Gotham City Sirens #25

My opinions on Gotham City Sirens #25 are late. Yes. But it's not because I didn't like this issue - it's because I enjoyed it sooo much. It saddens me to think this title wasn't always this good and now that Sirens has found a heart - it's almost over. Unfortunately, this is the penultimate issue of Sirens. It did not get carried over into the DCU relaunch (as you probably know).

Issue #25, "Friends Pt. III", begins with Poison Ivy laid out in an Arkham Asylum cell (still in heels) pondering life and circumstance. Never losing sight of the fact that it was Catwoman's betrayal that landed her behind bars.

Pesticides are being pumped into the air inside a reenforced glass chamber to keep Ivy sedate. While incapacitated we are allowed to read her deepest thoughts.

Most marvel at the beauty of nature. And they are right to be marveled. But they ignore nature's true beauty. Life is a battle. It is a struggle, renting us time against darkness. It's a fight it will never win. And still it fights. The universe has no morality. It has no love, no patience. Those are the playthings of humans. The universe does not care. And neither do I. I left that part of me behind long ago. There are only two things: the living and the dead. And right now I'm not far from the latter.

This style of internal dialogue, mixed with plant metaphors, leads the entire story - and this is very much a Poison Ivy centered piece. It's quite effective and Peter Calloway deserves praise for this approach.

So...the Penguin sends a man disguised as a guard to Ivy's cell and he proposes the two villains join together to destroy Catwoman. The only stipulation being that Poison Ivy must free herself from Arkham.

A "seeker" root snakes its way towards Poison Ivy's cell and cracks the floor. It was just enough to cause the pesticides to leak out - allowing Ivy to harness her power. She releases pheromones into the air and convinces the guards to open her cell door. At first Ivy wants to tear the place down, as illustrated in this panel, but she chooses a more covert means of escape. Though not before paying Harley Quinn a visit. (Her partner in crime is also housed at Arkham.)

Poison Ivy arrives at Harley's cell with the intention of killing her where she sleeps. She has a change of heart upon seeing Harley Quinn lost to her obsessions. The Joker graffiti on the walls brings out Poison Ivy's rarely seen sympathetic nature. Ivy extends her hand to Harley and they escape together...to visit the Penguin and to kill Catwoman.

Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn flee Arkham to go cat hunting!

Poison Ivy: Are you prepared to die, Catwoman?
Catwoman: Are you, Poison Ivy?
Poison Ivy: Yes.
Catwoman: Me, too.

That exchange takes place on the last page of Sirens #25. Ivy and Harley ambush Catwoman in Robinson Park just as she was planning on robbing an armored car. A car planted by the Penguin, of course. So begins the final moments of Gotham City Sirens with Poison Ivy and Catwoman ready to battle. Will this fight actually take place? I guess we'll just have to wait a few weeks to find out. My bets are on Ivy taking this one. Naturally.

I also want to make note of the fantastic art in this issue. Every page is exquisite - with each panel being framed in some type of vine or root. Poison Ivy also looks very striking. A pleasant departure from March's style. Both styles being good but different. Compliments to artists Andres Guinaldo and Lorenzo Ruggiero.

Posted in: Comics