Shaft #1

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Deprecated function: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in require_once() (line 132 of sites/all/libraries/bad-behavior/bad-behavior/core.inc.php).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $type declared before required parameter $key is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $data declared before required parameter $name is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
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Deprecated function: Optional parameter $file declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $account declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $entity declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $account declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $values declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $view_mode declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $langcode declared before required parameter $entity_type is implicitly treated as a required parameter in require_once() (line 342 of includes/module.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $view_mode declared before required parameter $langcode is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $terms declared before required parameter $node is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
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Deprecated function: Return type of EntityStructureWrapper::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 292 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetExists($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetGet($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetSet($delta, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::offsetUnset($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityListWrapper::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 991 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::hasChildren() should either be compatible with RecursiveIterator::hasChildren(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::getChildren() should either be compatible with RecursiveIterator::getChildren(): ?RecursiveIterator, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::current() should either be compatible with Iterator::current(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::next() should either be compatible with Iterator::next(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::key() should either be compatible with Iterator::key(): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::valid() should either be compatible with Iterator::valid(): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataWrapperIterator::rewind() should either be compatible with Iterator::rewind(): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1192 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetExists($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetGet($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetSet($delta, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::offsetUnset($delta) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::count() should either be compatible with Countable::count(): int, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).
Deprecated function: Return type of EntityMetadataArrayObject::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in include_once() (line 1235 of sites/all/modules/entity/includes/entity.wrapper.inc).

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Submitted by Chris Delloiacono on Thu, 12/04/2014 - 23:31

I met Richard Roundtree a few years back at a convention. All I could do was shake the man's hand and say thank you. I was completely star struck. Roundtree's powerful presence and commanding demeanor were still evident decades after starring in "Shaft" and it's two sequels. Considering that Sam Jackson also starred as "Shaf,t" it's going to take a talented creative team to bring that type of style and presence to a comic page.

It all starts with David Walker who gets who John Shaft is and what makes him tick. I recently read an interview with Walker and he's basically a historian of the blaxploitation genre and an avid reader of Ernest Tidyman's original "Shaft" books. Damn right! Walker's story is a prequel to the material that's come before. It follows Shaft as a rising boxer. The pugilistic arts have always been a notoriously dirty field and this gritty late '60s version is bleak as can be.

There is strong foreshadowing for those that know what Shaft becomes. The story feels important and that's not always the case with prequels. Obviously, we know Shaft is going to survive, yet Walker instills a sense of danger in the proceedings. Not to mention, the story is well structured so you're getting a lengthy bit of story. No doubt about it, this is top tier comic writing.

Bilquis Evely brings the world to vivid life. She adds so much detail to this seedy, sordid tale. Her characters express a range of emotions and never appear static. Couple that with the colors of Daniela Miwa and the late '60s explodes off the page. Shaft's world isn't easy or pretty. Yet, all the ugliness is just so beautiful to look at. Artistically you can't ask for more! This comic is a bad mother....

Grade:

4.5 / 5.0