Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red

Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red #1-4

by Greg Pak

One Star Wars' most popular villains, Darth Maul, gets his own entry in Marvel's smash hit monochrome anthology!

One of the most famous villains in Star Wars lore leads epic tales illustrated in stark black and white -- and his own iconic red! When a prison ship -- transporting a cult known as the Final Occultation -- goes offline, Palpatine sends Darth Maul to investigate. What he finds on board is the stuff of nightmares! On another mission to conquer a mining colony singlehanded, unexpected opposition leads him into an intense battle of life and death -- and Maul learns one of his most valuable lessons! He may be fiercely loyal to his master and a true believer in the Sith, but will a journey to a remote moon change his mind? And why has Palpatine sent his apprentice to an ancient world? Who will pay the price for patience?

COLLECTING: Star Wars: Darth Maul - Black, White & Red (2024) 1-4

Genres: Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Marvel, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Greg Pak is an award-winning Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker currently writing "Lawful" for BOOM and "Sam Wilson: Captain America" (with Evan Narcisse) for Marvel. Pak wrote the "Princess Who Saved Herself" children's book and the “Code Monkey Save World” graphic novel based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton and co-wrote (with Fred Van Lente) the acclaimed “Make Comics Like the Pros” how-to book. Pak's other work includes "Planet Hulk," "Darth Vader," "Mech Cadet Yu," "Ronin Island," "Action Comics," and "Magneto Testament."

Reviews

[Dave Edmunds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Thoughts

Sometimes you want a Star Wars story packed with moral dilemmas and complicated characters. And sometimes you just want Darth Maul to be pointed at something and watch the poor bastards on the other end realise they've made a terrible mistake.

Black, White & Red is mostly the latter. This is angry, relentless Maul doing what angry, relentless Maul does best, and it's bloody good fun.

The Story

Rather than one continuous story, we get four separate adventures from different creative teams, all featuring Maul before The Phantom Menace.



Ghost Ship was probably my favourite, sending Maul aboard a prison ship carrying members of the mysterious Final Occultation. It has a wonderfully creepy, almost horror-like atmosphere, although putting Maul into a horror story does raise the question of who should actually be frightened of whom.

The Remainders was another highlight, with a group of former bounty hunters attempting to defend a colony from Maul. They have plans, weapons and experience. Unfortunately, Maul has Maul.

The Mission is another solid story involving Maul doing Sidious's dirty work, while Peace and Quiet was the weakest for me. Sidious ordering Maul to meditate and learn patience is a funny premise, but the story didn't grab me as much as the others.

The Characters

This is very much Maul's book, and he's an absolute force of nature throughout. He's furious, impatient, frighteningly capable and almost impossible to stop once he's decided where he's going.

There's less depth to him here than in some other Maul stories, but I don't necessarily mean that as a criticism. Sometimes it's just enormously satisfying watching Darth Maul being Darth Maul. He's essentially a walking health-and-safety violation with horns.

The Art



The black, white and red presentation couldn't really suit Maul any better. The limited palette produces some striking images and gives the collection its own distinctive look.

I did prefer the artwork in the previous Darth Maul comic, but that's largely personal taste. This still looks very good, particularly when Maul gets to start swinging that double-bladed lightsaber around.

The Star Wars Factor

One thing this collection absolutely understands is that Darth Maul is fucking cool. Later stories have explored the damaged and complicated character underneath the tattoos, but there's also something great about seeing the younger Maul as the weapon Sidious has created: full of rage, desperate for action and not particularly interested in sitting quietly.

Sidious creating a Sith apprentice fuelled by hatred and then repeatedly trying to teach him patience remains one of Star Wars' better examples of this seemed like a good idea at the time.

Final Thoughts

Darth Maul: Black, White & Red is a really enjoyable collection. Ghost Ship and The Remainders were comfortably my favourites, while Peace and Quiet was the weakest, so the anthology format does make it slightly uneven.

