Comic book origin stories are so hot right now. We have recently seen Joker and Harley Quinn get their moment in the limelight. Catwoman has always been a fan favorite. But where is the love for Poison Ivy? 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Poison Ivy, she is a Gotham City misanthropic botanist and villainess extraordinaire from the Batman comic book series. In Pamela & Ivy, writer/director Leah McKendrick (writer/producer/actor in revenge thriller M.F.A.) explores the childhood traumatic events of Pamela Isley in a story of abuse and survival that generated this iconic supervillain. 

The film begins with young Pamela Isley (captivatingly portrayed by Aria Lyric Leabu) trapped with an abuser (played by Eric Roberts). Locked in a basement by her menacing captor, Pamela forms a bond with a small plant that is sprouting from a seemingly uninhabitable and bleak environment. However, the plant is not the only one keeping her company, as “Ivy” sprouts as a manifestation of Dissociative Identity Disorder. Even though Pamela is eventually rescued and returned to her normal life – the damage is done and Ivy never leaves her. We flash forward to adult Pamela. She is a shy yet enthusiastic scientist. We see how she gained her plant powers and eventually transforms into Poison Ivy on her way to Gotham to claim her stake as the next Supervillain.

Triple threat McKendrick seamlessly blossoms from the meek botanist into the charismatic and intoxicatingly confident Poison Ivy. McKendrick skillfully weaves a full-fledged narrative into only 16 minutes and does not skimp on the heart of the character. Pamela & Ivy could easily be a feature-length film or a series. There is so much to unpack and explore in this compelling character. In addition, it shows how powerful it is to see female comic book characters through a female lens. Poison Ivy is more than a seductive, plant-obsessed villain in botanical lingerie. She is complex, smart, strong, sexy, and has a killer sense of humor. Who knew we would be rooting for a villain? 

The 16-minute short can be viewed here.