicted about it! I feel like the last couple issues could have been condensed into one as there’s some back and forth that’s a bit extraneous.

[camila · Rating 5 out of 5]

ivy tiene TODO el derecho del mundo a hacerle esa maldad a bella!!!! le dió una cucharada de su propia medicina, pa q sea seria y se organice esa triple hijueputa

[Pluto · Rating 4 out of 5]

gorjuss

[Annemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. Cruel. Interesting. really strong issue. The art is great, the story is really good. loved the dialogue here as well.

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. This line really tries to hammer home how evil poison ivy is willing to be despite having theoretically moral goals.

[Mark Cubillos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Ivy issue I’ve read but this was fantastic. I’ve always loved the character and this book has heart.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy buen punto de inflexión en la etapa moderna de este personaje.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I've been screaming about where is Harley for the last 6 issues or so but update: WE HAVE A HARLEY QUINN SIGHTING!

This is not a drill! Imagine the embarrassing squealing noise I made when I saw her. And that kiss! I can die happily now.

Okay, ParlIvy stanning aside this was a great issue. The ending between Pamela and Bella was so good. I wasn't expecting what Pamela ended up doing but I totally get it.

Also, I may not like Janet from HR but holy shit is she going to be okay? Never thought I would be worried about her.

This review is a mess but whatever. We got Harley Quinn back! That's the main takeaway here.