Poison Ivy

Current Events: The New 52

Following the 2011 reboot of the DC Universe, Poison Ivy was unexpectedly asked by Black Canary to join the new Birds of Prey team. Ivy accepted, but her villainous reputation did not sit well with teammates Starling and Katana, both of whom attacked Ivy on first sight. Ivy easily fended off their attacks and became a member of the Birds of Prey. However, Poison Ivy went on to betray the team, along with Batgirl and blackmailed them into helping her with her Eco-terrorism. She was eventually stopped by Katana and booted off the team.

Poison Ivy pops us later in Detective Comics, using her plant-based mental-suggestion powers to manipulate Clayface into believing they were husband and wife. Clayface therefore became her enforcer. This too backfired when Batman found a way to counter Ivy’s mind control and restore Clayface to his senses.

Rotworld

With the march of the army of Rot, Ivy left behind her villainous ways and tried to battle them though she ultimately failed. One of her arms has been rotted but it doesn’t seem to affect her function. She appeared before the Swamp Thing on his return from the Rot alongside Deadman, demanding to know who he was though she didn’t believe his claims at first. After accepting his claim, she continues to refer to him as a coward for abandoning them to the Rot though she did help him reach the Parliament of Trees. She joined him to battle the Teen Titans who had been turned by the Rot and were attacking the Parliament.

Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death

In January 2016, Poison Ivy will get her first mini-series from writer Amy Chu with art by Clay Mann.

Origin

Silver Age

Pamela Lillian Isley was an attractive and talented botanist who lived in Seattle. She became seduced by a criminal named Marc LeGrande, who needed her to assist him in stealing an Egyptian artifact with an ancient herb inside it. After the crime was committed, Legrande decided that Isley knew too much to be allowed to live, so he poisoned her with the herb inside the artifact.

Fortunately for Isley, she survived and became immune to all manner of toxins and diseases. She realized that she was completely unaffected by certain plant-based hypnotic toxins that she could use to control others. Calling herself Poison Ivy, she began wearing a revealing green plant-like costume and turned to a life of crime, combining her natural allure with hypnotic plant toxins in order to manipulate people (particularly men) into doing her bidding. After moving to Gotham City, she inevitably came into conflict with Gotham’s greatest crime-fighter, Batman. Ivy nearly seduced Batman into becoming her partner-in-crime during their first encounter, and went on to become one of his most dangerous foes.

Modern Age

Poison Ivy’s origin was significantly retconned after DC’s universe-changing Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline in 1985. Pamela Isley was now the beautiful daughter of wealthy parents from Seattle, but she was emotionally quite distant from them. Intellectually brilliant but shy and withdrawn, she immersed herself in advanced botanical biochemistry in college, proving to be a exemplary student with an unusual affinity for the world of plants. Unfortunately, Isley became seduced by her college professor, Dr. Jason Woodrue (who later became the villainous Floronic Man). As part of a twisted experiment, Woodrue injected Isley with a deadly plant-based poison, which caused her physiology to dramatically transform.

Isley nearly died twice from the poisoning, and it also resulted in her never being able to bear children. A further side effect of the poisoning was that it drove her insane to the point where she believed she was the ‘mother nature’ of the plant world, and all plants were her ‘children.’ Woodrue abandoned Isley and fled from the authorities while she was hospitalized. After Isley was released from the hospital, she developed pronounced mood swings due to what the professor had done to her. She tried to resume her college career and even found a new boyfriend, but her mental state deteriorated further when her boyfriend died in a car accident after suffering a mysterious fungal overgrowth (the first manifestation of her plant-based powers). Deciding she needed a fresh start elsewhere, Isley dropped out of college and moved to Gotham City. But at that point, Isley’s psychotic mentality finally overcame her. She took up the identity of Poison Ivy and adopted a revealing green one-piece costume much like the pre-Crisis version of the character. Her first criminal act was to hold the city hostage with deadly plant spores of her own creation until the city’s leadership gave her a massive sum of money. Unfortunately for Ivy, this was the same year that Batman began operating in Gotham. He thwarted Ivy’s scheme and defeated her, after which she was imprisoned in Arkham Asylum. The encounter sparked Ivy’s ongoing obsession with Batman, because he was the one man she could not easily gain control over.

Creation

The original Poison Ivy was created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Sheldon Moldoff in 1966. Because the feminist movement was in full swing, DC decided that Batman needed another prominent female adversary, especially since his first villainess, Catwoman, was becoming more of a sympathetic character. The new villainess was given a plant-based theme, partially inspired by the titular character of the short story Rappacini’s Daughter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1844. Like Hawthorne’s literary character, Poison Ivy was envisioned as a beautiful temptress obsessed with dangerous plants, being immune to their toxic effects and employing them to both seduce and poison others.

Ivy’s creators modeled her after the famous fetish model Bettie Page, and she was given Page’s trademark haircut and Southern drawl (later dropped after Ivy’s origin revealed she was from Seattle). Ivy’s original costume was essentially a strapless green bathing suit covered with leaves. Her costume has become more revealing over the decades as Ivy grew more plant-like in nature and appearance with each successive incarnation. Ivy’s plant theme was also expanded upon, to the point where she developed into the ultimate Eco-terrorist, pathologically devoted to protecting the natural world at any cost. Writer J. T. Krul, who helped further define Poison Ivy’s personality, summed up her character with the following quote:

The thing I love most about Poison Ivy is her walking that line between bastion of Mother Nature and psycho Eco-terrorist. She sees herself as the hand of Mother Nature. If Mother Nature were “God,” then Ivy would be her “Jesus.” She defends the defenseless nature of the world and truly believes in her cause. Maiming, mauling, and mutilating are extreme measures, but it’s nothing compared to what humanity’s done to the world of nature. Ivy always sees the greater good as she punishes those who deserve it.

