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Star Wars: Darth Maul (2017) #1-5
Star Wars: Darth Maul
Raised on hate, fear and anger...steeped in the ways of darkness...and trained to kill! Darth Maul's time as apprentice to Darth Sidious has long been cloaked in shadows - now at last his tale of revenge is revealed! It's a story of rage unleashed as Darth Maul prepares for his first encounter with the hated Jedi. But when a Jedi Padawan is captured by sinister forces, why is Maul so determined to fi nd her? And what role will a band of bounty hunters, including Cad Bane and Aurra Sing, play? Get to know the galaxy's deadliest Zabrak like never before!
COLLECTING: DARTH MAUL (2017) #1-5
COLLECTING: DARTH MAUL (2017) #1-5
138 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2017
924 people are currently reading
1796 people want to read
About the author
Cullen Bunn
2,099 books1,058 followersCullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 543 reviews
June 7, 2018
Darth Maul’s first blood!
This Marvel Comics TPB edition collects “Star Wars: Darth Maul” #1-5.
This comic book miniseries is set before of the events of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”.
Creative Team:
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Illustrator: Luke Ross
MAUL’S SECRET MISSION
Darth Maul has been the secret apprentice of Darth Sidious, since he was a little kid…
…and now that he’s a young adult, he still in secret…
…due Darth Sidious’ plans take a lot of time to be developed…
…and Darth Maul is starting to get impatient for beginning to kill Jedis!
Darth Maul gets Intel from a captured protocol droid (after being tortured and blinded, of course) about the bidding for a kidnapped Jedi Padawan, and he realizes that it’s his best chance to test his Sith skills against a real opponent, without compromising his secret status imposed by Darth Sidious.
Therefore, Darth Maul on his own, hires a group of Bounty Hunters: Cad Bane, Aurra Sing, Vorhdeilo (a disgusting bloodsucking insectoid) and Tek-Tek (a cybernetic rat-like creature), to acomplished his planned operation and getting for his own private duel, the captured padawan.
His rage against the Jedi will finally begin to be satisfied!
This Marvel Comics TPB edition collects “Star Wars: Darth Maul” #1-5.
This comic book miniseries is set before of the events of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace”.
Creative Team:
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Illustrator: Luke Ross
MAUL’S SECRET MISSION
Darth Maul has been the secret apprentice of Darth Sidious, since he was a little kid…
…and now that he’s a young adult, he still in secret…
…due Darth Sidious’ plans take a lot of time to be developed…
…and Darth Maul is starting to get impatient for beginning to kill Jedis!
Darth Maul gets Intel from a captured protocol droid (after being tortured and blinded, of course) about the bidding for a kidnapped Jedi Padawan, and he realizes that it’s his best chance to test his Sith skills against a real opponent, without compromising his secret status imposed by Darth Sidious.
Therefore, Darth Maul on his own, hires a group of Bounty Hunters: Cad Bane, Aurra Sing, Vorhdeilo (a disgusting bloodsucking insectoid) and Tek-Tek (a cybernetic rat-like creature), to acomplished his planned operation and getting for his own private duel, the captured padawan.
His rage against the Jedi will finally begin to be satisfied!
August 13, 2018
I enjoyed this graphic novella. I don't know if this is different than the cannon before the Disney movies, but it's a great story. This is about Darth Maul's first kill. It fits in well with characters from the Clone Wars. The thing I regret about Solo bombing is that I was interested in how it would connect to the larger universe and Darth Maul had an appearance in that film I was curious about. I hope they finish the story in a comic or show. I do know that Maul comes back in the Clone Wars, which is ridiculous, let's be honest. Still, he was such a great villain that how could he not. He is quite the villain.
I am loving the art for these new Star Wars books and the story is good. This takes place before the Phantom Menace. I will be reading more of these. I did hope the Padawan got away in this. It's hard to watch the Jedi butchered. I don't like it.
I am loving the art for these new Star Wars books and the story is good. This takes place before the Phantom Menace. I will be reading more of these. I did hope the Padawan got away in this. It's hard to watch the Jedi butchered. I don't like it.
May 15, 2018
Kind of dull. This story is mostly Darth Maul and his internal monologue describing his rage and how he must kill Jedi and, while on his clandestine mission behind Palpatine’s back, saying repeatedly Palpatine can’t know that Maul’s been disobedient. Or Mauly will be in trou-ble! ......There’s no tension in this story or its outcome with its (whoa!) big revelation that Darth Maul’s filled with rage.
