Black Orchid is an American comic book written by Neil Gaiman with art by Dave McKean.

It was published by DC Comics as a three-issue limited series from December 1988 to February 1989, and was later reprinted in trade paperback form.

Their journey to find out who they are leads them into contact with DC Universe figures like Batman and Swamp Thing, but also into conflict with criminal mastermind Lex Luthor, who seeks them for his own interests.

Gaiman and McKean developed the series after meeting with Jenette Kahn, Dick Giordano, and Karen Berger in early 1987.

The two pitched several ideas for series, but were ultimately assigned Black Orchid because all other characters they wanted to work on were in use at the time.

DC nearly canceled the series due to fears it would fail commercially, but relented after McKean finished the art.

It also inspired a short-lived ongoing series published under DC's alternative imprint Vertigo from September 1993 to June 1995.

She was the first superhero to debut as the cover feature of the series since Starman in 1941; she was not given an origin story and her personal life was not shown.

After a three-issue run in Adventure Comics, Black Orchid quickly faded into obscurity, but sporadically made guest appearances in other DC publications.

Gaiman met painter Dave McKean while working on an unreleased comic called Borderline; the two then went on to produce Violent Cases.

Gaiman and McKean pitched series featuring John Constantine, the Sandman, the Phantom Stranger, and Green Arrow, among others.

[5] As they walked away, McKean expressed disappointment that they were assigned Black Orchid, as he wished to produce a comic featuring Swamp Thing and rainforests.

The scene did not make it into later drafts because Roy Thomas was using the characters in Infinity, Inc. Gaiman used these concepts in a pitch for a new series, which became The Sandman.

According to Gaiman, Berger said DC was considering placing Black Orchid on hold for at least a few years because it was expected to be a financial failure: comics featuring female characters did not sell well, and while Gaiman, McKean, and the Black Orchid character were virtually unknown, the project was as big as the influential Frank Miller series The Dark Knight Returns.

[5][11] DC wanted Gaiman to start working on an ongoing series and McKean to paint Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth so they could build reputations, and then return to Black Orchid afterwards.

[5] The postponing ultimately did not happen because Arkham Asylum began to experience delays, which allowed McKean to finish Black Orchid.

Only Sylvian remains his old self: Woodrue was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum; Isley became Poison Ivy; and Holland was allegedly murdered.

[18] The Sequart Organization agreed and stated that it provided readers an intricate and vast world, something they considered rare for a relatively short series.

[9] In addition, Black Orchid helped bolster Gaiman's career and established many themes that became common in his works.

[9] After DC launched its Vertigo imprint, it started publishing a Black Orchid ongoing series in September 1993.