What’s a good entry point into Pamela Isley’s whole deal if I have never read a comic or consumed any DC content besides reading “5 Minute Batman Stories” to my son and watching the Batman animated series as a kid in the early 2000s?
Chalk--can I call you Chalk?
I am SO excited to share this information with you. You might want to sit down if you aren't already.
So, the easiest and most delightful entryway to Ivy comics is her current Eisner-award-winning solo run, by G. W. Wilson, which I believe started in 2022 (jeebus, has it really been four years, already??) If you are new to comics, I suggest checking out your local library to see if they have trade paperbacks (collected volumes of usually around 6 comics each.) If you like reading digitally, maybe your library has access to Hoopla? I read a LOT of comics that way, especially ones that were released more than a few months ago. Those things tend to disappear pretty quickly off store shelves. The single issues, anyway. I think DC also still has its DC Unlimited comic book subscription service where you can read as many comics as you want online for a monthly fee. Not sure if everything is on there, though. So your mileage may vary. Ahem. I am getting off track. Poison Ivy (2022-) covers all the basics of Ivy's current lore, eventually getting to her origin story and her past/present with Harley. Wilson's writing of her is scrumptious--toeing that line of anti-villain to anti-hero and the initial art is GORGEOUS. It shows her arc from eco-facism to selectively going after bad actors who are the most harmful to Gotham's environment.
It's not absolutely necessary to read the comic arc leading to Ivy's solo-run to understand what's going on--comic books are pretty good about catching you up. But if you want to know the wider context of why she's trying to wipe out humanity and why she's on her deathbed, check out the Batman: Fear State event TP.
Heroes in Crisis is a brutal Hamlet-esque tale with so much character death, but it has some really juicy Ivy and Harlivy moments, and some of my favorite Ivy lore.
Poison Ivy: Circle of Life And Death is a limited-run gem in the New 52 where Ivy clones herself to start a family. It's so weird and the art is scrumptious.
The original Gotham City Sirens is a bit dated, and its version of Harlivy is a bit homophobic, if I'm being completely honest, BUT the art is so good that I'm pretty sure it made me queer. And the writing had enough potential to keep the fandom wishing for more long after it ended. Basically, for reasons, Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman all decide to be roommates in Gotham and hijinks ensue.
There's a Black Label iteration of Gotham City Sirens: Love Hurts, also limited run, that was a lot of fun. Different universe than the first, and a AU to the main canon, but it's Black Label so our faves can say "fuck" and also fuck. It has a really antagonist, too.
And since you mentioned the animated series...well. I hesitate to rec this one, as I haven't actually read them, but I'm mentioning them here cause if Tumblr is to be believed, these comics contain the first canon references to Harlivy. The animated series had its own spin-off comics, that build on characters and their relationships in the show.