Character Evolution

Silver/Bronze Age

Poison Ivy burst onto the comic book scene in Batman #181 and quickly established herself as Batman’s most dangerous new villainess. In her early appearances she operated primarily through seduction and mental manipulation through the use of plant pheromones, coupled with an immunity to toxins. She exhibited few physical powers, other than the ability to effortlessly climb walls like her ivy namesake. In later appearances she began demonstrating a degree of control over plant life as well as an obsessive motivation to protect the natural world. Ivy always appeared fully human during this period, with normal flesh-toned skin.

Post Crisis on Infinite Earth

Ivy was given a new and more detailed origin story, becoming poisoned by her villainous college professor rather than by a petty criminal, and her personality as a pathological eco-terrorist was fully established. Beginning in 1992 she received greater exposure as a prominent villain in Batman: The Animated Series, and first met best friend Harley Quinn in the series. Ivy’s skin eventually became green rather than flesh-toned and she also received a major power upgrade, with her control over plant life increased so that she could animate plants as dangerous weapons in combat. After seemingly dying at the hands of the villainous Hush and being reborn, Ivy’s power over the ‘green world’ grew to the point where she became a virtual goddess of nature. She also took on the look of a nature goddess, with her costumes becoming increasingly scanty. As Poison Ivy’s popularity with readers steadily grew, she was featured as the titular character of three different one-shot issues and was finally given a starring role in the ongoing Gotham City Sirens title in 2009. Gotham City Sirens was canceled following the DC Universe reboot in 2011, but Ivy has retained a starring role in the new Birds of Prey series.

The New 52

The rebooted Ivy wears a new costume that is more modest than previous incarnations, featuring a black bodysuit with a green leaf pattern. Her skin is not green like it previously was, though it has not been revealed if the green tone still exists and she is currently choosing to appear with normal flesh-toned skin.

Storyline

The Long Halloween

Ivy plays a minor role in this storyline where she is hired by Falcone to help control his empire and put an end to the gang war. She manages to inject Bruce Wayne with her venom, causing him to vote for partnership with Falcone’s business to which he was adamantly opposed to before. He is later saved from Ivy’s influence by Catwoman.

Island Paradise

During Poison Ivy’s first incarceration in Arkham, Batman went to Seattle to gain information about her previous life as Pamela Isley. He learned that both of Isley’s parents were now dead, but the cause of their death was never explained. Meanwhile, Poison Ivy revealed that she only became a criminal so she could fund a location where she could live with her plants in peace and away from humanity. Ivy eventually achieved this by escaping from Arkham and fleeing to an uninhabited island near the Caribbean. When she arrived there it was a wasteland, but Ivy used her powers and botanical expertise to transform it into a beautiful paradise. Ivy was able to live there quite happily until an American corporation tested their weapons on what they thought was an abandoned island. Ivy survived and returned to Gotham to exact revenge on those responsible. She once again was thwarted by Batman and ended up back in Arkham.

The Floronic Man

During her second imprisonment in Arkham, Ivy received a message in some flowers that she was going to be broken out by someone that night. Two strange but formidable women named Holly and Eva successfully broke Ivy out of Arkham and brought her to their boss, the former Dr. Woodrue, who had since been transformed into the plant-like Floronic Man. This was the first time that Ivy had seen Woodrue since he had injected her with poison, and Ivy was not happy at all.

The Floronic Man made a deal with Ivy: If she gave him a sample of her DNA, he would give her a massive amount of money. He wanted to use Ivy’s DNA to create a child and flood the streets with high-powered marijuana so the child could control the world’s economy on hemp. Batman interrupted the plan but was ambushed and subdued by Holly and Eva. At this point Ivy decided to turn on the Floronic Man, freeing Batman and allowing him to go after the villain. While Batman battled and defeated the Floronic Man, Ivy successfully escaped with all of the money.

The Earthquake of Gotham

Poison Ivy began exhibiting more human emotions during the Earthquake of Gotham crisis. She created a paradise in one of Gotham’s major parks and raised orphans there as if they were her children. Clayface approached Ivy during the winter to try and strike a deal with her, which involved her producing fruits and vegetables. The orphans would harvest them, and he would then sell them to the highest bidder. Ivy declined and instead tried to kill him with her kiss, but Clayface was able to defeat and imprison her and the children for six months. Batman arrived and freed her, and they both fought and defeated Clayface.

Batman allowed Ivy to care for the children until the disaster caused by the earthquake was over. Ivy later came across a gravely injured Harley Quinn, who had nearly been murdered by her own boss, the Joker. Ivy nursed Harley back to health, and although mistrustful of each other at first, the two women eventually became close friends. Once the city returned to normal the city council wanted Ivy out of the park because of her criminal history. They threatened to spray her garden with RC-60 which would kill Ivy and all of her plants, as well as cause harm to the children. Ivy initially refused, but after accidentally poisoning one of the children, Ivy gave herself up.

Ivy believed that her powers were causing her to kill the orphans she looked after, so she went to Batman and asked him to help her reverse her powers so she could be human again. The procedure was successful and Pamela Isley once again was fully human; however, this proved to be short lived. The villain Hush approached Isley and presented her with a serum that would restore her powers. Isley, unable to resist the urge to become part of her beloved plant world again, took the serum and seemingly died because of it.

Harvest

But shortly afterward, Poison Ivy was seen in Robinson Park, killing two corrupt cops who killed one of her orphans. Since returning from “death,” her power and control over flora had increased considerably, and she resumed her deadly crusade against the corporate enemies of the environment.

