Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Marcio Takara
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Cover Artist: Jessica Fong
Poison Ivy #42 launches the next phase of the series with a premise that immediately raises eyebrows: Pamela Isley is now the mayor of Gotham City. The issue doesn’t spend any time explaining how this came to be. Instead, it drops readers directly into Ivy’s new political reality and lets the mystery unfold from there.
While this chapter is more grounded than some of the surreal, mystical arcs that preceded it, it still carries the strange energy that has defined the run. Political maneuvering, ecological ideology, and supernatural forces all collide as Ivy navigates power on a scale she has never held before. The result is an intriguing start to a new storyline that blends Gotham politics with the ongoing mystical conflicts surrounding the Green.
The cover of issue #30, by Jessica Fong.
Catching Up With the Series So Far
The current run of Poison Ivy follows Pamela Isley as she grapples with her role in the natural world and her complicated place within humanity. Long portrayed primarily as a Batman villain, Ivy has increasingly evolved into something more complex. She is an eco-terrorist, a protector of the Green, and, at times, an uneasy antihero.
Over the course of the series, Ivy’s connection to the Green—the elemental force that governs plant life—has deepened significantly. This bond has placed her at odds with various mystical entities tied to the planet’s ecological balance, including figures connected to the Parliament of Trees, a governing body of plant-based consciousness within the DC Universe.
At the same time, Ivy’s personal life has continued to evolve. Her relationship with Harley Quinn remains one of the most important emotional anchors in her story, grounding Ivy’s larger environmental crusade with moments of vulnerability and humanity. The tension between love, ideology, and power has become the emotional backbone of the run.
The previous arc leaned heavily into mystical territory, exploring ancient forces tied to plant life and introducing powerful new players connected to the Green. Poison Ivy #42 shifts the focus, placing Ivy instead in the very human arena of Gotham City politics.
Mayor Ivy takes up the spot behind the enormous desk of the Gotham City Mayor.
Mayor Pamela Isley?
The issue opens with a jarring yet fascinating development: Ivy is already seated as Gotham’s mayor. The previous installment left her in a jail cell holding a campaign flyer, so the sudden leap to City Hall immediately signals that something unusual has occurred behind the scenes.
Ivy’s first major interaction as mayor is with Gotham’s police commissioner, Vandal Savage. Their meeting sets the tone for the political tension that defines much of the issue. Savage arrives late and attempts to assert his authority, but Ivy quickly makes it clear that she intends to wield the full power of her office.
Their conversation is less about cooperation and more about a clash of philosophies. Savage insists he is reforming Gotham through aggressive policing, while Ivy advocates for a different vision of the city, one centered on ecological restoration and social reform. Neither side fully trusts the other, and Savage’s warning that Gotham “will eat” her if she is not careful underscores just how precarious Ivy’s new position may be.
Even Ivy herself seems uncertain about this strange reversal of roles. She openly remarks on how odd it feels to have the police protecting her rather than opposing her.
Ivy introduces her cabinet members.
Building an Unlikely Administration
The political drama continues as Ivy introduces her new administrative team to Gotham’s city council. The lineup is just as unconventional as one might expect from a former eco-terrorist turned mayor.
Among her choices is Warren White, a longtime criminal better known as the Great White Shark, who will oversee infrastructure and development. Ivy also appoints the plant-man Peter Undine as her green construction czar and promotes her close ally, Janet from HR, to manage personnel and culture within the administration.
Unsurprisingly, the city council objects to nearly every aspect of this lineup. Ivy dismisses their procedural complaints with a blunt retort: Gotham’s political establishment lost the right to lecture anyone about process when it allowed corruption and tyranny to flourish in the city.
It is a moment that perfectly captures Ivy’s governing philosophy. She is not interested in preserving the system—she intends to reshape it.
Still, the issue hints that power may be affecting her more than she realizes. Even her allies worry that the sudden authority of the mayor’s office could be changing her.
Xylon confronts Ivy for cooking and eating Bog Venus.
