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One of Gaiman’s apprenticeship works in which his dialog and narration are sometimes close to being melodramatic. I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting a superhero book but it was lovely to have Gaiman’s deft hands work Batman, Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy. Gaiman is a natural storyteller but an added bonus is the feminist theme. I was pleasantly surprised and I wish Gaiman would do some more mainstream superhero stuff since I always enjoy it when he does.
I'd been trying to find a printed copy of Black Orchid since I was first exposed to comic books as a young adult (via Neil Gaiman's Ultimate Sandman books), 15 years ago. I was under the impression that this was his first comic book for a U.S. publisher, but it went out of print ages ago. Apparently it was reprinted with some nice intro/afterward padding some time in the last seven years, and I stumbled upon it with excitement while shelving in my public library. Considering this was written and
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It was ok. It was also trying too hard to be deep and meaningful and spiritual. The art was cool, the writing was cool, the story was...eh. Just eh. I was a bit bored with it and have read better work by Gaiman and seen better art with him too. I think part of the problem was that (for all its attempts at mysticism) Black Orchid, as a character, was a snooze. Whichever incarnation was front and center at the time, she was a dud. Gaiman is better then this.
It's perhaps because I'm not used to the universe this book was set in, but I had a hard time getting into it. The only person referenced I knew of was The Swamp Thing. Oh, I think there was Batman, too... (It's been more than a month since I've read this book.)
I'm glad I read it in a bookstore, instead of buying it. ...more
I'm glad I read it in a bookstore, instead of buying it. ...more
Nov 10, 2008
Emma
marked it as to-read
Mar 20, 2009
usagi ☆ミ
marked it as to-read
Jun 29, 2011
~Sara~
marked it as to-read
Apr 21, 2012
Adam Daniels
marked it as to-read
