Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 Review

 

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. 

Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 Preview

 

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?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1 Preview

Writer: Ram V

Artist & Cover Artist: Mike Perkins

Variant Cover Artists: Evan Cagle, Mark Buckingham, And Aco

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Series Length: 6 Issues

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: August 26, 2026

 

 

Occult Warfare Is A Fantasy…

Or Is That What They Want You To Think?

 

 

Twenty-three-year-old Darren Burroughs out of Audubon, PA, is a “gifted” rookie sent under the guise of a diplomatic aide to train with Division Nine—an obscure, outdated, and easily dismissed arm of British intelligence that specializes in dealing with paranormal incidents. In the right sort of spy circles, they’re known by a different, more feared name…“Black Tower.”

 

It’s 2026, and in the age of cyber warfare and drone strikes, someone is plotting to steal the head of a giant-king to break a centuries-old ward that has kept invading forces out of Britain. Magic and espionage collide as the Black Tower’s band of misfits, led by the enigmatic Alistair Romeo, delves into a maelstrom of spells and silencers, working against time and in the shadows to fight the esoteric battles bubbling under the surface of our visible wars.

 

Eisner Award winner Ram V (Detective Comics, The Swamp Thing) and acclaimed artist Mike Perkins (The Swamp Thing, The Bat-Man: First Knight) team up once again to bring you a contemporary spy thriller with the distinct flavor of Vertigo magic…from His Majesty with love.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

For more Vertigo #1s, see:

 

 

100 Bullets: The US of Anger #1,  

 

 

 End Of Life #1 Review, and

 

 

The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1 Review.

 

The New Gods #12 Preview

 

 

Otis Redding has lived a good life. He has been content and happy. Yet he has always looked to the sky. After seeing a star fall to the Earth, he senses that something inside him is changing. Otis feels an affinity with the birds that wheel in the air, seeking out death on the land below. Now, he realizes that his life in Van Horn, Texas, has come to an end. What happens when Otis takes to the sky? And what will his new life hold among the stars?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

The New Gods #12

Writer: Ram V

Artist: Evan Cagle

Cover Artists: Nimit Malavia, Dustin Nguy & Karl Kerschl

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

The prophesy…fulfilled?

 

It began with a prophecy. From the moment those enigmatic words were delivered from the Source, shock waves rocked the very foundation of the DCU. History was written, worlds were conquered, and a new light was shone upon the Earth. Now, in the breathtaking, reality-bending finale of Ram V and Evan Cagle’s cosmic epic, the prophecy will be fulfilled…or will it?

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

The New Gods #11 Preview

 

It's not easy to be a leader. You can't just abandon your people, and charge off across the cosmos to rescue children when they're in danger. No matter how powerful you are, and how the abducted child may be related to you. Still, when Maxwell Lord starts comparing his interstellar odyssey to people from Greek mythology, you know the stakes in this exciting space opera can only get bigger! 

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

The New Gods #11

Writer: Ram V

Artist: Evan Cagle & Denys Cowan

Cover Artists: Nimit Malavia, Anand Ramcheron & Denys Cowan

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: October 15, 2025

 

The villains of the Fourth World in the Void!

Deep in space, in an uncharted corner of the cosmos, lies an enigma—unimaginably massive while simultaneously empty, containing the echoes of an evil thought dead. And now, with the child Kamal in their grasp, the Fourth World’s most sinister villains traverse the void toward this enigma…and if they reach their destination, the universe itself may never be the same.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

The New Gods #10 Preview

 

The Nyctari are relentless. As their Bludgheist ships search the cosmos for the runaway gods, the Green Lanterns on Earth receive a desperate message. Prepare yourselves. The Nyctari are coming! Will a boy who doesn't want to fight become a pawn in this interstellar conflict?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

The New Gods #10

Writer: Ram V

Artist: Pye Parr & Evan Cagle

Cover Artists: Nimit Malavia, Yasmine Putri & Ian Bertram

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: September 17, 2025

 

Maxwell Lord makes his move!

 

Kamal has been kidnapped! Stolen away from the protection of both the New Gods and the Justice League, the child is now in the possession of Maxwell Lord—but what does Lord intend to do with the newest new god’s seemingly unlimited power? Can the heroes of the DCU and the refugees of the Fourth World save Kamal before it’s too late?

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us. 

Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #6 Preview

 

 

They say our greatest adversary is ourselves. In Mitchell Shelley's case, that's infinitely true. He has lived many lives. Mitchell has seen many ages. He has had many names. And every time Mitchell dies, he is reborn with new powers. Yet as he lives each new life on Earth, Mitchell also inhabits a place beyond time and space. 

In this final issue, Ram V concludes an epic saga that revolves around two questions. Is there a difference between saving the universe and falling in love? And secondly, if you lose your memories, is that the same as dying?

Here's all the info on this final issue from DC Connect:

 

Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #6

Writer: Ram V

Artists: Anand Rk & Mike Perkins

Colorist: Mike Spicer

Letterer: Aditya Bidikar

Cover Artists: Jeff Dèkal & Evan Cagle

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99

Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: September 3, 2025

 

The end is nigh for Resurrection Man as he suffers at the hands of his greatest enemy…himself. But can the two men put their differences aside long enough to save the universe from its imminent death? Gashadokuro has come, and he’s ready to feast!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4 Review

 

Writers: Dan Watters & Ram V

Artist: Matthew Roberts

Colorist: Trish Mulvihill

Letterer: DC Hopkins

Cover Artists: Matthew Roberts & Dave Stewart; Jenny Frison; Dani & Brad Simpson; Maria Wolf & Mike Spicer; Martin Simmonds

Publisher: Image

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 24, 2024

 

Dr Edwin Thompson hunted the Creature for thirty years, but it eluded him. Kate Marsden traveled to Peru to capture Darwin Collier. She wanted justice after he tried to drown her. When the reality of the situation grew apparent, she made a deal with Dr Thompson. Help me kill Collier, and I'll help you capture your Creature. Kate thought she had the benefit of surprise, but Collier knew she was coming and laid a trap. Now, Dr Thompson's fate is uncertain. He may be deceased. His assistant Christiano, ditto. Kate is in Collier's custody. What will the soldier with a penchant for drowning people do to her? Let's grab our knives and rifles, leap into Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4, and find out!

 

Story

The Marine Corps taught Darwin Collier how to kill. Watching the life seep out of a victim's eyes changed him. Humans once dwelt in the ocean. Collier began to wonder why we left. So he sought out people with the sea in their eyes to help them return. A business trip to Peru introduced him to the Creature. Dr Thompson’s Missing Link confirmed his beliefs. And it shed bits of itself to help him transform into its likeness.

 

In the United States, all those Collier tried to baptize into their new life died except Kate. She followed him across the world to Peru. Collier welcomes her as a disciple. He hid his transformation from others, but in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4, he reveals his changed features to her. Now, she sees through a glass darkly. Collier will use his needles, surgical thread, antiseptics, and the Creature’s shed hide to clothe her in its glory. How can she fail to recognize the gift he has bestowed upon her?

 

But Collier's misdeeds are catching up with him in Dan Watters & Ram V's story. The drug producers he helped train in military combat and surveillance found the remains of his latest victim. They won’t wait while he picks them off one by one. And then there are Christiano and Dr Thompson. The disfigured researcher tends to his wounded assistant. But when he sees the Creature, he grabs his rifle, abandons Christiano, and ventures into Collier’s sacred temple.

 

Art

Matthew Roberts shows figures treading a dirt path to the lake between stony hills in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4. A silhouette against a red field shows the man drawing his prize from the water. The narco’s eyes close as he presses the severed head of his colleague against his own. Nearby, Dr Thompson pulls his assistant from the dark water. Christiano’s face now bears similar disfiguring scars. Dr Thompson tears off a shirt sleeve. Then his eyes bulge, and he abandons Christiano. Darkness obscures his face and chest, and his eyes glow yellow as he enters the cave.

 

Trish Mulvihill paints the periphery of the cave in blues and greens. We first glimpse the Creature as a silhouette with blue eyes. Later, we see the Creature in all its green radiance. By contrast, Collier's webbed hands and the scales adorning his body are a dull and faded green. Yet his eyes glitter like gold and glow yellow as he disappears into the humid gray darkness. Red stains the dark water inside the cave, revealing the shadows of men bearing rifles as Collier seeks those who defiled his temple.

