By Phil Perich for Before the Bat: The Gotham Podcast
What’s up with that weird little girl Ivy on Gotham? Well, let me tell you a few things about Batman enemy Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy was originally Pamela Lillian Isley who first appeared in Batman #181 (June 1966).
In Ivy’s original origin, she was Dr. Lillian Rose, who is seduced by a thief named Marc LeGrande into helping him steal an ancient Egyptian artifact. Afterwards, LeGrande attempts to kill her with deadly herbs so she cannot be a possible witness against him. She survives with immunity poisons and toxins. After DC Comics continuity is rebooted in 1986, Ivy’s origin is changed in Secret Origins #36 (1988). In her new origin, she is shy college student Pamela Isley who is experimented on by her teacher, Jason Woodrue. She lapses into a coma and when she awakens months later, Woodrue is gone and she has her immunity to toxins plus the ability to control plant life and violent mood swings. After years of battling Batman, Ivy is freed from Arkham Asylum by 2 women working for the Floronic Man, who is her former teacher Jason Woodrue.
Woodrue desires to combine his and Ivy’s mutated DNA to create a superior life form, but Ivy betrays Woodrue to Batman while she escapes. When Gotham City is destroyed and cut off from the rest of the United States, Ivy stays and creates her “territory” in Robinson city park(1999).
It is around this time that Ivy’s body undergoes it’s biggest change and she becomes half plant/half human. Even months after the city is rebuilt, Ivy keeps control of the city park and takes in orphans. The city leaders decide to kill Ivy and all vegetation in the park with herbicides even though it would hurt the orphans until Batman intervenes.
Months later, Ivy goes to Bruce Wayne for help in curing her of her condition. Although the treatment appears to kill her, she reappears within the next year. Ivy often works with/teams up with 2 of Batman’s other female opponents, Catwoman and Harley Quinn.
In DC Comics New 52 reboot (2011), Ivy is an employee of Wayne Enterprises who accidentally douses herself with toxins and other chemicals to get her powers in Detective Comics #23.1 (November 2013).
Ivy has been shown in various DC animated TV shows and movies. In live action, Ivy was portrayed by Uma Thurman in the widely despised movie Batman and Robin (1997).
And the most recent live action version of Ivy shows her as a child in the TV show Gotham where she is portrayed by actress Clare Foley.
What evil deeds will this girl commit in the beginning of her criminal career? You’ll have to watch Gotham (and then listen to me and my co-hosts on our Podcast Before the Bat: the Gotham Podcast). Share your thoughts, opinions, and questions by:
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Until next week, be good. Remember, if a tree falls in the woods, and no one’s around to hear the sound, it means Poison Ivy is coming to get YOU!