Black Orchid
DC/Vertigo.
Black
Orchid (3-issue mini; w Neil Gaiman; a Dave McKean). [Neil
Gaiman's first American comics work. There was a subsequent ongoing (not
by Gaiman and/or McKean), none of which has been collected. From DC Comics:
After being viciously murdered, Susan is reborn fully grown as the Black
Orchid, a hybrid of plant and human, in order to avenge her own death. Now
as this demigoddess attempts to reconcile her human memories and botanical
origins, she must also untangle the webs of deception and secrets that led
to her murder. Beginning in the cold streets of a heartless metropolis and
ending in the lavish heartland of the thriving Amazon, this book takes the
reader through a journey of secrets, suffering, and self-rediscovery.] Old Book of the Week 10/19/05: OK, I couldn't think of anything to go with Black Hole. But Black Orchid is also creepy and subversive, and its title starts with "Black." It is also the first American work of both Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, and is worthy of note for that alone. They took a fairly cheesy 70s character and reinvented her from the ground up (starting off by killing her). The story is part murder mystery, part super-hero comic, and part mystical allegory, and even so early in their careers, both Gaiman and McKean are already accomplished at their craft. It's a wonderful start for both men, and a shame that the character never really caught on after they moved on. 