Comments on: Black Orchid, Ecofeminism and the Feminine Superheroic

By: Mindless Ones » Blog Archive » The Theatre of the Direct Market

Mindless Ones » Blog Archive » The Theatre of the Direct Market — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:39:48 +0000

[…] revisited, exposed to the critical gaze, even, or perhaps especially, the likes of Justice Inc and Black Orchid; the more incomprehensible an obscure old superhero feels through the 80s sensibility, the more […]

By: Pb

Pb — Wed, 25 May 2011 10:33:37 +0000

In reply to Russell.

I came across it about a decade ago without even knowing it was Gaiman (who I knew only through Sandman & fairytale retellings), simply drawn in by McKean’s art.
Now I cannot read the standard superhero fare without going “so?”.

I can recommend to pick this graphic novel up & read it through.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Tue, 24 May 2011 20:40:22 +0000

In reply to Russell.

I love the way she’s illustrated in that first image, with her hair blooming upwards like a giant flower. She looks faintly unsettling and spooky – just a little bit – which I really like. If you’re not quite human anymore, I think it should be a tad uncanny.

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Tue, 24 May 2011 20:38:06 +0000

I came across it at exactly the time I wanted punchy obvious superhero fare, and I can see now exactly why it threw me completely. I wasn’t seeing the ways it subverts as the *awesome* things I would if I read it now :)

That feminism-in-the-worlds-of-Gaiman paper could be AMAZING.

By: Sarah Jackson

Sarah Jackson — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:18:27 +0000

In reply to Russell. Thank you! :-)

By: Russell

Russell — Tue, 24 May 2011 18:01:39 +0000

Funny, Black Orchid is one of the few Neil Gaiman works I haven’t checked out already, but this article has certainly increased my motivation to seek it out. Great article!