Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Shadow of Maul #1
Darth Maul is finally getting the spotlight he’s always deserved in the Star Wars galaxy, especially with the release of a brand-new prequel series ahead of his animated series Maul – Shadow Lord. Following Maul’s resurrection during The Clone Wars and appearances in Star Wars Rebels, we’re finally going to see the unseen chapters of the former Sith Lord’s dark journey during the Dark Times.
Before the new Maul series premieres on Disney+, the brand-new comic Shadow of Maul offers an early look at the criminal underworld Maul is about to conquer on the new world of Janix, while also introducing brand-new Star Wars characters who will play a major role in the upcoming animated series.
Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1 Debuts Captain Brander Lawson & Two Boots
The very first issue of Shadow of Maul from Benjamin Percy and Madibek Musabekov introduces readers to Captain Brander Lawson, a brand-new Star Wars character who will soon make his on-screen debut in Maul – Shadow Lord.
Formerly a bounty hunter, Lawson has now become a lawman on the remote world of Janix, a rough, crime-ridden planet that’s currently not on the Empire’s radar. In the face of massive corruption, even within Janix’s law enforcement, Lawson is shown largely operating in the gray as he’s willing to break rules and regulations to achieve actual justice.
Helping Lawson keep the peace is his droid enforcer partner, 2B0T aka Two-Boots. Together, the pair are shown in this issue doing what little they can to make even a modicum of difference.
With Shadow of Maul confirmed as a canonical prequel to Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, we know that Lawson and Two-Boots will appear in the show itself, likely as key foils to Maul himself once he sets foot on Janix to begin accumulating power within the galactic criminal underworld.
Who knows? Perhaps Lawson will even cut a deal with Maul with the goal of keeping criminal elements organized.
Maul Is Coming To Janix, Setting Up His Upcoming Status Quo In Shadow Lord
While the first issue spends most of its time establishing Lawson and Two-Boots, the real hook comes at the end of the story: Darth Maul is on his way to Janix.
The final pages reveal that the former Sith apprentice has set his sights on the planet, setting up the world as a key location in the events leading up to and during Maul – Shadow Lord.
After the fall of the Republic and the end of the Clone Wars, Maul – Shadow Lord will see the former Sith at a crossroads. Having been rejected years prior by his old master, Darth Sidious, Maul will be forced to reconcile not only with Palpatine’s new Empire but also the extinction of the Jedi, leaving Maul to carve his own new path.
As such, it should be pretty interesting to see what Maul’s journey was like before Rebels and the official formation of his crime syndicate known as Crimson Dawn.
Based on the trailers for Shadow Lord, Janix will likely serve as a base of operations for Maul as he starts assembling his network of criminals, smugglers, and mercenaries. This makes Marvel’s Shadow of Maul series particularly exciting as we’ll get to see Maul’s very first days on Janix.
Clearly, the corrupt world played a major role in these early days, making this new prequel series a must-read ahead of Maul – Shadow Lord’s premiere in April. As such, it’s going to be very exciting to see what future issues of Star Wars: Shadow of Maul have in store in the weeks to come.
Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1 is now available from Marvel Comics.