After returning to Gotham from a year-long absence, Batman discovered that Ivy has been feeding people to a giant plant which would digest the victims slowly and painfully. In an unprecedented event, her victims’ souls merge with the plant, creating a botanical monster called Harvest, who sought revenge upon Ivy. With the intervention of Batman, however, she was saved. However she was left in critical condition, and the whereabouts of Harvest were unknown.

In Countdown 37, the Pied Piper and the Trickster were hiding out in a greenhouse, picking fruits and vegetables from the plants. They ran into Ivy, who by talking to her plants learned that Piper and Trickster hurt them, so she reacted by tying them up in vines with the intention of killing them. She was then shown to have joined the Injustice Gang and was one of the villains featured in Salvation Run. The cover of DC Universe Special – Justice League of America shows Poison Ivy as a member of Libra’s Secret Society of Super Villains.

Gotham City Sirens

Poison Ivy was given a starring role in the ongoing Gotham City Sirens series, which co-stars fellow Gotham City femme fatales Harley Quinn and Catwoman. After the events of Final Crisis, when the new Batman (Dick Grayson) took back control of Gotham City, Ivy encountered Catwoman and saved her from the assault of a new super villain-wannabe who called himself Boneblaster. Concerned at how weak Catwoman had become, she took Selina to her current residence, which also happened to be the home of Edward Nigma (the Riddler). Ivy had apparently seduced and drugged Nigma with her plant pheromones, finding him a much more agreeable and tolerable person in that state. There, Selina discovered that Ivy had similarly taken Harley Quinn into her new sanctuary.

Selina offered the idea that all three of them stay together to better survive in the new Gotham City. Knowing that the magician Zatanna had once magically tampered with Catwoman’s mind, Poison Ivy decided to pay her a visit via the decorative plants in Zatanna’s house. Psychically channeling herself through the animated plants, Ivy was none too gentle in her interrogation of Zatanna, binding and manhandling the Mistress of Magic with plant tendrils in order to find out if she had anything to do with Selina’s weakness. Zatanna denied any wrongdoing and suggested that the weakness was likely psychological in nature. Ivy returned to Selina and was about to ask her something when Boneblaster returned and tried once more to make a name for himself by attacking all of the Sirens at once. The three women defeated him, but at the cost of their sanctuary as Nigma’s apartment was almost totally destroyed in the battle.

Selina obtained an abandoned animal shelter to convert into their new home. Ivy and Harley moved in, but before Ivy made a final acceptance of Selina’s offer, she first demanded total honesty between all of them. Selina suddenly found herself bound to a chair with vines, and Ivy then drugged Selina with truth serum-like spores and asked her to reveal the identity of the original Batman. Selina resisted the drug thanks to a mental discipline she had learned from Talia al Ghul, and gave Ivy and Harley a fabricated story about the existence of multiple Batmen over the years, and that she’s had a personal relationship with more than one of them. The other two women accepted this answer (though Ivy still seemed skeptical), and Ivy apologized to Selina and said that she would never drug her again. Ivy then tried to make amends by instantly growing an impressive assortment of exotic fruit for Selina’s breakfast.

Hush

Meanwhile, Harley went off shopping. When Selina received a message on her phone that showed Harley posing with Bruce Wayne, Selina panicked and took Ivy to Harley’s location. Knowing that the real Bruce was dead, Selina told Ivy that the man with Harley was really Thomas Elliot (the supervillain Hush). When the two arrived at the cafe where the picture was taken, all they found was a Harlequin doll at the table, its head stabbed through with a knife and Harley’s abandoned cell phone lying next to it. Hush had taken Harley captive and had brought her to a restaurant atop a tall building, where he planned to push her over the edge. However, he was interrupted by two thugs in a Joker-blimp, who attacked them both. During the battle Ivy and Catwoman arrived, having heard of Harley’s predicament on the news. Hush had a chance to kill his choice of the three women and somewhat convincingly pass it off as self-defense, but instead chose to save them all by shooting down the Joker-blimp. The thugs were taken into custody and the reunited Sirens returned to their residence.

Gaggy

Shortly after Ivy and Catwoman explained the truth to Harley, a Joker-mobile crashed into their living room and exploded. The trio survived, mainly due to being protected by Ivy’s plants. They tracked the Joker-mobile to the storage building where it had been kept, but were ambushed there and defeated by someone who looked very much like the Joker. Their attacker revealed himself to be the Joker’s original sidekick, Gaggy, and he announced that he intended to kill Harley on the spot. Pointing out that she had replaced Gaggy as the Joker’s assistant, Harley convinced Gaggy to bring her to his secret lair in order to kill her more lavishly, and in doing so bought herself more time to live. Ivy and Catwoman attempted to follow, but Gaggy had trapped the two between closing spiked doors. Ivy animated nearby plants to jam the doors, but only managed to slow them. Catwoman then called her colleague Jenna Duffy (aka the Carpenter), a gadgets expert whom the Sirens had hired to renovate their apartment. Duffy arrived just in time to free Ivy and Catwoman, and the three women tracked Gaggy to his lair. This time the Sirens defeated the villain, and Harley strapped Gaggy to a Joker-rocket and shot him out of the building. Unbeknownst to the Sirens he survived, vowing revenge on Harley.

South American Vacation

During the chilly Gotham Christmas season, Poison Ivy went on vacation in the South American jungle, and while enjoying the wonders of nature she contemplated her odd attraction to Gotham City and its people. Her thoughts were interrupted by cries for help from tourists, who were being targeted for assassination by militant rebels. Ivy was initially reluctant to help because no one was supposed to be in the jungle, but then saved the tourists by attacking and disarming the rebels using the jungle’s powerful vines. Deciding that the rebels would simply continue their murderous ways if she freed them, she granted them no mercy, crushing them to death with her vines.