 

Uppercase black letters inhabit white dialogue balloons and gray narrative boxes. DC Hopkins' font grows bold for intonation, swells for elevated voices, and rarely shrinks. Sound effects heighten small moments, helping us hear tearing cloth and scratching claws. Yet enlarged colored dialogue joins the chorus of violence and death as Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4 reaches its crescendo. Thanks to Universal Studios, Skybound, and Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Like the disease that once ravaged Christiano, the hunger for revenge refuses to release Kate. As she seeks freedom from her torment, Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #4 ponders the difference between animals, humans, and monsters.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3 Review

 

Writers: Dan Watters & Ram V

Artist: Matthew Roberts

Colorist: Trish Mulvihill

Letterer: DC Hopkins

Cover Artists: Matthew Roberts & Dave Stewart; Julian Totino-Tedesco; Dani & Brad Simpson; Anwita Citriya; David Talaski

Publisher: Image

Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 26, 2024

 

Darwin Collier tried to kill Kate Marsden. Haunted by her brush with death, the journalist pursued the former Marine from her home in the United States to a remote village in Peru. Kate reports on what she can prove. So when fishermen pull drowning victims from the Amazon, Kate dismisses talk of a local legend. Likewise, she ignores the carved wooden images of the Creature in a vendor's stall. But then the Creature saves her from drowning. When Kate ventures into the jungle to apprehend Collier, the Creature saves her again. Or at least, so she remembers. What drives Kate and those involved in her quest? Let's grab our knives and rifles, leap into Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3, and find out!

 

Story

Collier victimized Kate. He tried to drown her in the Hudson River. She told herself she wanted justice. But the stark reality of life in the jungle leaves its mark on her. Now, she doesn't care about dragging Collier back to the United States and testifying against him in court. She just wants to kill him. The Creature may have helped her. But in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3, Kate's through being a victim. She's willing to become a monster to kill another. If the Creature can help her accomplish that, all the better!

 

The Creature victimized Dr Edwin Thompson. One swipe of its claws left Edwin disfigured. For thirty years, he’s endured people’s reactions to his appearance. The severed nerves in Edwin's face impinge on his sleep. So he fled civilization and took up the cause of his friend Dr Carl Maia. But if his mission is to understand how life evolved from the ocean to land, why is he fixated on this Creature?

 

Civilization victimized Christiano’s family. When they fell on the wrong side of the political jungle, his family fled the We’re Right And The Other Party Is Wrong crowd to live with the indigenous people of Peru. Like the fires that rise when loggers cut down trees and burn foliage to create grazing land, malaria burned through Christiano in his youth. He may not have a wooden idol of the Creature in his room at Dr Edwin Thompson's house, but he revels in the mysterious nature of the jungle and reveres the Creature as its guardian spirit.

 

Civilization victimized Darwin Collier. The Marine Corps unleashed an unquenchable thirst for violence. When they threw him out, he couldn’t adjust to civilian life. After Collier fled the United States to share his Marine Corps skills with others, his drug trafficking employers abandoned him when his hunger for death resurfaced. As he hides from civilization and those who wish to kill him, Collier finds a new purpose in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3.

 

 

Art

Kate swims in the river near Edwin's home. She doesn't know how much of what she's seen is real or imagined. The ripples in the water evoke the Creature's green, scaly hide. Yet the netting Christiano laid on the ground galvanizes her. She slices off a portion and hurls it onto Edwin’s desk. That evening, as Kate sits on the roof and watches the flames leaping above the trees, Christiano’s gaze drifts to her cigarette and the fire ravaging the packed tobacco. As Kate and Christiano share their near-death experiences, faces dance with skulls in the raging flames.

 

Trish Mulvihill lavishes a loaded palette on Matthew Roberts' relatable characters, drama-fueled encounters, and the explosive finale in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3. Light spears the muggy jungle, casting leafy shadows upon Kate’s head and shoulders. The vibrant green forest contrasts with the calming beige and tan in Edwin’s home. Still, he tames the Creature by sketching it in black and white. The yellow and orange fires reflect off rivers and streams while orange and mauve spirits invade the purple skies.

