Review: Poison Ivy- Thorns
Quick Summary
Pros: The main narrative is interesting and relatable. The narrative brings up some meaningful themes. The artwork does a great job in emphasizing the horror aspects of the book.
Cons: Some elements of Poison Ivy’s character come across as contradictory. The book’s conclusion is hurt by the book’s contradictions. The non-horror focused visuals are just alright.
Overall: This comic has some problems but is mostly worthwhile. It features an interesting storyline, some thought-provoking themes, and creepy visuals. However, it is hampered by the way Ivy is written, by the conclusion, and by places where the artwork looks average. Overall, this mix creates a book that may appeal to readers looking for a gothic-esque story from DC but is unlikely to have very broad appeal.
Full Review
Poison Ivy: Thorns, by Kody Keplinger and Sara Kipin, manages to be both creepy and emotional. The book follows a young Pamela Isley as she deals with two sets of problems. At school, she has to deal with relationships, both good and bad, between her and her peers. At home, she has to deal with the weight of her family’s mysterious secrets.
The narrative in Thorns focuses entirely on Ivy and the problems she is facing. Her school life involves a romantic intrigue, harassment from boys, and a dissatisfaction with how her town is being run. These problems are relatable and add realistic drama to the work. Her home life involves a creepy mystery that unfolds as the novel progresses. This mystery provide a interesting hook that continues to be interesting as it plays out.
Both sides of the narrative bring in meaningful themes. There is a cry for social justice in a patriarchal society, a demand for personal autonomy, and an LGBTQ+ relationship. These topics are nice to see and are written well for most of the book.
Unfortunately, there are downsides to this narrative, specifically in how Ivy is written. The book tries to simultaneously portray her as a hero and a villain, often in ways that contradict. In some places, her good deeds are minimized. In other places, some of her more shocking actions have little to no consequence. This has an impact on the book’s finale, which brushes away a lot of what happened in order to wrap things up. Since all of this forms a central piece of the book, it presents a significant flaw that definitely hurts the story.
When it comes to artwork, Thorns handles a bit better. Kipin’s visuals are wonderful when it comes to capturing the creepier aspects of the read. Gothic buildings, frightening character depictions, and pages that are structured in a way that almost feels like a horror comic, all emphasize this point. However, these visuals are less effective and depicting the more mundane scenes, which just end up looking alright.
Continuity
Poison Ivy: Thorns is a standalone book. It does not continue the story from any other comic and the story here is not continued in any other comic.