The Alstairean

After returning to Gotham City, Poison Ivy encountered a formidable plant-based alien humanoid from the planet Alstair. Calling himself the Alstairean, he seduced and manipulated Ivy into helping him conquer the Earth so his species could colonize and rule it. Combining their powers gave them unstoppable control over the plant world, and the two proceeded to take over the Earth using plant life. Ivy’s friends Catwoman and Harley Quinn arrived and attempted to stop them. Poison Ivy easily defeated both of her teammates, but Harley pleaded with Ivy to reconsider what she was doing, and asked Ivy if she really wanted to side with an alien psychopath over her own friends. Ivy considered Harley’s words for a moment but appeared to side with the Alstairean. She knocked Harley unconscious with plant spores and embraced the Alstairean for a romantic kiss. But in truth, these actions were a ruse. Ivy had decided to turn against the Alstairean and her kiss was a lethally poisonous one. As the Alstairean died in agony, Ivy announced that she had been in love once before only to be manipulated and used, and she would never allow that to happen again. The three women reunited as friends afterward.

Superboy: Smallville Attacks

Conner is confronted by his new best friend Simon Valentine because Simon has become aware of Conner’s secret identity. Unfortunately, Conner didn’t have time to deny Simon’s claim because Parasite appears out of nowhere and attacks them both. Parasite and Superboy tear up most of Main Street Smallville until Conner kicks Parasite into an abandoned wheat field. Superboy puts an end to Parasite by using his tactile telekinesis to manipulate the wheat grain as pummeling force to knock Parasite out. Superboy’s victory is short lived when Poison Ivy captures him with vines that are laced with Kryptonite.

Conner tries to break free but Poison Ivy keeps him docile by showing him that she has Simon under her control. Ivy explains to Conner that she is trying to save Smallville because someone in Smallville is corrupting mother Earth but she needed Conner’s help and she knew Conner wouldn’t come willingly so she hired Parasite to subdue him. Conner laughs off her explanation because he has noticed the activity in Smallville. It turns out certain sections of town are being overrun by unusual vegetation. Leaving Ivy with no other choice, she seduces Conner with her pheromones thus making him a bit more compliant.

Krypto arrives on the scene and he remembers Ivy from their last encounter when Hush was ruining Batman’s life. Ivy asks Krypto to trust her and even though the situation didn’t smell right, he allowed Ivy to leave with Conner. Ivy tells Krypto to guard Parasite and protect Simon until they return. Krypto reluctantly agrees to her request. As soon as Ivy left with Conner, her hold over Simon began to fade. Simon takes this opportunity by extracting some of Parasite’s blood in order to discover weaknesses that Superboy may not be aware of and perhaps bend Parasite’s blood to his will.

Ivy and Conner arrive at a farmhouse that seems to be the epicenter of the peculiar greenery. Conner uses his x-ray vision to locate any signs of life while at the same time scoping out Ivy since her pheromones haven’t exactly worn off. Ivy notices Conner’s wanton stare and just as she was about to flirt with him, Conner spots a person that is hanging in the farmhouse. They discover old man Gilliam has a series of wires sticking out of his chest. Superboy follows the wires to a machine that is fitted with a timer which is set to go off in five minutes. Conner doesn’t know what to do because yanking out the wires might kill the old man or set off the device.

Ivy on the other hand, didn’t care about the old man so she ripped out the wires which caused the vegetation in one section of town to die off but the old man died from post traumatic shock. Ivy loses her control over Conner because his rage and moral perspective finally counter acted her pheromones. Ivy uses her Kryptonite vines to take down Conner. Fortunately, Simon used Parasite’s blood on some of his experimental frogs. Their mucus like skin emitted the Parasite’s absorbing abilities and Simon controlled the frogs by via remote control. The Parasite frogs converged on Ivy and within seconds, Ivy fainted after being drained of her powers.

With Ivy down for the count, Superboy decides to destroy the machine but the machine’s timer reaches zero and everything within the farmhouse disappears. Conner carries Ivy back to Smallville while Simon heads back home with his newly enhanced amphibians. When Simon made his way back home, he notices a strange rock with ancient runes on it but before he could investigate further, he was scared off by a posse of weird looking farmers.

New 52

The Dark Knight- Knight Terrors

For more information see: Knight Terrors

While Batman is tracking down the person responsible for injecting several Arkham Asylum inmates with a mixture of Plant-life, Venom and Scarecrow’s fear gas, he learns that Ivy has been kidnapped. Ivy leaves clues behind that leads Batman to the Harmon Islands, where he is ambushed by Deathstroke, Scarecrow, White Rabbit, and finally Bane. Batman finally finds Ivy, locked in the lighthouse and sets her free. She wants to get revenge on Bane but Batman has a plan and distracts Bane so Ivy can escape back to the Birds of Prey.

DC Rebirth

All Star Batman

Batman seeks out Ivy in Death Valley (Where she studies an ancient tree) in order to ask her to help him find a cure for an ancient bacteria released by Mr. Freeze. A team of Blackhawks is attempting to take Ivy down as they believe she will try to use the virus to her own advantage and use biological weapons from the tree. Batman tells Pamela about a girl named Lily who was patient-zero and was an aspiring botanist, hoping that this would win Ivy’s sympathy and have her make a cure. However, Ivy realises that Lily is already dead and the team of Blackhawks attack at that moment. Poison Ivy places Batman under her control and makes him fight against the Blackhawks with her. The tree is set on fire and Batman reveals that he was wearing wax lips and wasn’t actually under Ivy’s control. Batman also reveals that Bruce Wayne set up a fund in Pamela’s name for botanical projects for kids and that Lily was one of the first applicants. This change’s Poison Ivy’s heart and she gives Batman a flower which could be synthesised to get a cure. Before he leaves, Poison Ivy makes Batman promise that they won’t name the disease after Lily.