It didn't quite hit the heights of the previous Darth Maul comic for me, but angry, terrifying and virtually unstoppable Maul is never going to be a bad way to spend a few hours.

Four stories. Lots of Maul. Considerable property damage. What's not to like?

cheers!

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the way Darth Maul should be. This is the pre Phantom Menace bad@$$ Darth Maul. I say this because when I first saw Darth Maul, he was the stuff of nightmares. He had the skills, power, and mystery to back it up. Since his "death" subsequent returns and beatings, some of the mystery and aura has disappeared. This book is a reminder of what a force of nature Darth Maul actually was.

This book is different in format from the other Black, White, and Red books. instead of having each issue/chapter split into three or four mini stories, this book is four missions Darth Maul is sent on. He is to take out the targets and leave no witnesses.

This is a quick, easy read. In fact, I don't think any words are necessary. This is Darth Maul at his best doing what he does best. What more could anyone want. The book finishes with a varient covers gallery with both full page and thumbnail (four to a page) covers.

[Oscar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the artwork and color scheme!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars, rounded down.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brief Darth Maul mini-series excels at the one issue format, and plays well with the color scheme that this comic trope is known for. Here, Maul does what Maul does best: brooding and TONS of killing violence. These adventures are all in the pre-TPM era, so easily fit into canon with no worries.

Overall, a really fun read and definitely recommend for Maul fans. Looking forward to seeing what more Maul material is to come.
Recommend.

[Dimitris Papastergiou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 35BBY

Set before the Phantom Menace, Maul is being dispatched to other planets, and to missions to get his final training as to be prepared for a crucial mission (that is the Episode I mission).

So what we get here is a bunch of Maul missions to go and kill people or train, or both, in glorious black and white and red colors. Solid stories and artwork.

[Bernardo Martinho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, entertaining, and beautiful art. I really liked how Darth Maul’s red was used to contrast with the rest of the artwork. It’s an easy read, with some interesting ideas involving Maul set before The Phantom Menace. My favorite issue was the third one. I could also feel some inspiration from the novel Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nearly nodded off while reading the first two issues. Fortunately, the back two had somewhat more interesting ideas.

If you read the Darth Vader version, you're in familiar territory here. Famous Star Wars villain tears up enemies with his red lightsaber, is basically invincible. Never for a second are you concerned that Maul will "lose" in any way, shape, or form.

There are some vague attempts at expanding Star Wars lore, particularly in Benjamin Percy's ambitious and ultimately forgettable opener. Mostly, though, we just meet some meat puppets, soon to be torn apart by Maul. The oversize art doesn't add much.

[kesseljunkie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neat Concept

The concept got me on board, but the execution doesn't deliver. One of the stories feels like it have a quarter the space it needs while two of the stories feel too long for the underlying idea. The artistic idea of black and white only, with the exception of judiciously using red, is brilliant. Sadly the art never takes advantage of the new rules for the medium and just comes across as half a finished effort. Black and white should mean more than an absence of color; lean into things and experiment with it.

Ah well.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The monochromatic color scheme suits Darth Maul so well. A free, quick and easy read that exemplifies the awesomeness that is Maul in an action packed story of evil versus chaos and the ultimate quest for power.

[Keef Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read with some fun stories and good artwork. Not much to say outside of that. It would be a cool thing to leave out on a coffee table or bookshelf.

[Joey Nardinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the Darth Vader BW&R Marvel collection, I think the novelty and the fun of some of the shorter stories really clicked for me. There’s more to do with Vader though. The Alien series was similar to Maul in terms of lack of variety (though the one continuing narrative throughout each quarter was interesting), and also in terms of Maul essentially being turned into a scary, lurking predator in the hunt in 3/4 stories. Thankfully the last issue upends this a hair by edging toward a comedy of errors. I just feel like few authors have much meaningful to say about the prequel era of Maul at this point and Filoni/Witwer are kind of the only ones left doing anything interesting with the character. I also think the colors here had a chance to be really something, but they only really pop in a few instances where a massive cloak or background in black is offset by the red of Maul’s features.

