Phantom Stranger #41. Will the Real Black Orchid Please Stand Up?

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. ***Those with keen memories will know that, just three months ago, I took a look at the last issue of the Bronze Age run of the Phantom Stranger's legendary comic.But the fedora-flaunting downfall of fools and fiends wasn't the only star of that book, as there was also a backup strip. One that starred none other than the Black Orchid.Or perhaps I should say it starred a whole gang of Black Orchids.For in the mag's previous issue, heiress and Black Orchid fan Ronne Kuhn had been invited to join a secret society composed entirely of Black Orchids!Yes, it was true. In a shocking development, there was never one Orchid. There were a whole bunch of them who worked together to fight crime. And so impressed by Ronne were they that they invited her to become a member of their team.But it turned out she'd been duped. They weren't Black Orchids at all. They were a gang of criminals and had…