Preview Draft

Poison Ivy: Rebirth

Issue 1

"Rebirth"

by

Chloe

Draft 1.0 - 25 August

@RebirthIvy - Twitter

PoisonKisses -- AO3

PAGE 1

PANEL 1

Isn't this exciting? Ok, our first series of panels are mirrors of each other, Eight panels in total--four pairs. This panel is an Oak blossom in closeup.

CAPTION

(IVY, a green panel with the edges wrapped in vines) Birth...

PANEL 2

The mirror of the previous panel, this is a closeup of a human or mammalian unfertilized Ova.

CAPTION

(IVY) It is painful. Messy.

PANEL 3

A honeybee is crawling over the Oak blossom

CAPTION

(IVY) We are the products of our genetic donors' desire--our parents' desire--to pass on their genes...

PANEL 4

A mass of sperm cells crowd around the Ova, attempting to fertilize it.

CAPTION

(IVY) By any means necessary

PANEL 5

An acorn dangling from a branch.

CAPTION

(IVY) No matter what species we are, or even what kingdom...

PANEL 6

A human embryo

CAPTION

(IVY) We all share the same struggle, the same burning instinct to survive.

PANEL 7

A tiny oak sapling

CAPTION

(IVY)We are products of both our natures...

PANEL 8

A doctor is handing a newborn infant to a sweaty woman with fiery red hair. She's clearly just given birth. A man is leaning next to her, a look of wonder on his face. These are IVY's MOTHER and FATHER.

CAPTION

(IVY) and our environments.

PAGE 2

PANEL 1

This page will be 5 more panels. The first four are continued mirrors in the way page one was. We see the sapling has grown, leaning in a winter scene as an ice storm rages around it.

CAPTION

(IVY) We grow. We change. We evolve. We adapt.

PANEL 2

The mirror of the first, we see an image of a young woman with red hair strapped to a gurney, a look of terror on her face. In the foreground is a syringe with a toxic green liquid. This is young Pamela Isley, aka IVY, and the unseen man (other than his hands) is WOODRUE.

CAPTION

(IVY) We weather our storms. No matter what, we find a way to survive.

PANEL 3

Spectacularly we see the sapling, now a young oak tree, being struck by a bolt of lightning.

CAPTION

(IVY) We are all, however, still a part of the Cycle of Life and Death--eventually we face threats we cannot so easily overcome.

PANEL 4

We see IVY, standing in a bus terminal, her eyes closed and turned toward the camera, a crumpled schedule in her hand and tears on her face. DARSHAN is standing next to her, his face downcast.

CAPTION

(IVY) Some of us find a way to be reborn. Some of us come back...

PANEL 5

This panel is larger and covers the bottom of the page. We see the burned tree, limbless and dead? Except, on one branch, we see a new leaf--new life--budding out

CAPTION

(IVY) Birth is painful. Messy. Hard. I've discovered, however, something even harder. Messier. More painful...

PAGE 3

PANEL 1

Title page, double sided splash, credits. We see a huge, glowing pod, eerie green color, and buried deep inside and visible through the translucent membrane of the chrysalis, we can see the slim form of a woman in near fetal position.

CAPTION

(IVY) REBIRTH.

IVY

(OFF) Shimmy girls!

PAGE 4

PANEL 1

Wide panel, we find ourselves viewing IVY in the center, dressed in a belly dancing costume, American Tribal Style (Photo reference) surrounded by a couple dozen little girls, ranging from age 6 - age 12, dressed in similar, non-sexualized, versions (Photo reference). All of them are dancing, smiling, happy. Even Ivy has a smile on her lips.

IVY

Shimmy!

PANEL 2

Wide panel, we pan out to see a class going on through a set of gym doors propped open. IVY and the children are dancing, she's in the center, the girls in a loose circle around her. There is a sign on the right side of the panel.

SIGN

Saturday 9-10 Belly Dance for Kids! By Dr. P. Isley. Seven Pines Community Center.

IVY

Now arms!

PANEL 3

Close on IVY's face. She's wearing pieces of costume jewelry (photo reference) and sparkly eyeshadow. More importantly, she's genuinely smiling, a rarity.

CAPTION

(IVY) Most people who claim to know me would probably be shocked to see me here, dancing.

IVY

Now your middles! Shake your middles, girls!

PANEL 4

IVY in mid dance, her hips cocked to one side, arms overhead. All the girls around her, again happy and clearly having a blast, have their arms over their heads as well.

CAPTION

(IVY) Belly Dance. Something I picked up years ago. Hazards of spending time with passionate activist women, and like everything else, when I become interested in a thing...

IVY

Now legs! Shake your legs!

PANEL 5

IVY with her hands on her hips, one long leg extended. All around her, the girls are also sticking their legs out and shaking them

CAPTION

(IVY)I master it.

IVY

(Emphasis) OPA!

THE GIRLS

(Emphasis) OPA!

CAPTION

(IVY)I am Poison Ivy

PAGE 5

PANEL 1

Double panel. The girls are all dancing crazy, and Ivy is laughing, eyes shining.

CAPTION

(IVY)Twice a month I hold this class, free for the children of Seven Pines, this little town I've come to call home.

IVY

Now free dance! Free dance!

PANEL 2

Focus on the girls, dancing informally, dancing the way only children can.

CAPTION

(IVY) They are all very poor. Seven Pines has suffered for decades--the lumber industry departed and the economy crashed. Unemployment. Drugs. Anger.

PANEL 3

Ivy sitting on her knees, hands on her legs, and the girls in a circle around her, mirroring her posture. They all look tired, flushed, and happy. Breathing hard. It was a workout!

CAPTION

(IVY) I started it on a whim, a way to fill up my time. If I'm honest, I never expected it to take off.

IVY

Now, what did we learn today ladies?

PANEL 4

The girls are raising hands. IVY is using her fingers to flip her hair out of her face and calling on them

CAPTION

(IVY) Now I'm considering starting another class. I don't like turning girls away.

GIRL 1

We learned Arm Under lations!

PANEL 5

Ivy is smiling indulgently.

PANEL

(IVY) Parents were concerned at first, of course. Belly Dance has a sensual reputation. When it first arrived in the west, it was exotic...fetishized

IVY

That's right! Arm undulations. Show me girls!

PANEL 6

All the girls extend their arms. There is giggling. Ivy is clapping, clearly playing to her child audience.

PANEL

(IVY) Men turned what was a popular, tribal dance tradition into a highly sexualized, fetishized fantasy.

IVY

Now, girls. What is the rule for every end of class?

PANEL

(IVY) I can relate.