War Of Jokes & Riddles

Poison Ivy sides with Riddler in his war against the Joker after he convinces her that Joker only wants a scorched Earth and doesn’t care for the plant-life.

Characteristics

• Real Name: Pamela Lillian Isley
• Height: 6’0″
• Weight: 153 lbs
• Eyes: Green
• Hair: Chestnut
• Status: Villain
• Base: Gotham City

Status

• Identity: Secret Identity
• Occupation: Professional Criminal, Scientist
• Citizenship: American
• Place of Birth: Seattle, Washington
• Marital Status: Single

Powers and Abilities

Poison Ivy possesses a complete immunity to virtually all types of toxins and poisons, and she often employs them as weapons. The natural oils that her body produces are laced with biochemical toxins, so the very touch of her skin can poison a normal human if she so chooses. She has also developed several toxins which serve different purposes, including a truth serum and a love potion. She can easily mesmerize and manipulate people, particularly men, by using her special pheromones. Poison Ivy has complete mental control over all forms of plant life, allowing her to animate them to attack and ensnare her opponents, and even to create powerful new plant hybrids for specialized purposes.

She has a special relationship with plants. She treats them as if they were her children and they respond to her will and command. Her expertise as a biochemist has allowed her to develop mutant plants and to create and bring to life plants that were long thought to be extinct. Ivy’s connection with “the green world” is said to be on par with supernatural beings such as Swamp Thing. Ivy can also hear plants when they are in agony and this drives her crazy.

Since her death and rebirth, Ivy’s command over plant life has increased to the point where she can literally grow giant animated plants from seedlings in a matter of seconds. She has incorporated living vines into her costume which she can utilize as powerful extra limbs when in combat. She is now able to hear through plants, as was shown in Gotham City Sirens #4, when she tracked her friend Harley Quinn – who had been kidnapped – entirely through plants. A recent impressive use of her power is to channel her consciousness into plant material even at great distances, growing and animating it into a formidable plant avatar under her control. She can hear and speak through the avatar as well as act physically through it. This power was demonstrated when she captured and interrogated Zatanna in her own home by growing a plant avatar from the cut roses inside the house, even though Ivy herself was elsewhere in the city.

Surviving the exotic plant toxins injected into her by the Floronic Man also altered Ivy’s physiology in more subtle ways. She has far greater durability and resistance to injury than a normal human and is unusually agile, being able to effortlessly climb most surfaces much like her ivy namesake. She is also unusually strong, possessing three times the strength of a female athlete of her same height, weight, and build. She is at home in the water and is a fast and powerful swimmer. Ivy has learned a limited style of martial arts combat and can handle herself quite well in a fight, even when not using her other powers. Ivy’s enhanced physiology is dependent on receiving a certain amount of sunlight, which she absorbs and converts to energy in much the same way plants do (and is part of the reason for her greenish skin tone). She becomes greatly weakened if deprived of sunlight for an extended period of time.

Though mentally unstable, Ivy possesses a genius-level intellect, particularly regarding anything related to plants, and may be the world’s foremost botanical expert.

Other Media

Animation

Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

Poison Ivy made her debut in the first season episode Pretty Poison and became a recurring villain in the series. Like in the comics, Pamela Isley was a brilliant but obsessive botanist who gained an immunity to toxins and turned to a life ofcrime, leading to confrontations with Batman.

She had the same expertise with plant-based poisons and pheromones, along with a certain degree of control over plant life. Her weapon of choice was a wrist-mounted crossbow. It was in this series that Ivy first became friends and partners with Harley Quinn, even before the characters met in the comics.

As envisioned by series artist/designer Bruce Timm, this version of Ivy was fully human in appearance and had flesh-toned skin and a curvaceous figure, reminiscent of Jessica Rabbit in design.

She was voiced by actress Diane Pershing, who became a regular as the voice of animated Ivy for over a decade.

The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999)

Like most of the characters, Poison Ivy was redesigned by Timm for the sequel series.

Her figure was trimmed and she became more plant-like and exotic in appearance, with her skin color turning a greyish-white. Her personality grew more seductive and humorous, while her fanatical obsession with protecting plants and the natural world was toned down somewhat. Her friendship with Harley Quinn was further developed in the series. Diane Pershing reprises her role as Ivy.

Gotham Girls (2000-2002)

Poison Ivy was a central character in this web-based Flash animation title, focusing on the VIP women of Gotham City. The stories chronicled the everyday exploits of Ivy, Harley, Batgirl, Catwoman, Zatanna, and others. Ivy had the same visual design in this series as in The New Batman Adventures, and was once again voiced by Diane Pershing. The series also spawned two comic book miniseries starring Ivy as a lead character.

Justice League (2001-2004)

Ivy had a cameo appearance in the episode A Better World, where in an alternate universe she was shown imprisoned in Arkham Asylum, with a job as the prison’s gardener.

This was her last animated appearance featuring Diane Pershing’s voice.