February 19, 2017
Darth Maul at its best is an entertaining comic set before the years of the Phantom Menace (The Darth Vader and the ongoing Star Wars comics are set after the events of Episode IV). You'd know right away that this mini-series isn't geared towards character development like the Vader series but more towards action-packed cinematic fights with light sabers and blasters. After all, Maul isn't an introverted brooding badass like Darth Vader. Rather, he is an extroverted pragmatic sonofab*tch. So yes, for its entertainment factor, I will keep reading this series.
How can you not love the cover?
How can you not love the cover?
June 11, 2020
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
The Code of the Sith
The Sith Code came to mind as I read this book about Darth Maul, apprentice to Darth Sidious (the future Emperor Palpatine). How does a master with a creed like that get his apprentice to restrain his passions enough for the centuries of Sith designs to finally be realized --- which in Maul's case obsess over a desire head to head in personal combat with the hated Jedi? Increasingly, Sidious seems hardpressed to control his young disciple, growing every more powerful in the Dark Side.
I won't go into further details, but Maul's Master sends him on a mission seemingly to sate his apprentice's bloodlust, rage, and hatred --- and test and hone his abilities.
The result is a fun read involving one of my favorite villains. Definitely a fun book to read, and looking forward to more tales about Darth Maul in the future!
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."
The Code of the Sith
The Sith Code came to mind as I read this book about Darth Maul, apprentice to Darth Sidious (the future Emperor Palpatine). How does a master with a creed like that get his apprentice to restrain his passions enough for the centuries of Sith designs to finally be realized --- which in Maul's case obsess over a desire head to head in personal combat with the hated Jedi? Increasingly, Sidious seems hardpressed to control his young disciple, growing every more powerful in the Dark Side.
I won't go into further details, but Maul's Master sends him on a mission seemingly to sate his apprentice's bloodlust, rage, and hatred --- and test and hone his abilities.
The result is a fun read involving one of my favorite villains. Definitely a fun book to read, and looking forward to more tales about Darth Maul in the future!
July 24, 2025
Darth Maul is one angry sith!
January 16, 2021
I read Cullen Bunn's Star Wars Annual #4 and thought it was one of if not the best issues of that entire title. So to see that Bunn penned a mini-series, starring Darth Maul of all characters, had me excited. The basic pitch is that Darth Maul wants to kill some jedi, but is forbidden to by Palpatine. So he tracks down one in secret and goes to make his move, but his heist goes awry and he finds himself fighting more than just a jedi.
It's not a perfect mini-series. The cast of bounty hunters that Maul brings with him on his quest are forgettable and generic. The series is paced poorly and takes a few issues to get going, which is a luxury that 5 issues mini-series do not have. Some of the reaction faces border a bit too silly and out-of-proportion for the more serious tone of the story. But those are all minor nitpicks that don't bring down all the good this series has to offer.
To start, Luke Ross is one of the few Star Wars artists I've seen who can handle everything in the book. It's almost like most artists chosen for a Star Wars title are chosen because they draw cool spaceships and machines, while neglecting their ability to draw actual people. But no, Ross can do it all! The humanoid beings look humanoid, the monsters look like monsters, the ships look like proper ships, and the action has a great energy to it. I particularly love how Ross draws the lightsaber battles, he makes excellent use of panel layouts to provide a unique flow to the combat that's easy to follow and dynamic. Whether the setting is a busy city, or a desolate alien world, everything feels alive and bursting with life.
Nolan Woodard does the colours for this series and wow, Woodard is incredible. Lots of bright red to contrast all the dark shadows, intensifying as Darth Maul seeks deeper into his hate and obsession. I particularly love the energy effects, like the lightsabers and forcefields and smoke bombs. The scenes are atmospheric and dark, but the burst of light you see in Maul's eyes or the ligthsabers draws attention to Ross's action scenes and makes them stand out among the more quiet moments of dialogue and narrated introspection.
