Dr. Pamela Lilian Isley made her debut in the DC Comic, Batman #181 (June 1966). She was a beautiful and promising botanist that was transformed into a human-plant hybrid by a man who betrayed her. With chlorophyll flowing through her veins and a poison touch, Pamela Isley became Poison Ivy and went on to battle Batman in print and on the screen.
In Ivy’s original appearance, she was a promising botanist from Seattle. Marc LeGrande seduces her into helping him steal an artifact containing ancient herbs. He poisoned her with the herbs out of fear that she would implicate him in the crime, but she survived. She discovered that she is immune to all toxins and diseases.
A later edition changed her origin story. She is a shy girl studying botanical biochemistry, when her professor, Jason Woodrue, injects her with poisons and plant toxins as an experiment. This results in her transformation and drives her insane. Woodrue runs away from the police and leaves Isley in the hospital. Outraged by the betrayal, Ivy suffers violent and unpredictable mood swings. She leaves Seattle and moves to Gotham, where she becomes an eco-terrorist and one of Batman’s nemeses. After threatening to release suffocating spores, Batman apprehends her and she is jailed in Arkham Asylum. During her incarceration, she develops an obsession with Batman. Over the years, her power increases and she has plant superpowers, in addition to having a deadly and poisonous kiss.
Despite the fact that the first drawings of Poison Ivy were based on Betty Page, Ivy didn’t have much personality - and might have been forgotten - but a wave of feminism in the early 70s brought Poison Ivy back to the forefront. As time has gone on, her image has become more plant-like, with green skin and vines emerging from her skin. With her curves and long, red hair, she has become much more sexual than her original incarnation.
Poison Ivy’s powers include an ability to grow and direct all plant life, which leads to dangerous vines under her control. The plant parts of her DNA make her unpredictable. She emits pheromones that allow her to put people into trances and under her control. Her touch and her kiss are deadly, as she secretes toxins. Though her main goal is to protect plant life at all costs, more recent editions of the comic have shown Ivy softening her stance on humans. She’s even been responsible for saving the lives of some children.
There have been a few attempts to lift Poison Ivy off the comic pages and put her on the screen. Batman: The Animated Series explored Ivy’s character in depth. She made regular appearances and interacted with her best friend, Harley Quinn. Quinn is the Joker’s assistant, and Ivy makes it clear that she doesn’t like the way the Joker treats Quinn. Ivy is portrayed as a cold villainess that dislikes men, but she is given depth and a sense of humor. Uma Thurman portrayed Poison Ivy in the movie, Batman and Robin (1997). The movie and Thurman’s performance were both panned by critics.
Poison Ivy’s complex mythology, and ever-changing powers and appearance, make her an exciting character. Since her behavior and her relationships continuously evolve, it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for her.
Click on the links for pictures of Poison Ivy and more about her story.
- The Beautiful and Deadly Poison Ivy
- Poison Ivy Revealed!
- Gorham Girl - Poison Ivy
- Origin Stories - Poison Ivy
- A Bit of History on Poison Ivy
Written by Michael S. Atwood