It's funny because even before he got to write ASM one of the things I always saw next to Zeb Wells name was "edgelord" and a bad writer. People claiming he writes as an edgelord etc and I thought that this was a very weird thing to say.
Sporadically I would read a story or an issue by him and would try to understand why readers called him an edgelord and a bad writer. Unfortunately it's this issue that explains why.
I'm not talking about the (spoiler). This is painfully obvious that it was editorially dictated.
I'm talking about the actual writing thats stiff, bad, uninspired and generally awful.
This needed a better writer for the run and decision taken about ASM to work. I think that in the hands of a decent writer this book would be better.
I'm not saying Wells is a bad writer in general. But he is a bad writer in this book. more

This issue somehow manages to be even worse than the first one. I'm not even gonna touch the fact that after 50 years of being canonically written as vegan, she suddenly is exclusively carnivore.
Wilson is trying to push Poison Ivy back into being a villain but she does it in such an awkward and lazy way that's just laughable. In this issue Ivy acts like a more unhinged version of Carnage. If Carnage murders people for fun, Ivy just randomly murders people for a plan that even she knows and has been warned it will fail. The book is used as a vessel for Ivy to murder as many people as possible (thus probably locking her in Arkham when it ends) and at the same time throw queerbait in the form of a letter to Harley which is also useless since Ivy at this point is so vile, unlikeable and way more evil than Joker that Harley will probably want to kill her and not kiss her. It's sad to see a brilliant writer like Wilson write mindless splatterpunk.
But if you like something like Carnage but would prefer less plot and more body horror, I guess you'll like this. more

Despite the cover, this is not a PRIDE book. There are traces of Ivy's relationship with Harley but it's a rather underdeveloped subplot. Unfortunately this story throws all the character progress of Poison Ivy under the bus for a story beat that doesn't even make sense (exterminating mankind would lead to nuclear collapse and global destruction in a few hours). There's a twist coming (hint: google Cordyceps) that will be used to provide some sort of redemption to Ivy but the truth is that this feels more like a Carnage story that got rewritten as an Ivy one. It's sad because while it's very well written and with excellent art, this feels more like an alt right propaganda/wet dream dissing liberal ideas. It deserves more than a one star rating but the fact that it was advertised as a PRIDE book and delivers nothing is an unforgivable comic sin, especially for a couple that suffered so much like Ivy and Harley. more

In short: Stephanie Phillips reunited Harley and Ivy just to break them up in just a few panels. The only reason the issue exists is for the worlds fastest first date and breakup. It's pure queerbait, avoid it. I was very supportive of this run but unfortunately neither the book nor the writer deserves my money anymore. Tee Franklins book is a better choice for anyone who wants to read a fun Harley story, more

My review is only about the Ashes Of Eden story by Sam Johns and Laura Braga. A horrible story that erases all character progress of Poison Ivy and pretty much turns her into a Nazi planning to murder the entire Gotham City as a response to her garden getting burned. Laura Bragas art is buried underneath 90s edginess and what pretty much is a copy paste of Carnage USA only with Ivy in the place of Carnage. The premise of the story with Ivy getting confused between Punchline and Harley is also not only weak but unbelievable even for a superhero comic. Sad to see that this story was written by a queer woman, I expected something more and better than 90's edginess written for horny middle aged white men. 0/10 more

I bought this as well as the previous issue after a small discussion with Tynion. The art is really beautiful and so are the colors. But good art is not enough to make a comic good. The plot here is nonexistent. The plot in the whole arc is nonexistent. There is no risk, no sense of danger, of urgency. The Alfred dialogue was unnecessary and it lacked emotional depth. But the worst part of it. Oh my god. It's the Harley vs Punchline scenes. There's not a single woman in the planet who talks like this. It feels more like a teen drama parody. Perhaps it is intentional. But I doubt it. Perhaps this was rushed after the plans for 5G changed. Still with the lockdown there was plenty of time to change things, to edit the dialogue.
Tynion's run suffers from the same problems of King's run. Good, excellent art trying to hype weak plot and weak dialogue. Tynion can do better. His non superhero work is proof of that.

Punchline is literally pushed so hard (which is understandable, she's a new character and the team wants her to stick for various reasons) but I already hate and have become bored of the character and believe she needs a break for a couple of months.