The story itself isn't what I was expecting, but makes sense. You know how Darth Maul's story ends, you know how everything has to conclude, that's one of thbig problems with writing a prequel type story. But Bunn leans into it- we know Maul has to make it out of here and succeed, but what does this success mean? This series isn't about Darth Maul hunting down a jedi, this is an exploration of what it means to be a Sith apprentice. Maul starts out as a confident, eager warrior, but by the end of the book his obsession has almost driven him mad. The Sith are taught that emotion (fear, anger, hate) gives you strength, but Maul has been told to restrain himself. The Sith are a paradox, and confusing. Is he right to do this? Is he as ready as he thought he was at the start? We know he'll survive, but what will he learn? How is this Darth Maul different from the one we see in Episode I? These are great questions Bunn sets about answering, and the result is more than satisfactory.
I hope we get more Star Wars titles like Darth Maul, that can pick any character at any point in (or before/after) the saga and do a nice self-contained character piece about who they are and what motivates them. Darth Maul is a character that is recognizable by his looks and by his significance to the plot of Episode I, but he's not a character we understand. He's a generic baddie who looks cool and does little, and is greatly improved by Cullen Bunn's narration that provides a great perspective to why we should care about him.
It's not a perfect mini-series. The cast of bounty hunters that Maul brings with him on his quest are forgettable and generic. The series is paced poorly and takes a few issues to get going, which is a luxury that 5 issues mini-series do not have. Some of the reaction faces border a bit too silly and out-of-proportion for the more serious tone of the story. But those are all minor nitpicks that don't bring down all the good this series has to offer.
To start, Luke Ross is one of the few Star Wars artists I've seen who can handle everything in the book. It's almost like most artists chosen for a Star Wars title are chosen because they draw cool spaceships and machines, while neglecting their ability to draw actual people. But no, Ross can do it all! The humanoid beings look humanoid, the monsters look like monsters, the ships look like proper ships, and the action has a great energy to it. I particularly love how Ross draws the lightsaber battles, he makes excellent use of panel layouts to provide a unique flow to the combat that's easy to follow and dynamic. Whether the setting is a busy city, or a desolate alien world, everything feels alive and bursting with life.
Nolan Woodard does the colours for this series and wow, Woodard is incredible. Lots of bright red to contrast all the dark shadows, intensifying as Darth Maul seeks deeper into his hate and obsession. I particularly love the energy effects, like the lightsabers and forcefields and smoke bombs. The scenes are atmospheric and dark, but the burst of light you see in Maul's eyes or the ligthsabers draws attention to Ross's action scenes and makes them stand out among the more quiet moments of dialogue and narrated introspection.
The story itself isn't what I was expecting, but makes sense. You know how Darth Maul's story ends, you know how everything has to conclude, that's one of thbig problems with writing a prequel type story. But Bunn leans into it- we know Maul has to make it out of here and succeed, but what does this success mean? This series isn't about Darth Maul hunting down a jedi, this is an exploration of what it means to be a Sith apprentice. Maul starts out as a confident, eager warrior, but by the end of the book his obsession has almost driven him mad. The Sith are taught that emotion (fear, anger, hate) gives you strength, but Maul has been told to restrain himself. The Sith are a paradox, and confusing. Is he right to do this? Is he as ready as he thought he was at the start? We know he'll survive, but what will he learn? How is this Darth Maul different from the one we see in Episode I? These are great questions Bunn sets about answering, and the result is more than satisfactory.
I hope we get more Star Wars titles like Darth Maul, that can pick any character at any point in (or before/after) the saga and do a nice self-contained character piece about who they are and what motivates them. Darth Maul is a character that is recognizable by his looks and by his significance to the plot of Episode I, but he's not a character we understand. He's a generic baddie who looks cool and does little, and is greatly improved by Cullen Bunn's narration that provides a great perspective to why we should care about him.
October 27, 2017
It's beautiful to see how a great character like Maul is still being used in new stories. His hatred alone carries him forward and his arrogance at being the best is yet to be tested. In the days before Episode I, Darth Maul is restless. The battle with two dangerous tentacled creatures doesn't quench his thirst to face the hated Jedi.
Several oher characters from the extended universe are used here and they're all villains, profiteering mercenaries or members of crime syndicates that don't shy away from things like slavery and violence. This story is not humorous in the least, but I expect this from a anything involving the Dark Side. Maul talks to himself a bit more than I expected and seems less of a maniac. He has strategic thinking, but he keeps resorting to his hatred. We all know that just isn't enough.
Several oher characters from the extended universe are used here and they're all villains, profiteering mercenaries or members of crime syndicates that don't shy away from things like slavery and violence. This story is not humorous in the least, but I expect this from a anything involving the Dark Side. Maul talks to himself a bit more than I expected and seems less of a maniac. He has strategic thinking, but he keeps resorting to his hatred. We all know that just isn't enough.