[Ya Boi Be Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, a fun enough anthology for what it is. It's my first Marvel Black White and Red book. I know this isn't one of the original ones and a newer one but I was sort of expecting more. It is does run on mood and vibes and can do good on it with the enigmatic Darth Maul as he grimly executes the orders of the always testing him Palpatine. But some fell flat while others did better. The art style was often a bit too cartoony for me as well which sort of took me out of this “grittier” and moodier anthology. The color choices were a bit weak for me too. I can appreciate a limited palette comic but the use here was often sort of weak and didn't work well with the looser artstyle and made it come off more kiddie or simplistic than atmospheric at times. I also sort of expected something more mature and gorier. I know it's not a Marvel MAX thing but from what I heard about the Black White and Red line I did sort of expect something more.

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved this!! Love seeing some younger Maul and what his relationship with Palps was. Seeing how secretive he had to be to hide his identity and what his personality was like when he was just an apprentice. He doesn’t speak much in episode one so it’s just interesting to see him speak and have personality in that era. The art is crazy and the lack of colors really works for this one.

[Jayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the Windu run, this was just okay. Didn’t delve into Mauls character near to the extent of CW/rebels but also did more than TPM 😭. The second issue was phenomenal and the others were just fine. I will say that the art in this is great, reminding me a lot of The Walking Dead.
5.5/10

[Bryan Shepard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, the artwork in this was great. I loved the juxtaposition between the monochrome and Maul's red. The storyline was alright but nothing special. It was a fun look into a few of Darth Maul's training missions for those who are interested in his character.

[Sam Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Jake Vosters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better, in my opinion, than the Vader BW&R series. Had some better stories, better art, and was just overall interesting.

[Raul Fernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun but not terribly important, Darth Maul mini-series. I was skeptical of the black, white, and red theme, but the art is stunning.

My rating: 3.0 Stars

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Maul is a badass and I love that there are stories focused around him

[Michael Colglazier · Rating 3 out of 5]

First two were great last two were not

[Connor Stompanato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved seeing Maul at his most vicious, acting as the weapon of Darth Sidious. This and the 2017 comic are the only times we really see him this way before 'The Phantom Menace' and it is always a period of time that interests me. Maul is a fascinating character and I'm so excited for 'Shadow Lord' to begin tomorrow!

The 'Black, White & Red' series that Marvel are doing produces some really beautiful artwork, and this was no different. Each issue stands mostly alone and there are a few different artists featured I believe, but they were all top-tier comics and stories. We get to see Maul destroy communities and groups of warriors all to please his master. I liked that the stories had a small thread running through them, similar to the 'Darth Vader' series.

I also liked that there was a mix of victims battling Maul. Some of the people were innocent which made you hate him, but others definitely deserved to be punished (perhaps not brutally killed but y'know, it's fiction). Maul isn't fully evil like Palpatine and so we are sometimes on his side, even if only temporarily. This comic series had a nice balance that showed that. You can find all of my 'Star Wars' book reviews here

[Steven De Clerck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in one go as I was immediately sucked into the four different stories. After Darth Vader - I'm also looking forward to the combined Boba Fett - Black White And Red comic books.

[MILA · Rating 3 out of 5]

can they PLEASE finally add half stars?? this is so annoying 3.5☆

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels like forever, but finally, Disney Star Wars does something right. Darth Maul: Black, White, and Red is one of those rare moments that makes being a fan of Star Wars not feel like a waste of time.

There are 4 distinct vignettes of Maul’s career as Palpatine’s secret Sith apprentice, each offering a unique glimpse into the psyche and sheer ferocity of one of Star Wars’ most compelling villains. This comic is not just a love letter to Darth Maul fans—it’s a reminder of why he remains one of the most iconic characters in the galaxy far, far away.

