Warning: Contains major spoilers for Poison Ivy #7!Gotham City villainess Poison Ivy has surprisingly become the DC Comics version of Deadpool...but it's not in the way that most fans would think. There have been countless debates over who DC's version of the iconic Merc with a Mouth could possibly be ever since the character spiked into popularity. For some, the answer seems obvious as Deadpool was Marvel's answer to Deadshot, making him a viable option. Others have turned to Deadpool's wisecracks as a way to properly determine who DC's equivalent is, with many saying it's Harley Quinn. She can be an incredibly violent character who also has a passion for breaking the fourth wall and providing comic relief. However, there's one aspect of Deadpool's power that has officially cemented Poison Ivy as his true equal.
While Deadpool is known for his eccentric humor and awesome fighting style featured in some of Marvel's most grotesque action sequences, the mutation that makes him into a superhero is his accelerated healing factor. Before Wade became Deadpool, he was diagnosed with cancer that would have killed him within a year at most. When he acquired his abilities that made him a mutant though, he practically became immortal as his cells became unable to die. This superpowered healing factor that helped Deadpool survive an apocalypse makes him resistant to many forms of physical damage such as severed limbs, which he can grow back with ease. However, if this mutation were taken away, the cancer cells would come back, and he would begin dying once again, which was a featured plot point in the hit 2018 film Deadpool 2 as his powers were taken away with a power collar. This is key to how Deadpool became a hero in the first place, and Poison Ivy has officially shown that she is similar to him in this respect.
In Poison Ivy #7 by G. Willow Wilson and Atagun Ilhan, Poison Ivy finds herself confronting the head of a polluting industry called FutureGas in an effort to protect the Green. It appears she has the upper hand on her new adversary until the corporate head reveals she was a former assistant professor to Poison Ivy's own Joker, Jason Woodrue. She then sprays Ivy with a mysterious gas before making her escape. Ivy's in shock as she realizes that this gas has nullified her powers. Ivy then mentions in total fear that "without my powers, I can't fight off the Ophiocordyceps Lamia spores." Fighting off these spores is an ability she gained after assimilating Woodrue's healing factor by consuming him. The comic ends with her stating that everything is going dark before her unconscious body is left in a terrifying plant-consumed state.
Poison Ivy & Deadpool's Healing Factors Are Key To Their Survival
Seeing Ivy's remains after losing her new healing factor is a horrifying way to end this comic, and while she will undoubtedly come back since this new arc is just beginning, it's eerily similar to what would happen should Deadpool lose his own healing factor or face a weapon that could beat it. Of course, for Ivy this is likely less painful than it would be for Deadpool since she nearly dies almost instantly while the latter would have to wait for the cancer in his system to slowly kill him. However, should they gain their powers back before they reach a point of no return, both could very easily avoid death with their healing factors making quick work to restore them.
While Poison Ivy and Deadpool are polar opposites in personality, it's amazing to see just how much they have in common when it comes to their power. Both of their healing factors are crucial to keeping them from meeting an early death. It just goes to show that the heroes and villains from Marvel and DC Comics who share similarities can be the last ones fans would think, and it's proven through this shocking connection between Poison Ivy and Deadpool.
Poison Ivy #7 is available now from DC Comics!