Review – Shaft #1 (Dynamite Comics)

Publisher: Dynamite
Writer: David F Walker
Artist: Bilquis Evely, Daniela Miwa (Colours)
Release Date: 3rd December

Dynamite’s list of current titles reads like a who’s who of classic characters and cult icons. The latest addition to the company’s increasingly impressive roster is none other than “the man who would risk his neck for his fellow man”, John Shaft, a character immortalised by Richard Roundtree in the seminal 1971 Blaxploitation film.

The first thing that grabs your attention about this book, is how stunning it is to look at. Bilquis Evely is a name I was unfamiliar with before reading this, but it’s one I’ll be keeping a keen eye out for in future. Her artwork has a classic ‘70s feel reminiscent of Neal Adams in his heyday, and one full page splash in particular reminded me of his iconic ‘Ali v Superman’ cover. Characters are elegant, natural, and superbly detailed with just a hint of roughness to them, which gives it the edgy feel the book needs. The excellence extends to the environments, too, each of which exude a palpable feeling consistent with the setting, thanks mainly to the exemplary colour work of Daniela Miwa.

From a writing perspective, David F. Walker establishes a strong, confident tone from the outset, weaving the theme of ‘choice’ neatly throughout the narrative without sounding preachy or contrived. He depicts Shaft as principled, thoughtful, and iron-willed; a man unafraid of reputation or threat, constantly fighting (in one form or another) to survive. Dialogue in the main is kept to a minimum, but certainly doesn’t pull any punches. The script is raw, incisive, and perfectly captures the cynical tone of the Blaxploitation era, where each character seems laden with an inherent anger, and a deep sense of mistrust.

Shaft was not a book I was actively looking to pick up, but it’s one I won’t be missing from this point on. Slick dialogue, superb art, and central character who’s as cool as they come. Need I say more?

Rating: 5/5.

The Writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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