Rating: 
Summary: An excellent early collaboration between Gaiman and McKean
Review: People familiar with "The Sandman" series should get their hands on "Black Orchid", an early collaboration between writer Gaiman and artist Dave McKean (who designed the truly original covers for "The Sandman"). It injects a new style into the portrayal of comic book superheroes, and there's even a neat homage to Hitchcock's "Psycho" in the first few pages!
Rating: 
Summary: Kind of a disappointment . . .
Review: This book, published originally in three installments, is regarded as a turning point in graphic fiction, like DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN, but I just don't see it. Generally speaking, I like Gaiman's story lines, but this time it's all just confusing. The title character, a crime fighter superhero trying to infiltrate a mob, is killed in the first few pages -- but there's more of her back in the greenhouse so all is not lost. Or something. A newly hatched flower-woman, who seems to share some of the dead one's memories, sets out to uncover her identity. I think. The mob is run by Lex Luthor (why?), who wants to capture her and/or her little sister (or whatever) for dissection. But Carl, just out of prison, who used to work for Luthor and who previously murdered his wife, upon whom the orchids were based, can't get his job back and wants to get even with everyone. This guy is a loser and screw-up -- but suddenly, in the last installment, the action having relocated to the Amazon Basin, he becomes a very talented and successful jungle killer. (How?) Other people from the back-story weave in and out of the plot, including one who became the Swamp Thing, but none of what they say or do makes much sense. And why does Batman get a cameo? (Not to mentioned assorted bad guys from Gotham?) McKean's artwork is interesting for its own sake, owing more to oil painting than the usual sort of airbrush work, but all in all, I have to give this a shrug.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad but not great either
Review: this is the one gaiman/mckean work that had escaped my collection until recently and to tell the truth I was a bit disappointed. the artwork is excellent (mckean always is excellent) but not as inventive as his later work. and I think gaiman definitely is way too political in this book. his blatant statements about the environment are nothing short of spelled out. As far as putting in other DC Universe characters; I , for one, expect more creativity from Gaiman. The cameos were too simple and didn't really add to the story. More a marketing ploy really, I think. this is a fine piece of work, but I would suggest others by gaiman such as: anything from the sandman series, violent cases, angels and visitations or neverwhere. on the mckean side I would suggest cages or arkham asylum.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive
Review: This TPB was very strong. I love the art, the dialogue, nearly everything about it. Sure, there are "distracting" cameos by Swamp Thing and Batman, but when you realize the context in which this is made (McKean wanted to draw rainforests and Swamp Thing, and DC didn't want to stray too far from the mainstream), then you can thoroughly enjoy this, in my opinion.
It's not the most intellectually stimulating work, but it's enjoyable, and I find it to be a great book to pick up when you don't want to analyze too much.
In addition, I find McKean's depictions of Luthor and the Mad Hatter to be classic.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive
Review: This TPB was very strong. I love the art, the dialogue, nearly everything about it. Sure, there are "distracting" cameos by Swamp Thing and Batman, but when you realize the context in which this is made (McKean wanted to draw rainforests and Swamp Thing, and DC didn't want to stray too far from the mainstream), then you can thoroughly enjoy this, in my opinion.
It's not the most intellectually stimulating work, but it's enjoyable, and I find it to be a great book to pick up when you don't want to analyze too much.
In addition, I find McKean's depictions of Luthor and the Mad Hatter to be classic.
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