Poison Ivy, otherwise known as Pamela Isley, continues to be one of the most popular Batman villains. That’s saying something when in the company of other DC icons like The Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, and Harley Quinn.
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Still, there’s a mesmerizing charm that Ivy contains, one that she’s used to win over fans and even Batman on occasion. Depending on your list, she might be behind some of those aforementioned DC villains, but she’s more powerful than all of them, a fact she would like you to remember when her name comes up in conversation.
Over the years, Ivy has undergone several transformations and more often than not is depicted as a sultry siren who’s plant-like abilities could bring the world to its knees if left unchecked. The character’s been a constant in the comics, but she’s also made her presence felt on television (Gotham), in animation (Batman: The Animated Series, The Batman, Batman: Brave And The Bold), video games (Injustice 2, Batman: Dark Tomorrow, Batman: Vengeance), and in film (Batman And Robin, upcoming Gotham City Sirens).
Combined with her comic costumes, that gives fans plenty to pick from, so hit the next slide to see if your favorite made the top 5!
Honorable Mentions
Like with any list, there are a few here that just didn’t make the cut.
Those honorable mentions include Ivy’s silver age costume (her original outfit), her DC Super Hero Girls costume (which almost made the list), and her newest interpretation, the new suit from Injustice 2.
This also includes the Adventures of Batman And Robin interpretation, which traded in the more realistic skin tones and turned everything brighter a bit more cartoony. As for Injustice 2, it’s probably the weakest of the recent offerings, but who knows, maybe it will grow on fans over time.
Hey, a plant pun! Yes, you’re welcome.
Batman & Robin (Uma Thurman)
Ahhh Uma Thurman, one of the better parts of the infamous neon cluster that is Batman & Robin.
While the Bat-nipples and day-glo paint schemes dominated conversations about the film, as did Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mr. Freeze, Uma Thurman quietly turned in a truly fun and solid performance as Poison Ivy.
While her surroundings were patterned after a rave party, Ivy’s costume was actually pretty faithful to its comic origins and even added in some notable additions of its own like the inspired hairstyles and facial accessories.
She looked the part of a plant goddess, and honestly that’s the best way to describe the character, so put one in the win column. The movie could use all the wins it can get.
Arkham City
Rocksteady pretty much nailed it on their Batman universe interpretations, including their take on Poison Ivy.
In comparison to The Joker, Mad Hatter, and Harley Quinn, Ivy probably received one of the bigger overhauls costume wise, as it traded in her traditional vine-laced corset in for a simple red shirt.
You might read that and say to yourself “Really? A red shirt beat out Uma Thurman?”, an understandable question. The red shirt is only one component of her design, though and isn’t what sets this look apart. That would fall to the intricate vine work all over her body and the colors Rocksteady used.
Her hair isn’t auburn or flat red, but a vibrant pulsing red. The vine designs on her skin glow unto themselves with a brighter glow in the dark-like green, and the remnants of her straight jacket just pulls it all together. The costume is much more than the sum of its parts, and seeing both costumes in motion gave the edge to Arkham City.
Batman: The Animated Series
This may very well be your number one, and it’s easy to see why.
Batman: The Animated Series has become one of the foundations upon which everything in the Batman universe is built, an easy reference point for classic and definitive versions of Batman characters. The same is true of Poison Ivy, who’s skin color is human in tone as opposed to the green hued skin seen in other versions. Her green eyes and two-toned green costume are perfect representations of the character, and it excels in its simplicity.
If you were looking a streamlined take on Poison Ivy, it’s hard to do better than this, but two other looks managed to beat this fan favorite out.
New 52
The New 52 perhaps took the whole redesign thing too far, but it did manage to produce some fine costumes, including the one for Pamela Isley.
Having a female fully clothed isn’t as big of a rarity as it used to be, but any additions to that portfolio is welcome. The design didn’t suffer for this choice either, as it gave Ivy a modern sleekness not seen in other costumes. She looked modern and edgy, with her red hair and green plant-like accents offsetting all the dark tones. This costume looks fantastic on the page, and could have easily been number one.
Poison Ivy (Hush)
This was a hard choice, but truth be told there is one look more iconic than all the others, and while it varies from artist to artist, the room for creativity outweighs the negatives.
Specifically, this top spot features Jim Lee’s rendition of Ivy. Lee is inventive with all of the extended plant life surrounding her at all times, and the costume is much better for it. Personally the more vines the better, but there’s just something about this rather simple green body suit and green skin combo that just works.
This version of the character feels as if she’s truly the right hand of Mother Earth, a beautiful and imposing force that will stop at nothing until the world is shaped in her vision. What else could you ask for?