Same with Joker. There's too much Joker in everything. In conclusion, the art is 6.5/10 beautiful but Jimenez has a tendency to focus on 90's "exxxxtreme boobs duuude"
Plot is 0. Therefore 3. more

This is what happens when a bad editor (Brian Cunningham aka the dude who kicked Gail Simone off Batgirl in hi first day at the office) teams up with a yes man writer. A badly written, horribly edited mess of a book with no redeeming qualities. We could talk about the elephant in the room that is the erasure of Harley and Ivy as a couple but the writer will blame it to the editor and the editor to the writer. Or how Booster Gold was shoehorned into a story that makes zero sense just so they could straightwash both characters.

The worst part of it how the book makes a nod to the failed kiss between Harley and Ivy in Houser's Harley and Ivy mini and literally flips the middle finger to fans of Harley and Ivy.

Conner and Palmiotti build something beautiful with a distinct cast of characters and deep emotional storytelling that pushed boundaries. Humphries and Cunningham turned it into a Ethan Van Sciver CG book.

0/10 more

No. The way suicide is used to push the story is ridiculous and badly written. The queer erasure of Harley Quinn and the forced thing with Booster Gold adds to the low score. 0/10

Emanuela Lupacchino deserves better writers. It is astonishing how DC put out such an overtly racist and badly written book. Stiff, robotic dialogue, google translated sentences. Harley despite her growth, still being defined by Joker. A boring story that makes no sense and is horribly misogynistic. Azzarello desecrating the characterisation of the protagonists.

This feels like a different book with different protagonists that was chopped and edited into a Birds of Prey book.

This continues a growing trend in DC: Removing her from everything that made readers resonate and care for the character (her relatiosnhip with Poison Ivy is absent and not mentioned in the book and pretty much replaced with Joker) and focusing on bringing in the comicgate crowd (which I suspect will be pleased with the racism and misogyny of the book).

0/10 I'm only putting a 1 because the platform doesn't allow for something less.

It's a shame that Lupacchino's art was used for such a horrible book. But the biggest shame goes to the editors. What where they thinking?
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Absolute trash with a horrible almost pro-Bolsonaro edge. A horrible take on Poison Ivy and racist undertones in a tone deaf mess. Avoid this crap.

The book follows the recent trend of DC of "no ending". I guess some cokehead at DC believes this is good marketing. It's not. I've been a supporter of this book since day one. But #6 fails spectacularly in every level. Poison Ivy is shelved once more, or perhaps fridged, her relationship with Harley Quinn gone and the previous five issues readers bought as well as Ivy's death and rebirth in HiC nullified. I could give it a higher score for the wonderful act but comic books are expensive, I'm poor and this is the worst way the team could end this mini. DC absolutely shits all over their most famous Bisexual couple jut before Valentine's day. Good luck getting the support of other LGBT readers cause you definitely lost mine. more

There is great chemistry between the collaborators of the book and that is visible. Adriana Melos art is astounding and gorgeous adding small cartoony details, like i.e a heart when Ivy and Harley hold hands, that enhance the emotional impact of the book. It's been a long road for both heroines and hopefully they acn find some peace of mind after beating Floronic Man and the new, weird threat that has emerged (no spoilers here).

Hi-Fi and Mark Morales complete the book in a way that flatters Adriana's art. There is good chemistry here. Everything feels tight and colourful and theres a unique style in the artwork that deviates from the usual superhero art giving it a subtly dreamlike or cartoony quality. Without of course taking away from the drama and the action.

I really enjoyed this issue and the addition of Batwoman as a moral compass (?) was a nice touch. I don't remember Ivy and Batwoman interacting in the past.

The only negative is that the book despite focusing a bit more than the previous issue on Ivy still hasn't answered a lot of important questions about Ivy. I.e she knows the secrets and identities of every superhero, how does she deal with that? This is an important point that hasn't been touched and it was the main point of both her Heroes in Crisis as well as her Batman appearances. Sometimes the book feels less like a Harley and Ivy and more like a Harley feat Ivy one.

An important character is introduced on the final page of the book. Something nobody could expect. There are three possible outcomes I can think of for the final issue. I won't spoil anything but... We are at a point where Jody and Adriana can elevate Poison Ivy to a new status, to make her fans happy and this series to be remembered as a central point in Poison Ivy's development for the years to come. more

I had some complains about #1 and #2. It felt that the book was a Harley Quinn book because of the focus on her but #3 starts showing us us the Ivy side of things. We see how Pammy is slowly getting better, learning to control her powers and her new connection to the Green. There are a lot of questions to be answered. Remember that Ivy literally knows every secret in the world (Everyone Loves Ivy) and we still don't know what the new Parliament of Flowers wants from her.

