Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 Review
Writer: Ram V
Artist & Cover Artist: Mike Perkins
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Andworld Design
Variant Cover Artists: Stjepan Šejić, Mark Buckingham & Aco
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)
Release Date: August 26, 2026
His grandfather cherished his Native American heritage, and Daniel loved his grandfather. So, when Daniel asked him questions, Grandpa Bear would tell the boy stories about the history of the land beneath his feet. But Daniel isn't a boy anymore. And the people he works for engage in dangerous business. What special skill makes Daniel indispensable to them? And where will his unique abilities take him? Let’s leap into Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 and see!
Story
When Munnin arrives at the butcher shop, he finds Daniel Burroughs downstairs. The American sits before a table, with his hands bound behind his back. Men stand guard beside animal carcasses hanging from the ceiling as Munnin removes his gloves. Then, even though a sack covers Daniel's face, Munnin raises his hand to show an eye in his palm.
In Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1, Daniel wasn’t supposed to be at the butchers. He never intended to travel to England. After his stint in the military, Daniel applied for a position in the US intelligence community. Yet part of becoming a good intelligence officer is reading between the lines. So, after the officials pass on his services, Daniel follows his instincts and ends up where he’s supposed to be.
After beginning with Daniel’s capture and questioning, Ram V looks back at Daniel’s childhood. Then he shows the officials interviewing Candidate Burroughs. But when Daniel arrives at Heathrow Airport, his interview really begins. While Daniel must choose between obeying orders and following his own initiative, the British agents follow Daniel's progress and pursue another investigation. Yet, in this high-stakes game of magic and international intrigue, Daniel’s future seems anything but certain in Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1.
Art
Amid the structures glowing in the night, the iconic Tower Bridge spans the River Thames. Eschewing the narrow streets packed with cars projecting beams of light, rain pelts Munnin's brimmed hat and long coat as he strides down a dark alley. In an overexposed flashback, young Daniel and his grandfather sit on the hood of a double-cab pickup beside a field. Mike Perkins merges distant shots with close-ups to illustrate Grandpa Bear's story. Then, Daniel sits back in his chair, clad in his Army uniform, facing a questioner cloaked in shadow. Behind a two-way mirror, two men observe the test. One wears a military uniform, the other a suit.
Amid the historic architecture and fast-paced action, Mike Spicer lavishes a loaded palette on Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1. Yet darkness never seems far away. Agents obscure their identities. Interior lighting reveals portions of people but leaves other areas in shadow. The sunlight also struggles to illuminate buildings in alleys. Yet supernatural forces cast colored smoke into the air, and bright colors accompany magical ability.
Andworld Design fills white balloons and boxes with black uppercase letters. Words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Giant black letters in white boxes locate readers in space, while white letters in black rewind the clock, then propel it back to the present. Sound effects accompany mobile phones, a scuffle in an alley, and an illusion, as white letters in straight-edged black shapes fill crimson-splashed panels. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.
Final Thoughts
Daniel's mother didn't get on with Grandpa Bear. Yet the boy adored his Native American grandfather. As Grandpa Bear wove stories involving history and mythology, and intertwined them with his own past, Daniel grew up with a sensitivity to the unseen forces that influence our world. Now, Daniel Burroughs is putting those abilities to the test in the arena of international espionage in Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1.
Rating 9.8/10
To look inside see my preview of Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1.
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