Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: dc comics, dc middle grade ya, graphic novel, kody keplinger, poison ivy, sara kipin, ya

What If DC Publish A Poison Ivy Graphic Novel Without Telling Anyone?

Published Wed, 10 Feb 2021 12:00:48 -0600

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:02:42 -0500

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On November 29th, courtesy of the Vine And Roses online zine dedicated to the DC Comics character Poison Ivy, ran news about a new YA novel, Poison Ivy: Thorns written by Kody Keplinger and illustrated by Sara Kipin, which "from the description, it looks like a queer gothic romance starring Poison Ivy". Utterly by coincidence, Newsarama ran the same thing the next day.

Poison Ivy: Thorns was listed in the DC Comics Connect catalogue for comic books shipping in March and beyond, and included a sneak book at the graphic novel. But here is where things get weird.

It was not included in March 2021 solicitations. John Constantine kids graphic novel The Mystery Of The Meanest Teacher, seen next to Poison Ivy: Thorns in the catalogue was there, but not Ivy.

What If DC Publish A Poison Ivy Graphic Novel Without Telling Anyone? — DC Comics Connect page for Poison Ivy: Thorns

Which is really weird. And now it is going to FOC without ever actually being solicited to comic book shops or readers.

It has an Amazon listing, it will no doubt do well, for bookstores, but any comic book store with a Lunar account in the US, or a Diamond account in the UK, this may be the first you are hearing about it. Despite it being written by the best-selling author of The DUFF series.

It was listed for this week, and because of President's Day, today would have been the last day that shops are able to pre-order it before release in May. But after this was raised on social media as an issue, suddenly it was dropped from today's FOC, and the FOC delayed until the 28th of February., Maybe DC Comics will want to mention it before then?

If anyone wanted further evidence that DC Comics has no particular idea what to do with Poison Ivy, you can add this to the pile. Here's the listing:

Poison Ivy: Thorns Paperback

The DUFF's Kody Keplinger Writes Poison Ivy YA Novel From DC Comics — Cover to Poison Ivy: Thorns

New York Times bestselling author of The DUFF Kody Keplinger and artist Sara Kipin reimagine an iconic DC antihero with a gothic-horror twist.

There's something unusual about Pamela Isley–the girl who hides behind her bright red hair. The girl who won't let anyone inside to see what's lurking behind the curtains. The girl who goes to extreme lengths to care for a few plants. Pamela Isley doesn't trust other people, especially men. They always want something from her. Something she's not willing to give.

When cute goth girl Alice Oh comes into Pamela's life after an accident at the local park, she makes her feel like pulling back the curtains and letting the sunshine in. But there are dark secrets deep within the Isley house. Secrets Pamela's father has warned must remain hidden. Secrets that could turn deadly and destroy the one person who ever cared about Pamela, or as her mom preferred to call her…Ivy.

Will Pamela open herself up to the possibilities of love, or will she forever be transformed by the thorny vines of revenge?

Kody Keplinger is best known for written The DUFF as a YA novel when she was 17, published in 2011 with a movie in 2015, alongside sequel-ish novel Lying Out Loud. Keplinger has also published novels A Midsummer's Nightmare, That's Not What Happened and Shut Out. Sara Kipin has been working on an unannounced project from Marvel Comics, but previously worked as a storyboard artist on Samurai Jack, Spider-Man, as well as working on ThunderCars Roar and as a character designer on Trese. Poison Ivy: Thorns will be published on the 8th of June, 2021, for $16.99.