May 9, 2019
Na SW komiksech ocenuju, ze dokazou dat filmovejm postavam "hloubku", na kterou ve filmech nebyl cas. Podobne jako Vader, tak i Darth Maul dostava dostatek prostoru na to, aby ctenare presvedcil, ze neni jen jednopolohovej zaporak, kterej se celej film tvari drsne, nekoho zabije a pak se sam necha zabit.
Cesky vydani prinasi dve miniserie, Darth Maul od Cullena Bunna a starsi kousek z Dark Horse ery Son of Dathomir (kterej evidentne zustal v kanonu a Marvel ho nedavno reprintoval).
Bunnuv pribeh je zasazenej pred Epizodu 1, takze je to castecne Mauluv origin. Dozvime se o jeho vztahu s Darth Sidiousem a o jeho nenavisti k rytirum Jedi. Vzhledem k tomu, ze Maulovi anger management issues by strcili do kapsy i Anakina z Episody 3, tak je o zabavu postarano.
Son of Dathomir trpi hlavnim neduhem SW komiksu od Dark Horse, a to prumernou kresbou. Ve srovnani s prvnim pribehem je ten rozdil jeste vyraznejsi. Pribeh je zasazenej nekam mezi druhou a treti epizodu, z casti se vysvetli Mauluv comeback a hlavne se resi, proc ma pifku na Imperatora.
Za me spokojenost a kdybych zprumeroval hodnoceni obou miniserii, tak mi z toho vypadne 3,5* a jakozto fanousek SW komiksu zaokrouhlim nahoru.
Cesky vydani prinasi dve miniserie, Darth Maul od Cullena Bunna a starsi kousek z Dark Horse ery Son of Dathomir (kterej evidentne zustal v kanonu a Marvel ho nedavno reprintoval).
Bunnuv pribeh je zasazenej pred Epizodu 1, takze je to castecne Mauluv origin. Dozvime se o jeho vztahu s Darth Sidiousem a o jeho nenavisti k rytirum Jedi. Vzhledem k tomu, ze Maulovi anger management issues by strcili do kapsy i Anakina z Episody 3, tak je o zabavu postarano.
Son of Dathomir trpi hlavnim neduhem SW komiksu od Dark Horse, a to prumernou kresbou. Ve srovnani s prvnim pribehem je ten rozdil jeste vyraznejsi. Pribeh je zasazenej nekam mezi druhou a treti epizodu, z casti se vysvetli Mauluv comeback a hlavne se resi, proc ma pifku na Imperatora.
Za me spokojenost a kdybych zprumeroval hodnoceni obou miniserii, tak mi z toho vypadne 3,5* a jakozto fanousek SW komiksu zaokrouhlim nahoru.
August 4, 2017
I do like Darth Maul – something that's down to equal parts childhood nostalgia and impeccable good taste.
He (along with podracing) is the best thing to have come out of The Phantom Menace, but for all his prominence in the marketing of that film way back when he was barely explored as a character; he was a purpose-built killing machine.
There've been a few attempts to flesh him out since and this is the most successful I've come across. He has a certain wounded nobility, a victim complex that through this story he starts to ever-so-slightly recognise as mind-washing. How does a killing machine think of himself? What is it he's trying to achieve?
The wider plot is also a lot of pulpish fun; the n-teenth take on The Most Dangerous Game but I ain't complaining. And Bunn wins extra points for setting it firmly in the 'scum and villainy' feed of the Star Wars universe – always my favourite.
He (along with podracing) is the best thing to have come out of The Phantom Menace, but for all his prominence in the marketing of that film way back when he was barely explored as a character; he was a purpose-built killing machine.
There've been a few attempts to flesh him out since and this is the most successful I've come across. He has a certain wounded nobility, a victim complex that through this story he starts to ever-so-slightly recognise as mind-washing. How does a killing machine think of himself? What is it he's trying to achieve?
The wider plot is also a lot of pulpish fun; the n-teenth take on The Most Dangerous Game but I ain't complaining. And Bunn wins extra points for setting it firmly in the 'scum and villainy' feed of the Star Wars universe – always my favourite.
November 19, 2020
The book follows Darth Maul's adventures and the story of his first Jedi kill.
The artwork is great, and the story is pretty decent which overall makes for quite an enjoyable read.