The Batman (2004-2008)

Poison Ivy was completely revamped for this series, with a brand new origin and look. She now wore a distinctive rose-shaped hairstyle along with a leaf-like green miniskirt. She was younger than any previous incarnation of the character, being a high school student and best friend of Barbara Gordon. In school, Pamela Isley was an environmental activist who was repeatedly sent to a youth detention center for staging disruptive protests. She was later revealed to be plotting missions of eco-terrorism against offending corporations, and accidentally came into contact with a toxic plant-based mutagen during one such mission. This caused her to manifest greenish skin and plant-based powers, which she used to further her career as an eco-terrorist. Calling herself Poison Ivy, she came into conflict with both Batman and her former best friend Barbara, who had become Batgirl. This version of Ivy was voiced by actress Piera Coppola.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008-2011)

Poison Ivy was redesigned yet again for this latest Batman animated series, becoming more shapely and mature like her first animated appearance, but this time with greenish skin. She appeared along with other Batman villains in the episode Chill of the Night. In this appearance she was voiced by actress Jennifer Hale, who also voiced the animated Zatanna. Her second appearance was in The Masks of Matches Malone, voiced by Vanessa Marshall. After taking over Gotham City, Ivy offered Batman a chance to live if he agreed to marry her, but he refused. Ivy then ordered him fed to her pet, a giant Venus Flytrap, but the heroine Black Orchid (who had earlier taken out and replaced one of Ivy’s female guards) intervened, rescuing Batman and destroying the plant in the process. Infuriated, Ivy took out Black Orchid and captured Batman a second time, making him one last offer to either become her husband or die at her hands. As Batman again refused, Black Orchid recovered and knocked Ivy unconscious. She appeared in minor roles in several other episodes such as Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above the Earth. Alongside virtually every other character to appear in the show, she also made a cameo in the final scene of Mitefall, the series finale.

Young Justice (2010-2013)

Poison Ivy appears in the episode “Revelations,” sporting a design that seems like an updated, more detailed version of her appearance from The New Batman Adventures. In the show’s continuity, Ivy was shown as part of the Injustice League alongside the Joker. Using her knowledge of plants, she helped in constructing a massive, sentient plant monster that was sent to attack several cities across the globe in hopes of forcing the United Nations to pay a hefty ransom to the criminals.

While the Justice League (as well as other heroes such as Icon, Rocket and Guy Gardner) battled the monster, the members of the Young Justice team were sent to infiltrate the Injustice League’s base in order to destroy the monster. Ivy battled Artemis, and reacted in horror after the plant creature was successfully destroyed by Miss Martian and Robin.

She and the rest of the Injustice League members were then captured and sent to prison by the Justice League.

In this appearance, she was voiced by former Charmed actress Alyssa Milano.

Super Best Friends Forever (2012)

Poison Ivy appears as a villain in “Grounded,” one of the shorts comprising the series. She is confronted by Batgirl, Supergirl and Wonder Girl after causing mayhem in downtown Gotham.

DC Super Hero Girls

Poison Ivy is one of the main characters in DC Super Hero Girls. She is Voiced by Tara Strong.

DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High

After welcoming Supergirl to the Super Hero High, Ivy is among the students involved in the mission to stop Giganta and Killer Croc. Later, she helps the Junior Detectives Club to run analisis on some bamboo that was found after the incursion in the Boom Tubes Room. She is last seen fighting Granny Goodness and the Female Furies. She is voiced by Tara Strong

DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year

Ivy is one of the students nominated as Hero of the Year. She helps in both attacks to the Super Hero School by Eclipso and Dark Opal. She is voiced by Tara Strong.

Lego Batman Movie

Poison Ivy, voiced by Riki Lindhome, is one of the the many villains assembled by the Joker to take over Gotham. After the Joker finds new partners, she, with another rogues, allies with Batman to save the city.

DC Super Hero Girls: Intergalactic Games

Poison Ivy is one of the contestants representing Super Hero School High in the Intergalactic Game. During the Opening Dinner, a krytomite appears and Batgirls summons Ivy and Frost to defeat it with their special juice, which renders the creature useless. Amanda Waller asks them to prepare more just in case.

During the game, she compites agains Lashina and Lobo in the “Whip” game, gaining a perfect score and winning.

When Lena Luthor attacks with her army or robots, commanded by Kriptomites, Frost and Ivy uses guns with their juices to stop the creatures. Then she join the battle agains Brainiac.

She is voiced by Tara Strong.

Justice League Action

Poison Ivy first appears in Season 1 Episode 25 “Garden of Evil”, teaming up with Harley Quinn to turn Gotham into a leaving Garden, while planning on getting married with Swamp Thing.

In Season 1, Episode 37 “Phased and Confused”, Poison’s name was dropped by Booster Gold during a prank call to Arkham Asylum.

A robot version of Poison Ivy appears in Season 1 Episode 44 “System Error”.

She is voiced by Natasha Leggero.

Justice League Action (Web Serie)

Poison Ivy appears in the serie, with Natasha Lagger reprising her role.

She is first seen in Episode 7 “Quality Time”, teming up with her Ivy League (Star Sapphire, Ember and Cheetah) against the Justice League.

In espisode 16 “Something in the Hair”, she use her powers to take control over Batman.

In episode 19 “Skyjacked”, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn scapes from the watchtower, only to be followed by Batman.

Batman: Assault on Arkham

Poison Ivy appears as a brief cameo in this movie. She had no lines, but she was seen escaping the prison once all the prisoners had broke out.

Batman & Harley Quinn

Poison Ivy appears as the main antagonist of this film alongside Floronic Man. They plan to unleash a virus which will turn all humans into plant-hybrids but Harley Quinn eventually gets her to rethink her plan and she aids Batman, Dick Grayson and Harley in stopping Floronic Man. She is voiced by Paget Brewster.

