It Devours From Within: Reviewing ‘Poison Ivy’ #18

Ever had one of those days where the consequences of your actions just keep piling up in increasingly terrifying ways? Pamela Isley is most definitely having one of those days. The problem is the worst day for someone who tried to destroy the world with a plague of spores will be the worst, maybe final, day for everyone.

Prepare as the eco-horror kicks it up a hundred notches in Poison Ivy #18 by G. Willow Wilson, Luana Vecchio, Arif Prianto, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The funniest thing about that line above is that even 18 issues in, I’ve yet to find a way to really prepare myself for what this title will suddenly do. I love it though. Every single bit — no matter how terror-inducing or body-horror it gets — because the character beats and overall package are amazing month after month.

Vecchio’s artwork has this really light fun vibe to it. It’s smooth and whimsical, with tons of depth and emotional variety clear on the page. That’s not to say that there aren’t rougher textures to be found as some of the figures have that slight exaggeration of proportions, earning great style points. I would say there is almost a warm fuzzy approachable nature to most of the characters, except the one guest star.

Batman looks so imposing even in this style; a dark shadow of a being. This makes the inclusion of Ivy’s annoyed mental comments about the Bat even funnier.

At first sight, it would seem to be the opposite of the more apparent horror vibes that Marcio Takara usually incorporates into issues as the regular artist. Funny enough, that perceived discrepancy is perfect because it makes the eventual horror elements hit that much harder. As things ramp up at the issue end, the blood and horrific visage of the new/old foe that rips itself from Ivy’s body is just jarring. Everything is fun and colorful at the same time that it’s stark and meant to gross us out. Something about seeing the seemingly innocent depictions of these characters covered in blood with faces aghast works so well.

This time around, Vecchio isn’t handling the coloring as that falls back to the returning Prianto. It’s a fitting combination, as Prianto’s colors are the right mix to really play up the horror aspects. They are much heavier while also managing to really allow some colors to feel lighter in appearance. Plenty of darker tones swirl through the mix, with so many of the scenes taking place at night or inside of darker spaces.

Such a variety of characters and types of voices means Otsmane-Elhaou gets room to do what he does best. Emotions are pure and clear through every letter on the page, given such a unique fun life. I mentioned Batman’s imposing nature above and the lettering plays a big role in that too. Batman gets the big black speech bubbles with to-the-point white colored font, really homing in on that shadowy being tone. It’s of course a stark departure from the greens of Ivy and the white bubbles of others.

Still love that Grundy and Croc get the standard colored and shaped bubbles, but their font fits them being bigger stronger far louder-voiced fellows. Big jagged slanted fonts that one can’t help but hear in loud grating vocal tones, as they should.

Even as the series bounces a bit between places and focuses, Wilson has had her eye on the ball the entire time. Each beat has steadily built forward, with many of the elements of the past popping back up when least expected. Ivy is learning quickly that even though she changed her mind about the world, what she tried to do wasn’t without effect. Just like too many cases, an abuser thought gone arrives back in the worst way possible.

Every single month I’m grateful that this series caught on like it did, moving from a mini to a limited to an ongoing series. Can’t imagine not having this series showing up in my queue every few weeks, even though I know that the nature of comics means such a reality will come one day. Until then though, I’m never leaving this ride because it’s one of the best on the stands. Taking a rich character like Ivy and making her even richer in the sense of development and character depth is amazing, but not shocking because that is just the type of writer Wilson has always been.

Poison Ivy #18 is now available from DC Comics.