Poison Ivy #48 Review –

Poison Ivy #48 (DC Comics, 9/30/26): Writer G. Willow Wilson & artist Marcio Takara find Poison Ivy on the outs with the citizens of Gotham, the Green, and the Parliament of Trees. G. Willow Wilson brings Poison Ivy to her lowest point yet, ending the only way a modern DC writer knows how. Verdict: For Poison Ivy fans only, but don’t expect much.

• Writer: G. Willow Wilson
• Artist: Marcio Takara
• Colorist: Arif Prianto
• Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
• Cover Artist: Jessica Fong (cover A)
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Release Date: September 30, 2026
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Page Count: 24
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of Poison Ivy #48:

First Impressions:

I haven’t kept up with G. Willow Wilson’s run since the launch, so I’ll be honest in saying I’m a little out of the loop on what’s happening. So, after reading Poison Ivy #48, it turns out you don’t need to know anything at all. That’s not a compliment.

Recap:

In Poison Ivy #47, Poison Ivy’s increasingly disastrous tenure as Gotham’s mayor reached a breaking point as the city turned against her, while the Parliament of Trees came after her for killing Bog Venus. With her allies abandoning her and Vandal Savage’s TUCO forces tightening their grip on Gotham, Ivy found herself surrounded by enemies on every side. Rather than surrender her position, Ivy manipulated the various factions into turning against one another, setting the stage for the chaos of Batman: Bad Seeds.

Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):

The issue begins with Poison Ivy strolling through the streets of Gotham City as the prehistoric fauna aggressively covers everything in a bid to return the city to a prehistoric state. A few citizens plead for help, then shout their displeasure that they voted for Ivy to become the mayor to protect the city. She agrees, but clarifies that her protection doesn’t extend to humans.

Later, Ivy seeks out Hill to confirm her plan to turn over the city to the Parliament of Trees in exchange for forgiveness over killing Bog Venus is on schedule. It is not. The Parliament rejects the offering since Ivy isn’t doing anything they couldn’t have done without her. Bog Venus’s life must be repaid with another life. Ivy flees back into the heart of the city.

There, Ivy is struck by a hobbling arrow from… Huntress. The vigilante is tempted to kill Ivy where she falls, but Huntress walks away, leaving the killing blow to the Wood Elementals that have now entered the city. Helpless, Ivy heads for the only place she can find refuge – in the arms of Harley Quinn.

How is the story in Poison Ivy #48?

This is an odd issue for a story that’s meant to be central to a large crossover event: Bad Seeds. Why? Because nothing really progresses or gets set up. G. Willow Wilson brings Poison Ivy to a low point as a response to the villain’s actions, but most of the information that’s learned and the actions taken are either not new or don’t lead anywhere.

The Parliament never agreed to Ivy’s offering of the city. Huntress shows up, but doesn’t demand anything of Ivy before leaving. Ivy leaves with the intention of going right back to Harley. It’s amazing how Wilson could fill an entire issue with the illusion of progress without progressing anything at all.

How is the art in Poison Ivy #48?

Marcio Takara’s flowing, whimsical art is an amazing fit for the story, as it is. Takara infuses Ivy, the focal character, with a range of reactions and emotions that almost match what you would expect to see in the best of Disney animated film cells. The art is elevated further by Aris Prianto’s gorgeous color selection and pristine integration.

Characters

Poison Ivy is the focal point of the issue, and there is no close second. That said, her realizations about just how bad off she is are somewhat perplexing. How is a scientist and super-criminal so surprised that she couldn’t just invent and collect on a bargain without the Green and the Parliament agreeing to it? In effect, Wilson makes Ivy seem a bit naive and dumb in this issue.

Originality & Concept Execution

Gotham being taken over at the hands of one of Batman’s enemies? Not original. The Green running rampant? Nor original. Poison Ivy acting surprised that a foolish assumption blew up in her face? Maybe that’s original.

Pros and Cons

What We Loved

• Excellent character/creature designs
• Gorgeous coloring
• The Parliament is presented as truly intimidating

Room for Improvement

• Poison Ivy is presented as boneheaded
• Huntress enters, does nothing, and leaves. Why?
• It’s past time for the Harley romance to be done

Art Samples:

The Scorecard:

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 1.5/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 3.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 0.5/2

Final Thoughts:

(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)

Poison Ivy #48 is supposed to be one of the key titles in the Bad Seeds crossover, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. G. Willow Wilson’s script brings Ivy to a predictable low point, but that’s about it. Only the pretty art saves this issue from being a total waste of time and money.

---

---

---

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.