Each story, penned by 4 different authors, brings something fresh to the table while staying true to the essence of Maul. Whether he’s carving his way through insurmountable odds, questioning his place as an apprentice, or facing true eldritch horrors from beyond the galaxy, Maul is at his absolute best here.

The different voices and styles ensures there’s never a dull moment, yet every tale is united by its intense focus on Maul’s ruthlessness, cunning, and undeniable badassery.Sure, it’s a bit of a gimmick but using just the 3 colors of black, white, and red enhances the tension and violence, capturing Maul’s world as one drenched in shadow and blood. This collection doesn’t just showcase Maul as a warrior but also as a character defined by his rage, determination, and the scars of his past. It’s a great medium for adding more to a character that was sadly underutilized in Episode I.

The opening issue, “Ghost Ship”, by Benjamin Percy is the winner of the whole batch, as it takes Maul, and Star Wars in general” to places we haven’t seen before, and opens up possibilities for new ideas, but the other 3 stories are worthy additions as well. All 4 together make up one of the best Star Wars related releases in years.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

40-32 BBY

This graphic novel collects four special issues featuring missions given to Darth Maul by his master, Darth Sidious. The colors of the collections are only featured in black, white, and red, as the title suggests, making for a dark, Sith aesthetic. Issue #1, "Ghost Ship," follows Maul as he is sent to a ship with strange beings, those sentients being dubbed enemies of the Empire. Issue #2, "The Remainders," tests Maul against different types of fighters and their style. Easy enough for a Sith apprentice. Issue #3, "The Mission," has Sidious sending Maul to kill someone very specific. Maul finds the target easy prey and wonders why Sidious would see someone so weak as a threat. Not wanting to seem weak, Sidious just explains it off as another test, while in reality, the target had found out his secret.... Issue #4, "Peace and Quiet" has Maul going to a once-quiet planet to visit old Sith temple ruins, but there is a settlement there now, disrupting the peace and quiet of the once natural place. Maul takes matters into his own hands, though still under a mission from Sidious the whole time.

I love love love all of the artwork. The color palate is so fitting for the Sith apprentice. The stories are okay. "Ghost Ship" has some more unique beings that left me wondering more about what or who they were and where they came from. My favorite was "Peace and Quiet." It had sort of a dark humor to it, as not only does Maul seek Peace and Quiet and kills those who disturb him, but this little old lady who owns the local inn wants nothing more than peace and quiet herself. There is an interesting dark comedic dynamic between the two and their desire for tranquility.

[Erick M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

En un inicio, siempre me encontré ligeramente más atraído a Boba Fett que a Maul, a quién no bajé en su tiempo de un monigote a vencer, tan vacío en su interior como atractivo en diseño. ¡Gracias a productos como Shadow Lord, Son of Dathomir y este comic es que puedo decir que mi interés en él ha aumentado enormemente!

Me encantaron la mayoría de historias contadas, siendo su primera mitad dedicada a poner a un asesino experto en situaciones que lo llevan al limite, poniéndose creativos con los toques de terror que inundan ambas historias, llevándome primero a un horror más lovecraftiano con sus antagonistas, para luego saltar al de un slasher al poner al propio protagonista como el villano. Sabiendo que ninguna de los personajes podrá hacerle frente, solo ralentizarlo, hace que toda la acción cobre un sentido más trágico como apantallante. Una gran mezcla de sufrimiento y presión, dejándome solo con el ligero deseo de haber conocido más de cerca a las victimas.

Ya en la segunda mitad se aprovecha para darle un vistazo a la psique de Maul, remarcando lo feroz que es como asesino, al mismo tiempo que detalla la ligera incertidumbre que existe en él. No puede evitar sentir duda si está haciendo lo mejor para su maestro, su necesidad de aprobación llevándolo a querer saber más de sus planes, a cuestionarse sus misiones, rasgos inadmisibles para quién solo ve a una herramienta y espera que actúe como tal: fría y precisa. Me gusta también como se aborda la forma en que Sidious hace funcionar la dinámica y lo mantiene "bajo control", permitiendo aflorar un caos moderado, pues al final su aprendiz no deja de ser un psicópata al que solo se le enseñó dolor y odio como únicos instrumentos a su disposición.

