The following contains spoilers for Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
Poison Ivy's ex-girlfriend Bella Garten, also known as the Gardener, makes an unexpected reappearance at the end of DC's Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats #1.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats #1 comes from writer Tee Franklin, penciler Shae Beagle, inkers Roberto Poggi and Beagle, colorer Lee Loughridge and letterer Taylor Esposito. The spin-off series is set directly after the third season of the animated Harley Quinn series, which recently premiered on HBO Max. In the issue, Harley has decided to team up with the Bat Family while Ivy has set her sights on joining the Legion of Doom. While fighting on opposing sides of good and evil might make things slightly more complicated, the two are also focused on their relationship first and foremost.
Near the end of the issue, the duo is attempting to assemble a new team of supervillains for Ivy to work with when Harley dozes off to sleep. Ivy narrates while carrying her to bed, "I'm not a fan of you playing hero, but I will support you as you follow your dreams...despite you ruining mine. Like my college friend Bella and I did." The final page of Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats #1 reveals Bella is more than just a distant memory; rather, she's seen watching Tawny Young's broadcast explaining how Harley saved Gotham from Ivy's plants during the Harley Quinn: Season 3 finale. "Look at you, terraforming Gotham into Edin, making your dreams come true," Bella says. "That's my girl. I knew you were destined for greatness from the moment I saw you in the bio lab preparing to test for simple sugars, Ivy. I think it's time for Ivy and Bella to have an impromptu class reunion."
Who Is Bella Garten?
First appearing in Batman #107 (by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles), Bella Garten has the power to control animal-plant hybrid creatures. She and Poison Ivy dated one another while they attended college, but the two eventually broke up due to differing opinions on how far they wanted to descend into villainy.
Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - Legion of Bats #1 features cover art by Yoshi Yoshitani and variant cover art by Dan Hipp, Logan Faerber and Jess Taylor. The issue is on sale now from DC.
Source: DC