Gotham By Gaslight

Poison Ivy appears in this adaption of the Elseworlds story as an exotic dancer who is under the care of Sister Leslie. She is murdered by Jack The Ripper after trying to seduce him. She is voiced by Kari Wuhrer.

Batman Ninja

Poison Ivy is one of the many villains that was teleported back in time (Feudal Japan to be exact) with Batman. She controlled one of the Islands, but her goal in the movie is to unify Japan, and to be the sole ruler. She is voiced by Tara Strong.

Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Brain Drain

Poison Ivy makes a cameo in the movie.

Teen Titans Go

Poison Ivy appears in the episode, “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems.” After Robin spends a lot of oney to buy things he wanted for him and the rest of the Teen Titans. Poison Ivy used that as an opportunity to raid the Wayne’s monor. She fought with beastboy and defeated him. However, she is stop by Alfred the Butler. She has no speaking line in that episode.

Scooby-Doo and Batman: The Brave and The Bold (2018)

When Batman’s past mistake came to hunt him from the graves, he called on the Scooby-gangs or as they are more known as Mystery Incorporated for help. Batman and the Gang went to Arkham Asylum to find answers but ran into the monster they are running from. Scooby-Doo and Shaggy had separated from the rest of the group and found their ways into the Cafeteria. It is then they met Poison Ivy and Harley who ask them if they were going to eat the Salad bowl they were carrying.

DC Super Hero Girls (2019)

Poison Ivy has made plenty of apperances in the new and rebooted Webpisode, DC Superhero Girls. Her first appearance was the in the episode Hastagfrownyface. She is attacking Batgirl without any given any information as to why. One can safely assume that it is because she wanted to take over the school and Batgirl is trying to stop her. After that episode, she made a second appearance from #RemoteUncontrolled. In that episode Harley and Her are fighting over the remote.

Batman: Hush

The movie is an exact copy of the comics. Just like in the comics, Ivy controlled Bane and then Controlled catwoman to steal. She later controls superman.

Batman Vs. TMNT

Poison Ivy plays a minor role in this movie. She is first seen in Arkham in her cell when R’as and the Shredder visited the prison. Later, she is fully transformed into a plant monster hybrid and unable to move.

Live Action

Batman and Robin (1997)

Poison Ivy was a central villain in the fourth installment of the Batman film franchise.

Pamela Isley was a research botanist working in a South American lab when she discovered that her boss, Dr. Jason Woodrue, was illegally using exotic plant toxins to create a violent super-soldier named Bane. When she refused to join Woodrue in his scheme, he attempted to murder her by throwing her into a shelf full of the plant toxins. She survived, gaining her Poison Ivy powers from the toxins, which she then used to kill Woodrue. She later surfaced in Gotham City, where she came into conflict with Batman and Robin and formed an alliance with the villain Mr. Freeze. She succeeded in defeating Batman and Robin with her plants, but was in turn defeated by Batgirl and imprisoned in Arkham Asylum along with Mr. Freeze.

The film was poorly received by fans and critics and was the lowest-grossing movie in the Batman franchise, prompting Warner Bros. to completely reboot the series. Uma Thurman did not distinguish herself as Ivy, receiving a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actress (though she “lost” the award to her co-star Alicia Silverstone, who played Batgirl in the film).

Gotham (2014-present)

A young version of Poison Ivy played by Clare Foley appears on the FOX television series Gotham, set in the years just after the Wayne murders. Ivy herself is re-imagined as “Ivy Pepper”, the daughter of small time crook Mario Pepper, who was shot and then framed for the Wayne murders by the GCPD in order to look effective in the eyes of the public. Sometime after the death of her father, she escaped social services and began living with other homeless children in an abandoned warehouse also frequented by a young Selina Kyle.

Video Games

Poison Ivy has appeared in many video game titles featuring Batman, mostly as a boss-level enemy. As an enemy boss, Ivy usually does not engage Batman in direct battle, but instead observes in the background while Batman fights one of her monster plants.

Batman: The Animated Series (1993)

Enemy boss. She appears in a level called No Green Peace, which borrows elements from Ivy’s animated series episodes Pretty Poison and Eternal Youth. In the game, Batman must defeat Ivy’s gigantic Venus Flytrap plant in her private greenhouse. It is the only level in the game where Batman is forced to use his batarangs to attack his enemies rather than his fists. This is partly due to the fact that all of the enemies the player encounters are female (including the lower-level ones) and it would be considered abusive to physically strike them.

The Adventures of Batman & Robin (1994)

Poison Ivy is one of the enemy bosses in this game. Voiced by longtime animated Ivy actress Diane Pershing.

Batman and Robin (1997)

Based on the 1997 film. Poison Ivy is one of the enemy bosses in this game.

Batman: Chaos in Gotham (2001)

Poison Ivy is one of the enemy bosses in this game.

Batman: Gotham City Racer (2001)

Poison Ivy has a green racing vehicle that is playable in the game.

Batman: Vengeance (2001)

Poison Ivy is one of the enemy bosses in this game. She is voiced by Diane Pershing.

Batman: Dark Tomorrow (2003)

Poison Ivy is one of the enemy bosses in this game.

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003)

Cutscene cameo appearance only.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)

Enemy boss. Poison Ivy begins the game imprisoned in a special holding cell in Arkham, until being freed by Harley Quinn. She vows to kill Batman and also her rival, the Joker, who has gained total control of Arkham. Her confrontation with Batman takes place in Gotham’s botanical gardens, with Batman having to battle one of her formidable monster plants in order to defeat her. If the Batman player is successful, Ivy is shown being returned to her cell in Arkham. Ivy’s character design in this appearance was modeled after her naked nature-goddess persona in the comics. She wears only strategically-placed green foliage along with a red prison-issue top. Her voice was provided by actress Tasia Valenza.

Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008)

Enemy boss and also a playable character, with voice effects performed by actress Vanessa Marshall. Ivy has the power to grow and animate plants to attack her enemies. In direct combat, she can kill opponents with her “poison kiss” and strike from a distance by blowing poisonous plant pheromones across the screen.

DC Universe Online (2011)

Poison Ivy appears as a non-player villain character in Sony Entertainment’s online role-playing game, DC Universe Online. In the game, players design their own characters to operate within the DC Universe. Like most existing DC villains appearing in the game, Poison Ivy usually assists villain-aligned players and opposes players aligned with the game’s heroes. Voiced by Cyndi Williams

Poison Ivy appears in the sequel to Arkham Asylum, with Tasia Valenza reprising her voice. Ivy appears in two out of four Catwoman episodes in Central Park Gardens, as well as in Ivy’s Lair, where Pamela helps Catwoman create a route for Selina to enter Hugo Strange‘s Vault.

Infinite Crisis (2014)

Poison Ivy appears as on of the playable characters in the game. Described as a high damage dealing healer she is a versatile choice for players wanting to support or attack.

A second version of the character, described as Atomic Poison Ivy, was released from an earth where atomic attacks during the cold war destroyed almost all population.

LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham

Poison Ivy is a playable character in the game, voiced by Tara Strong.

Batman Arkham Knight (2015)

Poison Ivy was recruited by scarecrow to take control of Gotham city and to kill Batman, but she refused. Scarecrow imprisoned her, but later she was rescued by Batman and transported into another holding facility. Later in the story, Batman came and asked for her help to adsorb the fear toxins out of the city.

Injustice 2

Ivy is one of many villains recruited by Gorilla Grodd to be in the Society. In this game, she is voiced by Tasia Valenza, the same voice actress whom had previously voiced her in the Batman Arkham series.

DC Legends

Poison Ivy: Mistress of Plants is a playable character in the game. She is a villain with Physical affinity.

Her bio in the game says: Dr. Pamela Isley was a brilliant but academic until a deadly experiment twisted her mind and granted the power to control plants.

As a botanical biochemist Pamela was subjected to dangerous plant toxins without her knowledge. Surviving the experiments her mind became warped and she gained control over plants and their toxins. With control over pheromones her touch is both deadly and seductive. She now uses her plants to wage a radical eco-war to protect the environment from the blight of humanity. She considers herself the defender of the nature at any cost.

Merchandise

As a verypopular comic book character, Poison has had many merchandise based on her likeness.

DC Sideshow Collectibles

This is a premium figue by sideshow collectibles. Here is the description of the figure by sideshow, “

Poison Ivy measures 22” tall, standing in the center of a carnivorous plant with monstrous roots bursting from a cracked-earth environment. The purple petals open to reveal the toxic temptress luring in her next smitten victim.

This modern take on Poison Ivy blends danger and desire into one incredible collectible. The Poison Ivy Premium Format™ Figure has a beautifully detailed portrait with stunning red lips and a coy expression. Her cascade of orange hair is dotted with purple blossoms, reminding her victims that even the prettiest flowers can be the most poisonous.

Batman Hush Figure

This figure was inspire by the comic, “Batman Hush.” It is by Sideshow Collectible. Here is the description for it, “Sideshow and Prime 1 Studio are proud to present the 1:3 scale Poison Ivy Statue from Batman: Hush. Batman: Hush is a 2002-2003 comic book story arc published in the Batman monthly series. Poison Ivy is an enemy of Batman. She is depicted as one of the world’s most prominent eco-terrorists. She is obsessed with plants, botany, and environmentalism. She uses toxins from plants and her own bloodstream for her criminal activities, which are usually aimed at protecting the natural environment. She creates love potions that ensnare Superman and other strong-willed individuals.”

XM Studios Poison Ivy Premium Collectibles Statue

This Figure is by XM studios. it costs $3980.00 (USD 1267.23). Here’s the description by the studio, “Inspired by the alluring geishas, Poison Ivy is dressed in an incredibly detailed Kimono, a sensual costume worn by the most beautiful women, whose charm cannot be resisted by men. Naturally, the role of the ultimate seductress is embodied perfectly by Poison Ivy, the most irresistible femme fatale in the DC universe. Display Ivy with her geisha white make up look and hair or choose a more modern portrait holding a mask, teasingly hiding her beautiful face. Choose if Ivy carries an intricately designed umbrella, with real paper to carry off a more demure demeanor or have her hold a paper fan for a coy and inviting look. Our attention to details extends to the base where cherry blossoms fused with dangerous protector pet plants of Ivy’s. Perhaps the most detailed and beautiful female statue made by us, we are confident Poison Ivy will not disappoint – for none can resist her charms!”

Poison Ivy by Stanley Lau.

This figure is by the artist, Stanley. The description: “Standing at about 17 inches tall, Poison Ivy is dressed to the nines in vines with a new elegance as a part of this Artist Series. While it might not be easy being green, Artgerm makes it look effortless with a beautiful foliage-inspired top painted in complementary shades of green. Keeping Ivy’s iconic leaf motif, sleek green gloves cover her hands while a natural necklace makes the perfect accessory to her dress. Matching thigh-high boots plant her firmly on the base as she strikes a graceful pose.”

Popular Recognition

• IGN’s Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time list: Poison Ivy ranked #64
• Comics Buyer’s Guide’s 100 Sexiest Women in Comics list: Poison Ivy ranked #21