Black Orchid
Although there are a few other stories involving the Black Orchid, not all of them show
her masking or unmasking. The only issue that I haven't found is "Phantom Stranger" #34.
When I find it, I'll add any scenes it may have. Her short spanned career only involved
10 or 11 comics that I know of. Pity that...
Adventure Comics #428 & #429
The first appearance of the Black Orchid!
Our heroine helps an investigator bust up
a ring of murderous smugglers by disguising herself as his maid.
In her next appearance, she disguises herself as a luxury cruise
dancing girl, to trick her boyfriend into incriminating himself.
Phantom Stranger back-up stories
Issues #31 - #41
Issue #32 "The Crime of the Black Orchid"
Black Orchid discovers someone has been impersonating her to commit robberies!
She goes undercover to her usual underworld eavesdrop sites to find out who!
Issue #35 "Operation Frame-Up"
Black Orchid uncovers a gang who commits crimes and then frames them on others,
using elaborate gimmicks and rubber masks.
They won't beat her at her own game!
Issue #36 "The Crime Computer"
Continuing her efforts to out-baffle the frame-up gang, Black Orchid sets up an
intricate con of her own!
Issue #38 "The Secret of the Black Orchid"
This time she infiltrates a ring of bank thieves, disguised as the boss' girlfriend.
I like that at one point, she tells him, "I'm bored! I'm gonna go fix my face!"
By the time the gang figures out what's going on, it's too late.
Issue #39 "The Legion of the Black Orchid"
Ronne Kuhn, a little rich girl who deeply wishes she could be like the Black Orchid,
just may get her wish. A group of women who claim to be the Black Orchid want her
to join their team. They explain to her how they each have a special talent, and use them
at different times to make it appear as though the Black Orchid is only one woman with
many powers! They show her around their base, including the lab where they can make
realistic rubberoid masks of any person they like!
Ends up, they're really a gang of thieves who are tricking Ronne into being their scapegoat
on their next big heist. The real Black Orchid steps in and helps Ronne out of her jam!
For that one night, though, the police are convinced she's really the Black Orchid.
Black Orchid: Book One
by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean
The final unmasking of our heroine! Just when you think there's going to be a
regular comic with great female masks, they go and kill the main character,
just to have her reborn with a completely different style!
Fooey!
Back to Comics Page
In her next appearance, she disguises herself as a luxury cruise
dancing girl, to trick her boyfriend into incriminating himself.
Phantom Stranger back-up stories
Issues #31 - #41
Issue #32 "The Crime of the Black Orchid"
Black Orchid discovers someone has been impersonating her to commit robberies!
She goes undercover to her usual underworld eavesdrop sites to find out who!
Issue #35 "Operation Frame-Up"
Black Orchid uncovers a gang who commits crimes and then frames them on others,
using elaborate gimmicks and rubber masks.
They won't beat her at her own game!
Issue #36 "The Crime Computer"
Continuing her efforts to out-baffle the frame-up gang, Black Orchid sets up an
intricate con of her own!
Issue #38 "The Secret of the Black Orchid"
This time she infiltrates a ring of bank thieves, disguised as the boss' girlfriend.
I like that at one point, she tells him, "I'm bored! I'm gonna go fix my face!"
By the time the gang figures out what's going on, it's too late.
Issue #39 "The Legion of the Black Orchid"
Ronne Kuhn, a little rich girl who deeply wishes she could be like the Black Orchid,
just may get her wish. A group of women who claim to be the Black Orchid want her
to join their team. They explain to her how they each have a special talent, and use them
at different times to make it appear as though the Black Orchid is only one woman with
many powers! They show her around their base, including the lab where they can make
realistic rubberoid masks of any person they like!
Ends up, they're really a gang of thieves who are tricking Ronne into being their scapegoat
on their next big heist. The real Black Orchid steps in and helps Ronne out of her jam!
For that one night, though, the police are convinced she's really the Black Orchid.
Black Orchid: Book One
by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean
The final unmasking of our heroine! Just when you think there's going to be a
regular comic with great female masks, they go and kill the main character,
just to have her reborn with a completely different style!
Fooey!
Back to Comics Page