Ivy League

Gotham Girls #2
November 2002

The story so far: Catwoman stole a vial of unknown contents and discovered her employer was Poison Ivy who paid Selina with a Harley-Hammer blow. Selina has a tough noggin, or more likely, her suit is more than just slinky but also functional. Batgirl last issue whacked her with a superbly thrown batarang, and she as well got up from that abuse. Suffice to say, this is not Catwoman's proudest moment, and it gets worse.Some of the characterization may seem to ring falsely to some animated series fans, but actually all of Paul Storrie's opinions fit as snugly as a Miss Fury suit--look that reference up, you'll be glad you did. Catwoman really doesn't have to be trustworthy nor even nice this issue since she has no feelings but animosity toward the opposition. She doesn't like Harley or Ivy. She sees them as unworthy rivals. Batgirl in her eyes is pest and even more annoyance because the girl's got skills. Ivy and Harley whose relationship on the series as well as the comic books based on the series is loaded with subtext really seem more like an independent using a codependent for her dirty deeds. It's not out of the question that Ivy uses Harley as her henchwench since Ivy is a madwoman, and her feelings are likely to be altered by the level of madness at which she attains. Thus, a mellower Ivy can recognize and appreciate Harley's rehabilitation. Out of love she thwarts the Joker in a superb Ty Templeton Batman: Gotham Adventures while in this book brutally hurt Harley's feelings. Given the overall female quotient in the book, it was probably a good idea he downplayed these elements.The character most like her persona on the series and the books is Batgirl. I've been a Batgirl fan since Yvonne Craig gave me a helluva better reason to watch Batman. When I discovered her comic book adventures, I was delighted that she was as intelligent if not more and effective on the television series. In the pre-Crisis of the bronze age, she became even better. After surviving an assassination and working past the trauma associated with the crime, she actually saves Batman's life. When she was shot and crippled by the Joker in Killing Joke I gave it little notice. It was an imaginary story. Needless to say, I was shocked when Batgirl was crippled in what DC laughingly called a continuity. Then, Batman: The Animated Series came along and returned Batgirl to her glory. Paul Storrie continues that tradition. Batgirl tracks Catwoman to the meeting. She doesn't even catch a breath before smacking around Harley and bops Catwoman on the head yet again with a well-aimed batarang. Snatching the vial, she beats a hasty exit and lets the villains fight amongst themselves. It's more important in her opinion to get the vial back in safe hands. This scene interested me because Batman usually doesn't behave in such a manner. He would beat the snot out of the villains--well, not the ladies--and then return the vial to safety, but Batgirl isn't obsessed with fighting crime, and Paul Storrie by showing her actually allowing the criminals their freedom and having her more concerned with the mcguffin displays his comfort with this character and the overall characterization of Gotham. He also never forgets who trained her. Watch as Babs uses an understanding of psychology to plant Ivy in a bad place.