Black Comic Books: David F. Walker

Cover of Issue 6 of the Shaft comics, written by David F. Walker.
Cover of Issue 6 of the Shaft comics, written by David F. Walker. Francesco Francavilla / Courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment
Cover of Issue 6 of the Shaft comics, written by David F. Walker.
Cover of Issue 6 of the Shaft comics, written by David F. Walker. Francesco Francavilla / Courtesy of Dynamite Entertainment

Black Comic Books: David F. Walker

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We’re continuing our weeklong series on Black comic books with writer and filmmaker David F. Walker. He has written for Marvel comics like Luke Cage, Deadpool, Occupy Avengers, Power Man and Iron Fist, and Nighthawk. He has also written for DC Comics’ Cyborg, Boom! Studios’ Planet of the Apes comic series, and Lion Forge’s Superb. Ernest Tidyman’s novel Shaft was first published in 1970 and in 1971, Gordon Parks directed the iconic blaxploitation film adaptation of Shaft, featuring Richard Roundtree as John Shaft. For the first time in almost 40 years, Walker brings Shaft back to readers in the Shaft comic series, published by Dynamite Entertainment. He is also the writer of Bitter Root, which will be published by Image Comics sometime this year. Walker joins us to discuss his writing career and how movements like #BlackHeroesMatter and The Nerds of Color community are supporting Black characters and comic book creatives.

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