Back in 1971, a movie hit screens that took the film world by storm and became one of the most popular blaxploitation movies ever – I’m talkin’ ’bout Shaft (can you dig it?). Of course, even those who haven’t seen the movie (or its sequels or the 2000 remake or read the novels) probably know that Shaft’s “the black private dick that’s a sex machine to all the chicks”. And in 2015, Dynamite brought him back in comicbook form with Shaft: A Complicated Man. 

Written by  David F. Walker (who has done some great work with Marvel, most notably on Luke Cage titles), this book takes a look at Shaft’s backstory, exploring where he got his start. Readers see him returning from a tour in Vietnam and taking on his first case. Not surprisingly, things don’t go well and what had been simply a missing person investigation becomes a matter of life and death.

This is a good read if you’re into Shaft and want to know more about how he got his big reputation. It adds a lot of depth to the character. The writing is as smooth as the man himself and the art has a 70s comicbook vibe to it, which really helps put things in a groove. It’s a story that will keep readers interested, moving along at a good pace and leading to a satisfying conclusion.