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Neil Gaiman
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Black Orchid Paperback – September 1, 1991

by Neil Gaiman (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings
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Susan Linden is murdered and reborn as the Black Orchid, a plant-human hybrid, determined to avenge her death and understand the deception and secrets that led to it.
Previous page
  1. Part of Series
    Black Orchid (1988-1989)
  2. Print length
    160 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Vertigo
  5. Publication date
    September 1, 1991
  6. Dimensions
    6.75 x 0.38 x 10.25 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0930289552
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0930289553
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vertigo; First Edition (September 1, 1991)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0930289552
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0930289553
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 0.38 x 10.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings

About the author

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Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

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Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
69 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Heather
5.0 out of 5 stars Poignant and Pretty
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2022
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It was such a good comic to delve into for a bit. The art was also lovely. Definitely recommend for folks interested in Gaiman's writing
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Schtinky
4.0 out of 5 stars Black Orchid caused my love of Graphic Novels to bloom!
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2004
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I am not a DC comic fan or collector, so please bear with me in giving you this review from a non-comic owner perspective.
While not a follower of the comics, I do love Neil Gaiman. This is the story of how Black Orchid comes to life and seeks out a meaning for, literally, the life given to her. She wants answers to the questions "Who am I? Why am I here?" and is desperate to find a place that she will belong.
Her tale is told with cameo appearances by Batman, Swamp Thing, and Poison Ivy; and you should not miss the nightmarish visit to the Arkham Asylum where a skeletal, sleepless man spills his nightmares on the floor, and the x-ray man weeps burning tears onto the floor.
She awakens as the Black Orchid in the greenhouse at Dr. Phillip Sylvian, with the memories of a woman named Susan Linden. Phil tells her about a little of her background, and tells her of those who he went to college with, without whom she would not be alive; Dr. Jason Woodrue, Pamela Isley and Alec Holland.
But before he can reveal everything to her, Phil is killed and the Black Orchid is on her own. Her ex husband Carl Thorne finds out about her plant-reincarnation, and makes a visit to her, killing all but one of the smaller plants that Phil has been nurturing. Black Orchid takes the little one with her, "Suzy", to Gotham city where a tip from a friend sends her off along to Arkham Asylum to speak with Poison Ivy. Suzy is snatched by Lexcorp, but after a quick visit with Swamp Thing, Black Orchid rescues Suzy and they fly off to the Amazon Rainforest where Black Orchid can plant her seeds.
But there are still those who hunt her down; her ex husband who is trying to kill her again, and the Lexcorp minions sent into the rainforest to bring her back alive so that she can be dissected. What a girl...er...plant, to do?
Brief comic strip type prose does not stop Gaiman from bringing to life a fully fleshed out story, and the artwork of Dave McKean is to be applauded. Moving from shades of gray to brilliantly splashed pages of vibrant color, he paints brutality, horror, and the sereneness of nature in the same ethereal fashion. This is an excellent choice for those who are just starting to dip their toes and get their feet wet in the world of Graphic Novels. Enjoy!
34 people found this helpful
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Ileia Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Graphic Novel
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2009
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This graphic novel is about a woman who has been turned into a flowerlike entity as a result of a science experiment, the Black Orchid must reconcile her human memories with her botanical origins. There are many cameos from Batman,Poison Ivy...She is a plant reincarnation trying to find her place. I am not an avid reader, but Neil is great. I haven't read him in a while, but I will be getting back into his amazing works. The artwork is done by Dave McKean and it is brilliant and beautiful, even though it is a little dark. It's a great read, and thought provoking.
One person found this helpful
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Jeffrey A. Veyera
3.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Story From the Protean Days of Gaiman/McKean
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2000
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Fans of the Neil Gaiman/Dave McKean collaboration which revolutionized the comic art form will find "Black Orchid" an interesting look back at this alliance in its infancy. The story itself is not quite as laudable on its own merits, however.
Gaiman continues his early apprenticeship under Alan Moore and Rick Veitch here, and this work could be viewed as an open homage to the latter's run on "Swamp Thing." The stable of Swamp Thing characters appear here at various points and fans of this comic will undoubtedly find the tale familiar.
Of greater interest is Gaiman's attempt to take an obscure DC character and breath fresh life (and a bit of the supernatural) into it. While the initial shock of how he intends "Black Orchid" to depart from the conventions of the superhero genre is spoiled by the introduction (trust me: read this LAST), it still has impact, and shows the audacity we would come to expect of Gaiman later.
The rest of the tale doesn't quite hold up. Perhaps Gaiman lost steam after the breathtaking first installment and didn't know quite how to wrap it up; perhaps giving birth to The Sandman soaked up all his creative oxygen and left this story in the lurch. Regardless, the last few chapters of the story meander all over the place and resolve themselves in a wholly unsatisfactory manner.
The artwork is vintage McKean and quite beautiful. The illustrator shows a great willingness to take chances with perspective and color to enhance the narrative and it is clear that McKean at this early stage possesses more confidence than Gaiman.
I recommend "Black Orchid" to Gaiman & McKean fans interested in the early stages of their partnership, warts and all, and to Swamp Thing fans curious to see how the milieu is translated by the author. Otherwise, I'm afraid this is of only marginal value to comic book readers.
28 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Vivek
5.0 out of 5 stars Not to be missed by a Neil gaiman fan
Reviewed in India on January 27, 2021
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Uniquely interesting ……… a graphic story so different from the usual bulk. A worthy collectible for any serious collector of graphic novels …… a must, if you are a Neil gaiman fan.
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Tim F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Graphic classic.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2018
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I've been after a copy of this for years but was always put off by the high asking price. It's great to have a very good second hand copy at an extremely reasonable price.
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Dean Thornton
4.0 out of 5 stars This graphic novel loks really good!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2019
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I enjoy Neil Gaimans' books, and am looking forward to starting this one. Great! Thank you.
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CassiQ
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2013
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I ordered this book and it arrived in a condition exactly described by the seller. It made a wonderful early birthday present for my friend. The illustrations are gorgeous and I feel fortunate to have found such an early edition of this book.
One person found this helpful
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TLJM
5.0 out of 5 stars Neil gaiman is a great storyteller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2013
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Loved this as I love all his other writing. If you're a fan u won't be disappointed. Still thinking about this story.
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