| Black Orchid | |
|---|---|
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:BlackO.JPG) Black Orchid's debut: Adventure Comics #428 (Aug. 1973), cover art by Bob Oksner. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #428 (July 1973) |
| Created by | Sheldon Mayer Tony DeZuniga |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego |
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| Team affiliations | Justice League Suicide Squad Parliament of Trees Justice League Dark A.R.G.U.S. |
| Abilities | Human-plant hybrid with superhuman strength, speed, agility, and durability Flight Mystical connection to the Green |
Black Orchid is a superheroine published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Adventure Comics #428 (cover-dated July 1973).[1]
The character has undergone numerous changes in her biography and powers over the years. Initially, her identity was a mystery, and her primary power was mastery of disguise, often impersonating background female characters. Various speculations about her origins were presented, but ultimately refuted.
In 1988, writer Neil Gaiman introduced an origin story for Black Orchid, giving her the name Susan Linden-Thorne and the background of a human-plant hybrid, connected to other DC Universe plant-human hybrids like Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy. After Linden was murdered by her abusive husband, her DNA was used to create plant-human hybrids, one of which took up her mantle after Linden's death. The character was relaunched again in 1993 as Flora Black, with the ability to manipulate pheromones and control minds, making her a femme fatale. This series saw Flora's demise and a younger version, Suzy, taking up the mantle of Black Orchid. In the 2011 reboot of DC's continuity, The New 52, a new version of the character named Alba Garcia was introduced. Alba is a former army private whose arms were amputated, and she transforms into a purple Swamp Thing-like creature. Her powers involve the ability to shape-shift and manipulate elemental forces.
Throughout all the different versions, the powers of the Black Orchid character have varied but generally include super strength, flight, durability, and the power of disguise or shape-shifting.
- ^ Jimenez, Phil (2008), "Black Orchid", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 52, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1