Comic Title: Black Orchid #2
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 1989
On Sale Date: December 6, 1988 Shipping Date December 6, 1988
Source: Direct Currents, #11

Shipping Date December 8, 1988
Source: Amazing Heroes, #153

Direct Market Date December 8, 1988
Source: Comic Shop News, #75, #76

Cover Price: $3.50
Page Count: 48
Editor: Karen Berger

Title: "Going Down..."
Pages: 48

Feature(s):
Black Orchid (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: Dave McKean
Letterer: Todd Klein

Reprinted In:
Black Orchid TPB (1991)
Black Orchid HC (2012)

Feature Character(s)

• Black Orchid II (last appearance in Black Orchid #1; next appearance in Black Orchid #3)

Guest Star(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2; next appearance in Justice League Europe #9)
• Poison Ivy (last appearance in Secret Origins #36; next appearance in Suicide Squad #33)

Supporting Character(s)

• Suzy (first appearance; a younger version of the Black Orchid; last appearance in Black Orchid #1; next appearance in Black Orchid #3)

Villain(s)

• Lex Luthor (last appearance in Black Orchid #1; next appearance in Black Orchid #3)
• Carl Thorne (last appearance in Black Orchid #1; next appearance in Black Orchid #3)
• Brad (last appearance in Black Orchid #1; next appearance in Black Orchid #3)
• Luthor's henchmen (no further appearances)
• Sandra (Luthor's administrator; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Mad Hatter (last appearance in Arkham Asylum HC; no further appearances)
• Two-Face (last appearance in Arkham Asylum HC; next appearance in Doctor Fate #19)
• Joker (last appearance in Arkham Asylum HC; next appearance in Batman #450)
• Riddler (last appearance in Secret Origins Special #1; next appearance in Batman #452)
• Doctor Destiny (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Arkham Asylum HC; no further appearances)
• Doctor Phosphorus (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Philip Sylvian (also appears in flashback; dies in this story; last appearance in Black Orchid #1; no further appearances)
• Susan Linden (dies in flashback; last appearance in Black Orchid #1; no further appearances)
• Several other Black Orchids (destroyed in this story; no further appearances)
• Elyssa (Luthor's lover; no further appearances)
• Dan (an informant; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story is continued from Black Orchid #1 and continues in Black Orchid #3.

Synopsis:
Carl Thorne breaks into the home of Philip Sylvian and beats him to death. In the process, he also destroys Sylvian's laboratory and research. In the lab he finds several plant women in various stages of growth. They all resemble Thorne's dead wife Susan who provided the DNA template for Sylvian. Thorne kills all but one young woman who escapes.

Thorne then contacts Lex Luthor, hoping the discovery of the lab will earn him a job. However, when Luthor arrives, he finds that all the research was destroyed during Thorne's rampage. Luthor orders a search for the escaped girl, then gives instructions to kill Thorne.

The young girl who begins calling herself Suzy meets the mature Black Orchid outside. They watch Luthor's men search the house. Next they rescue Thorne because they faintly remember him from Susan's past. Finally the mature Black Orchid leads the pair to Gotham City to search for Jason Woodrue.

The search comes up empty at Arkham Asylum. However, she encounters Batman who gives her access to Arkham's basement in order to question Pamela Isley, a former colleague of Sylvian. While the Orchid pursues an ultimately fruitless meeting with Isley, Luthor's people find and abduct Suzy. Another meeting with Batman sends the Orchid toward Louisiana to begin a search for the Swamp Thing. She must leave without Suzy though, for she can find no trace of her sister.