The artwork is great, and the story is pretty decent which overall makes for quite an enjoyable read.
September 18, 2017
This collection takes place before The Phantom Menace. In this one, Darth Maul wants to test his power of the force against a Jedi. His master forbids this as it would reveal the Sith still exist. Darth Maul discovers a captured padawan and realizes if he gets to her this could be the opportunity to battle a Jedi.
I really enjoyed this collection. I thought the author nailed the voice of Darth Maul as we get him being a student to Darth Sidious but also as a caged beast waiting to strike. This is the Darth Maul we get to see in the cartoon series and the one we should have seen in the movies. I had no problem hearing his voice as well as the voice of Darth Sidious. We also get some more time with characters from The Clone Wars as well as new ones. I really liked the new ones a lot. The highlight of this book is the artwork. It is fantastic and I loved how it portrayed Darth Maul in several panels as feral, vengeful, and evil. I liked the story but this is the reason I could not give this five stars. I know the author's hands are tied as they cannot change anything that will happen in the movies. Therefore, this story pretty much played out like I thought it would.
I believe this is one of the better collections from this universe. I believe all fans will like this collection as we get some background information from a Sith that was so under utilized in the movies.
I really enjoyed this collection. I thought the author nailed the voice of Darth Maul as we get him being a student to Darth Sidious but also as a caged beast waiting to strike. This is the Darth Maul we get to see in the cartoon series and the one we should have seen in the movies. I had no problem hearing his voice as well as the voice of Darth Sidious. We also get some more time with characters from The Clone Wars as well as new ones. I really liked the new ones a lot. The highlight of this book is the artwork. It is fantastic and I loved how it portrayed Darth Maul in several panels as feral, vengeful, and evil. I liked the story but this is the reason I could not give this five stars. I know the author's hands are tied as they cannot change anything that will happen in the movies. Therefore, this story pretty much played out like I thought it would.
I believe this is one of the better collections from this universe. I believe all fans will like this collection as we get some background information from a Sith that was so under utilized in the movies.
March 8, 2018
Ive always been interested in Darth Maul and the confilct that must be within him. A simple story where he goes on a search for a padawan. Not alot of depth to the plot, pretty simple story. However the art does have its moments.
May 2, 2019
I've always found Maul to be an interesting character, so I quite enjoyed this. Solid 3.5 stars.
July 1, 2021
Darth Maul hates the Jedi.
He really, really hates them. There would be nothing more to his liking than to run every Jedi through with his dual-bladed crimson lightsaber. His entire existence is based on ensuring their destruction, as all his life he has been trained to kill them. Maul's Sith master, Darth Sidious, (aka Chancellor Palpatine) cautions his over-eager pupil that now is not yet the time to reveal themselves. He sends Maul on a mission, teaming him up with bounty hunters, Cad Bane and Aurra Sing. Those two are great characters who, despite being "bad guys," have a strict code of honor they adhere to. In this thrilling and action-packed graphic novel, Maul and company seek out a Jedi Padawan.
Maul was always an awesome-looking creation, but never one of my star Wars favorites. His arc on "The Clone Wars," "Rebels," and the new Marvel comics changed that. He went from a scary-looking alien of few words who was quickly dispatched by Obi-Wan Kenobi in "The Phantom Menace," to a tortured, tragic, menacing monster fueled by rage and lust for vengeance. While not my favorite Sith, he still is a Sith, so have to I love him.
I admit to having mixed feelings over Disney Star Wars. The films have not impressed me; the books are a mixed bag depending on who's writing what, and range from great to meh; the audiobooks are amazingly produced; and the Vader comics have blown me away. Now, I can say the same about the Maul comics.
If you hate the Jedi as much as I do, you'll enjoy this 5-comic series where Maul's bloodlust for them is quenched in a most brutal manner.
4 1/2 stars
He really, really hates them. There would be nothing more to his liking than to run every Jedi through with his dual-bladed crimson lightsaber. His entire existence is based on ensuring their destruction, as all his life he has been trained to kill them. Maul's Sith master, Darth Sidious, (aka Chancellor Palpatine) cautions his over-eager pupil that now is not yet the time to reveal themselves. He sends Maul on a mission, teaming him up with bounty hunters, Cad Bane and Aurra Sing. Those two are great characters who, despite being "bad guys," have a strict code of honor they adhere to. In this thrilling and action-packed graphic novel, Maul and company seek out a Jedi Padawan.