 

DC Hopkins carves uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. The font grows bold for intonation, swells for elevated voices, and never shrinks. Sound effects help us hear a knife thrust and a gunshot. Yet an enlarged final sentence may shock readers most in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3. Thanks to Universal Studios, Skybound, and Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

In Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #3, Dan Watters and Ram V pit the people who inhabit nature with those who violate it to enhance their status in civilization. The jungle of Peru becomes a battleground between those who burn for revenge and those who seek to become something more.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2 Review

 

Writers: Dan Watters & Ram V

Artist: Matthew Roberts

Colorist: Dave Stewart

Letterer: DC Hopkins

Cover Artists: Matthew Roberts & Dave Stewart; Francis Manapul; Dani & Brad Simpson; Stephanie Pepper; Christian Ward

Publisher: Image

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 29, 2024

 

Journalist Kate Marsden was on the trail of a hardened killer. Then she saw something she couldn’t comprehend. As Kate fled, she slipped while crossing a river. The current sucked her down. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't fight free. Has the Amazon claimed another victim? Let's strap on our masks and flippers, leap into Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2, and find out!

 

Story

The Marine Corps kicked out Darwin Collier for violent conduct. Police suspect him guilty of seven drownings. He tried to make Kate his eighth victim. Kate tracked his movements to Peru, where he purchased items from a local pharmacy. But then Collier left town, and Kate couldn’t find him.

 

Lately, boaters have pulled bodies from the river. Kate followed a local man who picked up the latest victim and transported it to the river. As Kate watched a boat carry it away, she heard a noise. She thought perhaps it was Collier. Instead, a strange creature met her gaze.

 

In Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2, Kate awakens in a house with an IV drip in her arm. These days, she fights the urge to sleep. Dreams follow, and they often return to the time Collier tried to drown her. The attempt left Kate feeling violated. She is strung out on amphetamines and can’t bear to let anyone touch her. She also suffers from Anoxic Brain Damage due to brain cell death from lack of oxygen.

 

But Kate isn’t frightened now. She remembers how Christiano found her by the river and that Christiano’s employer, Dr Edwin Thompson, took her in. She goes to Edwin’s laboratory, where she learns the drowning victim had black sand in his lungs. Edwin believes a mythical creature killed the drowning victim. Although Kate doesn’t want to admit it, she glimpsed the monster. But she's a journalist, grounded in accepted truth and facts. So, Kate asks Edwin to take her to the Black Lagoon. She must know she is not slowly losing grip on reality.

 

Kate Marsden claims she wants justice in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2. Like any victim, she struggles with anger from Collier's savage attack. But Kate isn't in the United States anymore. The law doesn't work the same way in Peru. Her chances of utilizing the Peruvian legal system or getting Collier extradited to the United States (assuming she could capture the former Marine) are low. Besides, she suffers from Anoxic Brain Damage. Why should anyone trust her judgment when she's unsure she can trust her memories and perceptions?

 

 

Art

Kate Marsden awakens on a cushioned rattan couch. Pulling the IV from her hand, she ignores the tropical potted plants and the jungle outside the wall of windows and heads down a hall toward Edwin's lab. Clad in surgical gear, Edwin speaks into a microphone connected to an 8 Track Tape Recorder. As smoke rises from a pipe near the table, he cuts into the body with a scalpel. Wrinkles navigate his face and neck like rivers on a map. Kate's straggly hair frames her confused expression as her wide eyes behold the dark granules on the bloody blade. Then the wind whips her hair as she sits near Christiano at the back of the boat while Edwin sits upfront, staring grimly at the jungle ahead.

 

Dave Stewart applies a loaded palette to Matthew Roberts’ realistic art in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2. Stewart paints Edwin’s lab in pale greens, blues, beiges, and grays, while Edwin’s surgical gear, lab surfaces, and a hanging screen reflect the more vibrant greens glimpsed through the tall windows. The white drowning victim looks lavender in closeups, while dark red shows within rents from whatever also tore off a portion of the man’s ear. The lavender reminds Kate of two amorphous circles shining in the darkness. The twin circles evoke jellyfish, floating wherever the currents take them. But Kate knows they're not.

 

DC Hopkins carves uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. The font grows bold for intonation, swells for elevated voices, and rarely shrinks. Spotting the man who nearly killed her sends green words into a yellow balloon. Darker green words emerge from the Burnt Umber lips enclosing a mouth filled with sharpened teeth, while yellow words signal a hail of gunfire in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2.

 

Thanks to Universal Studios, Skybound, and Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Kate Marsden grapples with local legend, an obsessed scientist, drug traffickers, a serial killer, and the limits of her exhausted body and damaged mind in Universal Monsters: Creature From The Black Lagoon Lives #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.