De la misma forma, debo destacar lo deliciosamente bien dibujado y coloreado que esta todo el comic, con un predominante escarlata que, en conjunto, hace de cada pagina un deleite visual y al que no pude sino detenerme a admirar varias veces.

En conclusión, un excelente análisis interior y exterior a Darth Maul, del que deseo ver más aventuras (además de seguir su futuro animado). Me quedo con una frase: "En una batalla donde la oscuridad siempre gana, la victoria se mide en cualquier luz que escape".

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This collection gathers four stories from the time when Darth Maul was Darth Sidious's secret apprentice. Each story follows the same primary plot: he gets sent on a mission with a goal and limited (or no) explanation as to why—whether to serve an actual purpose or just for training.

Because the plots are quite thin, there isn't much to say about any of them, and the more interesting aspect is how Maul reacts to the situations that arise. Unfortunately we don't get much insight into him here either. This is the era where he is still the devoted apprentice which makes him quite a boring character. On one level I approve of this, at least there is no attempt here to give him some kind of hidden morality.

What remains is basically just action, and for the most part, it's passable. My main gripe here is that none of the missions he is sent on are in any way a challenge to a Sith assassin and seeing him carve his way through normies has its limits.

Regarding the art style, at least we have the perfect character rendered in red, white and black, which is perhaps the best part of the whole collection. I like the line art itself quite a bit and the color scheme enhances it further. Definitely a step above the art usually seen in Star Wars comics.

If you are a fan of Maul or Star Wars in general, you won't be disappointed reading this. Everything is competent at least. If you were hoping to gain more insight into the character, perhaps in preparation for the upcoming TV series, you unfortunately won't find it here. Still the art style itself makes this an enjoyable read and the stories, while thin, do not detract from the experience. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of four stories, set before 'The Phantom Menace' and told using the limited colour palette of the title.
Here we see Darth Maul, at the behest of his Master Darth Sidious, carving his double-bladed lightsaber through cultists, mercenaries and pirates, as well as undertaking a mission to protect Sidious' secret identity.

The simple truth is, I have seen all of this before.
It seems that the only pre-Episode I Darth Maul story anyone is able to tell is 'Sidious tells Maul off and sends him on a mission, Maul acrobatically kills everyone there, Sidious pats him on the head'. The formula has been around since Ron Marz's 'Darth Maul' (in which he fights Black Sun) from 2000. 26 years and no new ideas for Maul in this timeframe (glad that his post-Episode III stories are so good then). There's nothing wrong with the formula per se, but it is repetitive and here it repeats four times in the same book.

Thankfully, there are some really nice visual elements to this book, with Maul's two red lightsaber blades and red-and-black skin playing nicely into the conceit of the reduced colour palette. Also, Maul's energetic and acrobatic fighting style looks good on a comic book page.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Zare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about Darth Mauls secret assignments designed to test him or to assist his master remain dominant Dark Side user. There is no high level conspiracy/thriller story so if you are looking for some deep story line you will be disappointed. On the other hand if you were seeking for more of famous Sith living weapon, look no further!

While all stories are pretty good, I especially enjoyed first one, the prison ship haunted by something that seemed like a cross with W40K universe [in all honesty I was looking for the Black Legion to show up] and the dark humor one with Dart Maul visiting a planet jut to enjoy the quiet :)

This is big format book with very detailed art, very sharp lines and shadow accentuated with the dramatic use of black white and ever present Maul red. One of the more striking Star Wars graphic novels I have read.

For fans of Star Wars and especially fans of Dart Maul highly recommended.