Maul was always an awesome-looking creation, but never one of my star Wars favorites. His arc on "The Clone Wars," "Rebels," and the new Marvel comics changed that. He went from a scary-looking alien of few words who was quickly dispatched by Obi-Wan Kenobi in "The Phantom Menace," to a tortured, tragic, menacing monster fueled by rage and lust for vengeance. While not my favorite Sith, he still is a Sith, so have to I love him.
I admit to having mixed feelings over Disney Star Wars. The films have not impressed me; the books are a mixed bag depending on who's writing what, and range from great to meh; the audiobooks are amazingly produced; and the Vader comics have blown me away. Now, I can say the same about the Maul comics.
If you hate the Jedi as much as I do, you'll enjoy this 5-comic series where Maul's bloodlust for them is quenched in a most brutal manner.
4 1/2 stars
July 20, 2023
4.5 stars. Couldn’t put this one down! The biggest flaw with this story was that I wanted more. I thought Bunn showed how well the Sith operate with one another perfectly. Reading this story as Darth Maul’s thoughts was really entertaining and I loved his internal dialogue with himself, conflicted on loyalty to the Emperor or freedom to his hate and bloodlust. I think I would’ve liked a bit more depth and substance to Maul as a character, but not everyone has that. Some people just simply want to see Jedi die.
October 30, 2017
Darth Maul isn't my favorite Star Wars character, but this comic was still an entertaining look at his younger years. The artwork was excellent.
October 18, 2017
Star Wars: Darth Maul is the most recent miniseries added to the comic book canon set up by Marvel for the star wars universe. Written by Cullen Bunn, it is exploring what is new territory for the canon star wars universe: while legends has a vast archive of stories taking place in the Old Republic Era, the canon version of the time period is so far largely unexplored. While a couple of episodes from Star Wars Rebels, several episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Dr. Aphra comic, and the journal story from Yoda's Secret War have eluded to lore that would be considered "Old Republic", this is the first full-fledged canonical story that is set before The Phantom Menace. While Darth Maul's character has been fleshed out very effectively on The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, we still haven't gotten much about what his character was like during the Phantom Menace where he was introduced.
Here, we finally get more of the version of Darth Maul that most people who experience Star Wars are familiar with: the silent double-saber wielding badass that did all those flips and kicks during "Duel of the Fates".
I was very excited to read it because of the time period this comic is set as well as the positive reception, and while it's far from bad, it's probably the most disappointing comic I have read in the canon.
THE STORY: The bloodthirsty apprentice of Darth Sidious is growing impatient with his master's insistence on staying hidden from the Jedi. After growing tired of unleashing his power upon Rathtars and crime lords, Darth Maul wants to test himself against his sworn enemies, the jedi. When a captive padawan named Eldra Kaitis appears at an auction, Maul sees the opportunity he has looked for. He hires Cad Bane and Aurra Sing, some of the greatest fan service in the galaxy, to help him.
THE BAD: Oh. My. GAWD. One Word: NARRATION. The narration boxes cullen bunn used here are some of the worst I have had the pleasure of trying to sit through. This is Tom Veitch levels of terrible in terms of narration. It was just as annoying, distracting, and unnecessary as narration always is comics. Seriously, all the exposition needed can be given in the opening crawls, which star wars comics ALWAYS HAVE!!! But this took it to a new level: while Veitch's narration is overly excessive because of how much text is in his boxes, Bunn's narration is INSULTING. The vast majority of the narration given is blatantly obvious information that I already knew for a long time, or stuff that can so easily be picked up on just by reading the dialogue and looking at the incredibly expressive artwork. But instead, this narration feels like the author is treating the readers like a bunch of MORONS. Imagine if Star Wars was a subject taught in grade school and considered as valuable as math and reading. The narration feels like surface level facts that would be given to a PRESCHOOLER. That's how bad it is. I'm not even kidding- as I was reading the narration boxes I was angrily shouting at the book saying things like "I KNOW THIS ALREADY!" or "WELL DUH THAT"S KRIFFING OBVIOUS!".
Perhaps I'm being too harsh. But I actually read the comic again and skipped over the narration boxes. And you know what? MY READING EXPERIENCE WAS ENHANCED!
Screw you, marvel, screw you lucasfilm, for allowing yet another comic in the canon to have its potential wasted by narration because you think the people that read these comics are so stupid that we can't figure out such obvious information on our own.