Full review at: https://vinesnroses.blogspot.com/2019/11/harley-quinn-and-poison-ivy-3-review.html more

After the events of Heroes in Crisis it's nice to see Poison Ivy strong, proud, kick ass, sexy and alive again. This issue essentially is two stories, we see Floronics man attack on Ivy and Harley and we get the beginning of a second story with a certain "hat aficionado". The writing is very good and we see glimpses of what the future will bring to the book for both characters. I have some questions and problems with certain elements of the book but they will have to wait. It's a GORGEOUS book with Adriana Melo, Mark Morales and Hi-Fi giving some of the highest quality art you can see in a DC book with vivid colors, action and nice, detailed outlines.

I'm just happy we have Poison Ivy back, that's all. more

This is probably the best Harley Quinn story ever and this is definitely THE BEST Poison Ivy ever written. Excellent writing, perfect characterization, beautiful, gorgeous art. Definitely check it! This is going to an Eisner winner guys!

Despite the impact heroes in crisis and year of the villain has in this book, it's a great, well thought story that starts slowly but climaxes into a dangerous and unexpected visitor. An opener that serves as a recap and an initiation to the plot lines that it will follow. Adrianas art, Hi Fi colours, and Morales inks are spectacular, beautiful, creepy, funny and sexy. A great start. We missed Pammy. Fingers crossed she comes out of this more awesome and more heroic than ever! more

"Wait for the final issue" "You just don't get the story" "You are too stupid to understand it"
"Everyone loves HiC and those who don't are clickbaiters"
Well. Here we are. HiC is a collection of tropes coupled with some really nice (yet problematic) art. You can see that the artists, especially Mann - despite finding his portrayal of women problematic - loved working with this and put time and effort.
But there is no plot. There is nothing. Just an incredibly offensive portrayal of mental health and mental health treatment. It's 2019. It's time to leave behind hurtful tropes of the past regarding mental health. HiC is not smart. It pretends to be in order to hide enormous plot holes, bad characterization and lazy writing. It tries to disguise itself in something that's not. And when you point at it's problems, it's supporters attack and mock you.

These would make it a boring comic. What makes it a horrible comic is how it was marketed BY it's creators as a book that would show the benefits of getting help. Instead it does more to villainize therapy than a scientology propaganda video. It's time to move forward. This book belongs to the past. Let's bury it and move on.

P.S Therapy works. It helped me. It will help you too. You ARE safe. Even if you are hurt. You ARE safe in the hands of professionals. And it's always worth the time and effort. more

To the people who said “wait for the final issue, you can’t judge an incomplete title”. We did and to no one’s surprise it did nothing to change how it’s perceived. This title is garbage, plain and simple. The worst “crisis” since Identity and wholly underserving of that moniker.

The real crisis was King’s writing. There is nothing this issue did to resolve the various egregious faults of the issues preceding it and instead added more with what were infuriating and nonsensical therapy panels that purely showcase what little grasp he has of some of DC’s characters.

The best part about this issue is that ends this abysmal, asinine event. It’s not worth reading, do not even entertain the notion of buying it. more

Seen people say that Heroes in Crisis is hated because they don't get the subtext -- you know, Wally dealing with loss and so on -- but if it really was about that, then we should have had a book that dealt with that. If that was really the case, why is that particular thing a small percentage of the story? Why is it a bad murder mystery that is not even resolved, but for a taped confession?

In the end, we just get the heroes stopping Wally from killing himself, gets some hugs, and gets placed in JL jail... hooray *sarcasm*

It's so weird that King can do an excellent book on anxiety and mental illness in Mister Miracle, and completely screw the pooch on the same topic just months later. The highest of highs, the lowest of lows. more

