In this review of Poison Ivy #46, Juhi and Janet-From-HR take a whirlwind tour around present-day Gotham City as their boss, Mayor Poison Ivy’s neglect becomes appallingly apparent. Their only hope to bring Ivy back to her senses and save the city might just be… Harley Quinn?
Poison Ivy #46 main cover by Jessica Fong (DC Comics)
POISON IVY #46
Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Art by LEANDRO FERNANDEZ
Main Cover: JESSICA FONG
Variant Covers: NOOBOVICH, KYUYONG EOM, MANNY VINCENT CARBONILLA, MAHMUD ASRAR
Page Couunt: 32 pages
Release Date: 7/1/26
This review contains spoilers
Poison Ivy #46 begins midday on a bustling Gotham City street as two of Mayor Ivy’s confidants, Juhi and Janet-From-HR walk and talk about Ivy’s growing paranoia and isolation has created problems for her administration and the city. Janet insists that Harley is the only one who can bring Ivy around, while Juhi is incredulous. The discussion is interrupted as the pair witness Vandal Savage’s police force chase down a hapless teenage boy.
Outraged, Janet confronts them and gets smacked in the face for her effort, but Juhi calls them out, revealing their political connection. The officers let them go, and the trio slip into an abandoned alley to catch their breath. Juhi thinks she hears someone and conjures up her avatar (she’s into magic) but it’s just an alley cat. Catwoman happens by and gives them a warning for Ivy that Gotham is a lit powder keg.
The kid bails so Janet and Juhi head to Throatcutter Hill (Harley’s home) and come across Shark-Face, another of Ivy’s less than reputable operatives. Shark-Face likes his gig and considers the duo a threat, but Janet takes a cheap shot, allowing the pair to escape. Soon after, Juhi admits she was behind the recent spate of taggings meant to trigger Ivy. Juhi is devoted to the office of the mayor and that means protecting it even from the current Mayor herself.
Poison Ivy #46 ends as a nearby deli explodes and Janet and Juhi realize that Ivy’s cutting the fire inspectors budget in favor of the parks department has severe repercussions. Janet now realizes that Harley Quinn is Gotham’s last hope.
Analysis
Poison Ivy #46 is an entertaining and wildly unpredictable bit of an indie film (with explosions) as writer G. Willow Wilson applies her considerable ear for dialogue as Juhi and Janet-From-HR open up in the wake of Ivy’s erratic and reclusive behavior (and it’s only gonna get worse if the promos for the upcoming “Bad Seeds” crossover is any indication). Despite making only a flashback appearance, Mayor Ivy’s presence looms large across Poison Ivy #46, both her actions and inactions.
Wilson uses the story to rail against various legitimate current social injustices with the corruption and cruelty of Gotham City standing in as a proxy for real world issues. Wilson seamlessly weaves together clever dialogue with a sense of moral outrage (and more than a dash of dark humor) that doesn’t bog down the story.
Artist Leandro Fernandez’s (The Old Guard) style suits the more grounded story in Poison Ivy #46, (with a few flashes of magic and some light anti-hero action), providing a street-level, slice-of-life by way of Gotham City. Fernandez’s skill at depicting various scenes, with a shifting of camera angles that keeps the story grounded but also on the move. From the ordinary Gothamite on the street to Catwoman and Shark-Face, Fernandez delivers.
Poison Ivy #46 contains many heated character interactions, most likely due to the simmering tensions about to boil over as Mayor Ivy’s mishandling of her duties. All of the characters in Poison Ivy #46 seem either on edge or on their last nerve as the story progresses leading up to the unexpected cathartic release (an explosion).
Final Thoughts
Poison Ivy #46 adds a dash of the surreal to a walking tour of Gotham City, as two supporting characters grapple with obstacles beyond their weight class. The brisk pace, dark humor, simmering tension and subtle art come together to deliver a compelling one-off read that ties into the various plot threads from the series, but also stands on its own.