Sincerely, a devoted star wars fan who faithfully follows your new canon and thinks that YOU KRIFFING SUCK.
THE GOOD: As much as I deplored the use of narration, everything else ranges from solid to awesome in this comic, and hence I can understand the high praise it has gotten.
The story is engaging, and leads to some fantastic worldbuilding. In other comic stories that took place in the early prequel era like Yoda's Secret War or Star Wars - Obi-Wan & Anakin, we got to see what the jedi were like, but here, we get to see some sith psyche and it was quite interesting.
The characters are very well done. While Maul's character has been great in the Clone Wars and Rebels, ie, post phantom menace, Bunn does a pretty good job fleshing out the parts of his characterization that have badly needed to be expanded upon, really enhancing Maul as a character throughout canon. The portrayal is also very faithful to the phantom menace's version of the character for better or for worse: a silent man who's personality is more physical than mental. In fact, skipping the narration boxes in my second reading made the portrayal even more compelling than it already was with the minimal spoken dialogue and all the acrobatic action stunts. For some, they will complain that this is not an interesting character, or at least this version of the character. But for those that liked the Phantom Menace's version of Darth Maul the best, they will be very satisfied with this comic's take on the villain.
The other characters are really good too. Palpatine gets a lot of juicy dialogue that lets him chew up every micrometer of scenery he's in. Cad Bane and Aurra Sing are faithfully portrayed as the entertaining badasses you saw in The Clone Wars. Eldra Kaitis helps rectify a problem that that Star Wars comics have had for most of their time with Marvel in the new canon years: creating interesting and memorable new characters. Kaitis is a compelling jedi character with a strong personality and some great (but appropriate) chemistry with Maul, making the moment where they finally battle all the more exciting.
I've already been alluding to it with the characters, but one of the best parts of this comic is the dialogue. It is just incredible, whether it be the few but impactful lines from Maul himself, lines from Sidious that drip with evil, the evil elegance of the auctioneer, or the quips from Eldra, Aurra Sing, or Cad Bane.
The artwork by Luke Ross is some of the better work done for the Star Wars comics. From the dark but vibrant expressions on the characters to the highly detailed backgrounds that don't end up being too cluttered. Not to mention the amazingly rendered battle scenes that offer all the variety you would want from Star Wars: Saber duels, shootouts, fist fights, and force powers- it's all there and it's all done extremely well. Its a massive shame that the narration had to distract from such vivid and beautiful pictures because after reading this book while skipping the narration I found that they could have done a great job telling the story themselves.
Finally, bits and pieces of lore and canon from other stories were wonderfully integrated. We see plenty of imagery and characters in the background from comics, the newer movies, the older movies, and of course The Clone Wars. All of it felt natural and fitting and really enhanced the feeling that this comic fits right in with the rest of canon as we have seen it so far.
THE CONCLUSION: While far from awful or even bad, this comic frustrates me. There is so much in here that was done really well: the story, characters, worldbuilding, and artwork across the board are excellent. I should have loved this comic, it DESERVED to be one of the best comics in the canon. But the narration took too much away from it. Yes, its great that this works overall if you skip those boxes, but I can't just ignore that the comic has them- after all, I have to consciously avoid them while reading, and that is distracting too.
Overall, what I was hoping to be an amazing addition to the new canon ended up being just an average disposable comic book story. Its all the more disappointing that the elements were there for it to BE amazing.
If you don't mind narration (as many people don't seem to), then you'll probably adore this comic, but the narration almost ruined my experience with it. Much like Darth Maul himself during the time period of the Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Darth Maul is tragically wasted potential.
Here, we finally get more of the version of Darth Maul that most people who experience Star Wars are familiar with: the silent double-saber wielding badass that did all those flips and kicks during "Duel of the Fates".
I was very excited to read it because of the time period this comic is set as well as the positive reception, and while it's far from bad, it's probably the most disappointing comic I have read in the canon.
THE STORY: The bloodthirsty apprentice of Darth Sidious is growing impatient with his master's insistence on staying hidden from the Jedi. After growing tired of unleashing his power upon Rathtars and crime lords, Darth Maul wants to test himself against his sworn enemies, the jedi. When a captive padawan named Eldra Kaitis appears at an auction, Maul sees the opportunity he has looked for. He hires Cad Bane and Aurra Sing, some of the greatest fan service in the galaxy, to help him.
