Poison Ivy #40 // Review
Pamela has always had a love-hate relationship with Gotham City. The largest city in New Jersey...the largest city in the Garden State is home to some of the highest levels of psychosis, schizophrenia and general insanity in the whole of the D.C. Universe. Case in point: Pamela has returned there to turn herself in. Before she does that, though she’s going to blow-up a building with a few friends. This isn’t the beginning. This isn’t the end. This IS Poison Ivy #40. Deeply captivating writer G. Willow Wilson continues a very reassuringly long walk with one of the most fascinating characters in the whole of the D.C.U. with artist Davide Gianfelice and colorist Arif Prianto.
Pam refers to Gotham City as “the first place where I heard the Earth screaming.” She’s about to try to do something about that. She and the rest of her army are heading into an office and stealing all the data on the hard drives. The corporation in question is well aware of the fact that it’s been aware of its impact on climate change for decades. Poison Ivy wants the world to know about that. Then she and the rest of the Order are going to blow the place up. Then the work REALLY begins. She’s going to have a meeting with the police commissioner: a guy named Savage.
Wilson manages some very sophisticated characterization of the title character in the 40th issue. She knows what she wants to do and she knows how to do it. And everything seems to be perfect perfectly planned out. However, she's not all that familiar with the way Gotham City is right now. Add in this issue it becomes a parent that she has been away from the city for a long time. So there's a delicate interplay between the intentions of those in power and the intentions of those you want to change the nature of power. It’s a fascinating look at the nature of change that also plays-out like a stunningly engaging crime drama.
Gianfelice is given the opportunity to deliver a far or less nuanced sort of drama than this particular title has been accustomed to over the years. This is going to happen when she returns to one of the largest cities in the DC universe. Things are going to feel much more traditionally antagonistic as corrupt power is interacting with well-meaning villainy. Action and drama, a certain themselves quite well on the page. Once again, Prianto’s colors lend beautiful depth and radiance to the page.
The opening splash page refers to this issue as “Chapter Forty.” Wilson has clearly had a long-term plan for Pamela that’s been playing out over the years. It’s really, really cool to see her have the opportunity to work with it as the evolution of Poison Ivy’s psyche continues to elegantly respirate across page and panel. Poison Ivy wants to save the world. There’s no questioning that. Sometimes that makes her more of a hero. Sometimes that makes her more of a villain. Sometimes...it’s something different altogether. Wilson has finally reached a point it which that complexity has become pleasantly dizzying.