Mysticism Returns to the Picture
Just as Ivy begins settling into her new political role, the supernatural side of the series reasserts itself. An arcane alarm around the mayor’s office is triggered by the arrival of Xylon, a powerful emissary connected to the Grey, the force that governs fungal life.
Xylon confronts Ivy about a shocking act from earlier issues involving Bog Venus, a being tied to the Green. According to him, Ivy was meant to serve as an ambassador between the Green and the Grey, with the goal of potentially ending an ancient conflict between the two forces.
Instead, her actions may have ignited a new conflict between herself and the forces of the Green.
The confrontation is tense but brief, leaving Ivy with a warning that the Parliament of Trees will not overlook her actions. The moment serves as a reminder that even as Ivy navigates Gotham’s political landscape, far older powers are still watching her every move.
Juhi busts in to protect the newly-elected Mayor.
Secrets, Magic, and Mounting Pressure
Another interesting wrinkle in the issue comes through Juhi Prakash, a holdover from the previous administration, who reveals unexpected magical abilities. Juhi’s role becomes even more intriguing as she demonstrates a willingness to defend the mayor from supernatural threats while openly questioning the legitimacy of Ivy’s election.
That skepticism reflects a broader mystery at the heart of the story. Ivy’s sudden rise to power feels almost too convenient, and the narrative repeatedly hints that something strange may be influencing Gotham’s political landscape.
Meanwhile, the practical realities of governing quickly begin to catch up with Ivy. Her approval ratings may be sky-high, but so are the expectations. Citizens expect her to rebuild infrastructure, expand affordable housing, improve public health, and make Gotham completely carbon neutral—all within two years.
For someone used to operating outside the system, the weight of these responsibilities proves overwhelming.
Ivy mourns her relationship with Harley, but why did it end?
A Personal Cost
The emotional core of the issue arrives in its final pages. Throughout the story, multiple characters note that Ivy appears to have been crying. When her closest ally presses her about it, Ivy finally reveals the truth:
Her rise to the mayor’s office cost her something deeply personal.
It cost her Harley Quinn.
The revelation lands with surprising weight. In a series that often explores the tension between Ivy’s ideology and her relationships, the idea that her political ambitions may have driven a wedge between her and Harley adds a powerful emotional hook for the arc ahead.
Juhi sees Xylon, but mostly keeps her composure.
Art That Balances Politics and Weirdness
Artist Marcio Takara continues to deliver some of the strongest visuals in the series. His work balances Gotham’s urban environments with the ever-present plant life that surrounds Ivy.
The quieter political scenes remain visually engaging thanks to expressive character work and clear panel composition. Ivy’s meetings with Savage and the city council rely heavily on body language and subtle facial expressions, which Takara handles expertly.
When the supernatural elements appear, the tone shifts immediately. The arrival of Xylon introduces an eerie sense of scale and otherworldly presence, creating a striking contrast with the grounded political drama.
Colorist Arif Prianto reinforces this distinction. Gotham’s political spaces are rendered in restrained tones, while Ivy’s connection to plant life brings vibrant greens and organic textures into the panels.
Final Thoughts and Rating
Poison Ivy #42 is not the most explosive issue of the run, but it serves as a fascinating pivot point. By placing Ivy in Gotham’s highest political office, the story opens the door to an entirely new type of conflict. Ecological ideology, political power, and supernatural forces are all on a collision course.
The issue raises far more questions than it answers. How did Ivy actually become mayor? What role will the Parliament of Trees play in the conflict ahead? And perhaps most importantly, can Ivy hold onto her humanity while wielding this much power?
Even with the shift away from the surreal mysticism of earlier arcs, the series remains compelling thanks to its strong character focus and its willingness to take Ivy in unexpected directions.
Rating: 8.5/10
Poison Ivy #42 is an intriguing start to a new chapter, placing Pamela Isley in the last role anyone would have expected: Gotham’s mayor. From there, the issue sets the stage for political, personal, and mystical conflicts that could reshape her story moving forward.