The Facts

Series: Women of the DC Universe Series 3
Manufacturer: DC Direct
Released: March 2, 2011
Size: 7″ tall (5″ at top of head)
Edition Size: 4000

The Good

Poison Ivy. The green version. In minibust form. Need I say more? I’ve always been a big fan of the green style Ivy, and this piece designed by Amanda Conner does a beautiful job of capturing what makes the character so appealing, namely her sultry beauty and her passion for the greenery. Each of the Amanda Conner designed busts thus far have been sculpted by the talented Jack Mathews, but this was the first of the series to be sculpted by Jim Mattox. Mattox has done a great job of bringing Conner’s interpretation to life with this bust, though the final product strays from the source material a bit. Honestly I feel that Mattox’s sculpt looks as much inspired by the Batman Animated Series, which is not a bad thing in the least. The paint scheme on Ivy is terrific, with a “dirty” wash done on the leaves and even her costume to an extent. The orange and green contrast is one of those things that makes Ivy’s appearance so interesting, and with bright, vibrant colors the paint really helps bring that trait to the forefront. The only flaw I can pick on regarding the paint scheme is the glossy paint given to hair – usually these busts are given a multi-tone, sandy paint application. With an edition size of 4,000 pieces, this bust won’t end up incredibly hard to find, but I’m glad to see the edition size decrease a bit from previous busts. Personally I think 3,000 should be the maximum on this kind of thing.

The Bad

As fascinating of a bust that this is, her pose just doesn’t fit with the rest of the Women of the DC Universe line. Every bust to date has been at more or less the same eye level and plane of vision, but Ivy is seen with her arm stretched upward and her head in the same direction. It really looks great from an upward angle, but unless you’re displaying it on a lower shelf you’re not going to get that view. While the sculpt and detail are outstanding, I have found a few small nicks in the sculpt itself – not paint, but marks that look like small chips in the cast. They’re not readily noticeable, but can be spotted with minor scrutiny. When handling the bust, make sure you’re careful of the small pieces of grass on the right side and near her left leg. These look to be *very* brittle and I could see them as potential problem spots for those less-careful in handling their statues.

Conclusion

The Conner series has been somewhat hit and miss, but Ivy is well worth picking up, especially given the rarity and aftermarket price of the other Ivy bust in this line (series 1 from Adam Hughes). This statue’s retail price was $60.00, but it can be had for far less than that. I acquired mine from Things From Another World for $48.00 (preorder price), and of course you can always find them on eBay.