Perhaps this story works for the team behind it. Perhaps this is a meaningful psychotherapy for the writer and artists. I can respect that and I understand it. I give this series a low score because it doesn't work for me and it has affected negatively some of my friends. Yes, it's "just comics" but as comics can affect you in a positive way, so they can in a negative way. There's not a lot to say here. This issue was spoiled before the series started and so is #9 for those interested.
I have no problem with sad stories, stories that make your heart cry. One of my favorite books is Secret Six and it's full of sad, depressing moments. And so is Clean Room. Which also has more gore and violence.
But both of these books used these elements to tell a story, they were not the story. HiC is a mystery without a mystery. And without a plot. As I wrote in my previous review it feels like the team behind it got bored right after #1. Bleeding Cool mentioned how the events of the book were supposed to be Issue #1 of Heroes In Crisis. Perhaps this could have worked.
Ultimately HiC is a Tom King book and I'm not really a fan of his writing. To the people saying this is Dan DiDio and Tom is only signing the book... well ... you are wrong. Every trick and narrative technique King uses is used here and the story involves elements that King always uses in his books.
One last word: love it or hate it, don't be jerks to the team behind it. more

It feels a bit like Tom King does not like HiC. Like he got bored/tired of it after #2. I don't want to spoil anything here but the dialogue is becoming even more inconsistent and there are huge gaps in characterization. Perhaps this is all an A.I simulation and the inconsistency are the glitches (but probably not since King was asked and this is not the case here).
As for the twist or twists... everything was spoiled months ago.
Now.
Who spoiled the whole plot? There is no way this wasn't leaked from someone at DC, perhaps someone (editors? other writers?) who disagreed with it. Was the leaked Ivy cover an inside job too?
The book gets a 3 because after months, the plot moves forward just a tiny bit.
Tom King is a good writer. He can do better than this. He knows he can do better than this. There are 2 ways to face a story
1) Ignore the problems and praise it because you like the writer
2) Be honest
My coverage of this book has always been honest despite "plot twists"

Edit: My score is now 1 because of the King fanboys reaction and responses. Enjoy more

Filler of a filler issue.
If #5 was a filler issue, #6 is a filler of the previous issues. Without spoiling (ha!) anything we get a few different perspectives on previous events but no plot. Somewhere down the line King forgot that both Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn have degrees and Harley is a physician psychiatrist and a psychologist and talk about mental health issues like they've first heard the term.
The book is trying desperately to appear smarter than it is. And as in "The Emperor's New Clothes" hardcore supporters of it are desperately trying to make it look like there's some deeper subtext that us peasants "just don't get it". Combined with one of DC's most aggressive promotional strategies (Buy this book or we will waterboard your family and send them to Guantanamo bay - level aggression) and the lack of anything even remotely related to mental health treatment makes this book, this event more toxic than an Ace Chemicals vat.
No joke will come out of this vat.
Only the team behind Heroes in Crisis trying to traumatize the readers.
Sometime in the future this will be revealed as a CIA PSYOP or a Scientology attempt at discrediting mental health treatment.
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Nicaragua In Crisis or how I learned to love CIA and forget about the crimes.

You should definitely buy this book if you like Clay Manns art which (despite the problems with the portrayal of women) is very, very good. This issue is a gallery of Mann's art but there's zero plot. A filler issue. The "twists" and "revelations" were leaked before Heroes In Crisis #1 was published. The dialogue feels disjointed and stiff. Even at Superman's speech, a moment that should have been inspiring and emotional, it feels empty. The Protector's confession page ... yikes. It's not funny. Was it supposed to be funny? To be a parody? Is this the point of the book? Don Delillo? To tell the readers how King reads Baudrillard or Kierkegaard?
You could skip this issue and it wouldn't matter.
What does matter is that the team behind the book killed and fridged fan favorite characters, destroyed things other writers were building for years to tell a story with zero emotional impact and coherence.
The good thing is that this issue will show exactly which reviews/comic sites are ADVERTORIALS and DC PROMOTED CONTENT, directly or indirectly. more

Sexualization of trauma, objectification of women's body in contrast with the treatment of male characters, decompression with literally empty, copy pasted panels and heroes worrying more about their egos rather than a slaughter in their own safe space.

I know that there is a fetish thing with the Killing Joke but Heroes in Crisis goes a step further with this idea. Good art is not enough. It needs a story too. And there is no story here. But most importantly...

When Moore wrote Promethea, when Amy wrote Poison Ivy, when Snyder wrote Batman, all three very smart and intellectual people, they used subtlety to make their points obvious yet discreet. This is the opposite. This is boasting. This is ego.

Pausing your story to show Batgirls boob job or doing a sexy Lois Lane exposition, boobs and butts and sensuality in a story about people getting brutally murdered while trying to find help for mental problems is bad and tasteless.

But even more tasteless is making Harley Quinn forget about mourning Poison Ivy in a second. It's about making heroes act in the most selfish way, caring only about their ego and nothing more instead of their dead friends. more