In this review, Poison Ivy makes dinner for Janet from HR with the remains of the former demigod Bog Venus.
Poison Ivy #39 main cover by Jessica Fong (DC Comics)
POISON IVY #39
Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Art by MARCIO TAKARA
Main Cover: JESSICA FONG
Variant Covers: NOOBOVICH, KYUYONG EOM, CHAY RUBY, JOSHUA “SWAY” SWABY
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 12/3/25
This comic book review contains spoilers
Following the events of last issue, Ivy makes a meal for Janet and herself that contains phytotoxins which will either cure Janet of her fungal infection or kill her. The meal is made out of the remnants of Bog Venus who was destroyed, and it imbues Janet with increased senses. She can taste the air and see all the microorganisms on her skin. Once they’re both fully hallucinating, they have sex on the table.
Back in Seattle, the Order of the Green Knight warns Mr. Undine that the police are after them once again. Undine assumes leadership in Ivy’s absence and decides that they must make peace with the Gotham City Police Department and tells them that there’s only one person who can make Ivy see reason. He leaves to find her.
In Marshview, Janet wakes up feeling better but she has a plant growing from her palm. Ivy assures her that it means her body is returning to homeostasis before Harley Quinn crashes the party. Quinn says Ivy is needed back in Gotham before there is no Gotham to go back to.
Analysis
Poison Ivy returns to filler with issue #39 consisting almost entirely of a meal between Janet from HR and Ivy. The issue leans back into G. Willow Wilson’s psychonautic impulses during the Ivy/Janet banquet scene. There’s a kind of Mckennian sensation of being one with the universe that Janet experiences after imbibing the remains of Bog Venus that fits in very well with previous arcs about psychic connections made due to the consumption of labia spores. It’s definitely interesting, but be warned that the majority of the issue is spent on this meal with Ivy’s philosophizing inner-molongue carrying most of the narrative weight.
I have lost the thread on why the Gotham City police and the Seattle police would have anything to do with each other but Undine seems to think that they’re facing a war on both fronts and I suppose the transportative nature of Mashview forest makes the two closer to each other than they otherwise would be. I can’t say I’m overly excited about Harley Quinn entering back into fold based on her prior characterization in this run. Also, for as much praise as I give Marcio Takara, I’m not as crazy about his version of Harley as I am the other characters.
Having said that, Takara’s art is overall wonderful as always, especially with a greater focus on candid nature shots and the psychedelic scenes at the picnic in the woods. The opening pages look great even if Wilson feels like she’s really stretching to meet the page count here. The scene between Janet and Ivy does a great job capturing the lustful passion between the two in the art alone.
In general I feel a lack of momentum in the storytelling as we seem to be recycling the same beats again and again. I honestly miss a rotating creative team who can take the characters in new directions rather than getting hung up on the same limited cast and themes issue after issue, even if the run overall does feel more cohesive thematically due to the consistent writer/artist.
Final Thoughts
Poison Ivy #39 doesn’t have a lot to write home about. It seems like another filler issue and even the ending has me worried that we’re just going in the same tired direction that this book loves to return to time and time again. The art is wonderful as always but I want more.
