Review by Frank Plowright

G. Willow Wilson’s Poison Ivy series began with a form of awakening. Ivy’s concluded that eradicating humanity isn’t the solution to saving Earth, but dealing with those who knowingly pillage and pollute resources is.

Unethical Consumption puts the principles distilled in The Virtuous Cycle to the test. Wilson might be writing about a character with an ecological agenda, but while she distils the world to right and wrong, she explores the mitigating factors enabling wrong to flourish. She also ensures humanity has its say via the supporting characters. They may only be around for a single story, but Wilson ensures they’re fully rounded people you can relate to. Their problems are aired, and their misgivings manifest. It’s welcome change from the bystander destined to be assassinated by the Joker.

However, having seemingly discarded Harley Quinn, Wilson returns her here. What elsewhere might be genuinely loving friendship, has always transmitted as fan fiction fantasy when handled by DC. Kissing scenes are invariably pin-up pages, and while some real world relationships that work just fine have no logical basis, the hyperactive bonkers lost soul and the serious minded eco-terrorist have little common ground. As friends they were fun, as lovers they’re not convincing. More credible is new character Janet, who has a larger role than first assumed, and whose passion develops from sympathy and gratitude. It would have been nice, however, had primary artist Marcio Takara maintained the design introduced by Atagun Ilhan rather than drawing a completely different woman. Even colourist Arif Priano, who works on both versions, seems to think they’re separate people.

Ilhan’s a good artist who draws unattractive people. In some ways this is a bonus, as the background characters have a lived-in appearance, but it also extends to Ivy, her features sharp and pinched. Ilhan’s monsters are fearsome, though, and he includes nice background touches. However, that also applies to Takara whose pages have the extra oomph.

For the finale Wilson re-runs the ending of The Virtuous Cycle, with Ivy in danger of dying, but takes more time to explore the grey area between life and death. The circumstances leading up to it are new for Ivy, but also move her further toward Swamp Thing’s capabilities if maintained. It’s among interesting moments making Unethical Consumption’s highspots memorable, but without maintaining the opening volume’s overall quality. The ending is a definite shift in momentum with Ivy returning to Gotham, picked up in Mourning Sickness.