THE BAD: Oh. My. GAWD. One Word: NARRATION. The narration boxes cullen bunn used here are some of the worst I have had the pleasure of trying to sit through. This is Tom Veitch levels of terrible in terms of narration. It was just as annoying, distracting, and unnecessary as narration always is comics. Seriously, all the exposition needed can be given in the opening crawls, which star wars comics ALWAYS HAVE!!! But this took it to a new level: while Veitch's narration is overly excessive because of how much text is in his boxes, Bunn's narration is INSULTING. The vast majority of the narration given is blatantly obvious information that I already knew for a long time, or stuff that can so easily be picked up on just by reading the dialogue and looking at the incredibly expressive artwork. But instead, this narration feels like the author is treating the readers like a bunch of MORONS. Imagine if Star Wars was a subject taught in grade school and considered as valuable as math and reading. The narration feels like surface level facts that would be given to a PRESCHOOLER. That's how bad it is. I'm not even kidding- as I was reading the narration boxes I was angrily shouting at the book saying things like "I KNOW THIS ALREADY!" or "WELL DUH THAT"S KRIFFING OBVIOUS!".
Perhaps I'm being too harsh. But I actually read the comic again and skipped over the narration boxes. And you know what? MY READING EXPERIENCE WAS ENHANCED!
Screw you, marvel, screw you lucasfilm, for allowing yet another comic in the canon to have its potential wasted by narration because you think the people that read these comics are so stupid that we can't figure out such obvious information on our own.
Sincerely, a devoted star wars fan who faithfully follows your new canon and thinks that YOU KRIFFING SUCK.
THE GOOD: As much as I deplored the use of narration, everything else ranges from solid to awesome in this comic, and hence I can understand the high praise it has gotten.
The story is engaging, and leads to some fantastic worldbuilding. In other comic stories that took place in the early prequel era like Yoda's Secret War or Star Wars - Obi-Wan & Anakin, we got to see what the jedi were like, but here, we get to see some sith psyche and it was quite interesting.
The characters are very well done. While Maul's character has been great in the Clone Wars and Rebels, ie, post phantom menace, Bunn does a pretty good job fleshing out the parts of his characterization that have badly needed to be expanded upon, really enhancing Maul as a character throughout canon. The portrayal is also very faithful to the phantom menace's version of the character for better or for worse: a silent man who's personality is more physical than mental. In fact, skipping the narration boxes in my second reading made the portrayal even more compelling than it already was with the minimal spoken dialogue and all the acrobatic action stunts. For some, they will complain that this is not an interesting character, or at least this version of the character. But for those that liked the Phantom Menace's version of Darth Maul the best, they will be very satisfied with this comic's take on the villain.
The other characters are really good too. Palpatine gets a lot of juicy dialogue that lets him chew up every micrometer of scenery he's in. Cad Bane and Aurra Sing are faithfully portrayed as the entertaining badasses you saw in The Clone Wars. Eldra Kaitis helps rectify a problem that that Star Wars comics have had for most of their time with Marvel in the new canon years: creating interesting and memorable new characters. Kaitis is a compelling jedi character with a strong personality and some great (but appropriate) chemistry with Maul, making the moment where they finally battle all the more exciting.
I've already been alluding to it with the characters, but one of the best parts of this comic is the dialogue. It is just incredible, whether it be the few but impactful lines from Maul himself, lines from Sidious that drip with evil, the evil elegance of the auctioneer, or the quips from Eldra, Aurra Sing, or Cad Bane.
The artwork by Luke Ross is some of the better work done for the Star Wars comics. From the dark but vibrant expressions on the characters to the highly detailed backgrounds that don't end up being too cluttered. Not to mention the amazingly rendered battle scenes that offer all the variety you would want from Star Wars: Saber duels, shootouts, fist fights, and force powers- it's all there and it's all done extremely well. Its a massive shame that the narration had to distract from such vivid and beautiful pictures because after reading this book while skipping the narration I found that they could have done a great job telling the story themselves.
Finally, bits and pieces of lore and canon from other stories were wonderfully integrated. We see plenty of imagery and characters in the background from comics, the newer movies, the older movies, and of course The Clone Wars. All of it felt natural and fitting and really enhanced the feeling that this comic fits right in with the rest of canon as we have seen it so far.
THE CONCLUSION: While far from awful or even bad, this comic frustrates me. There is so much in here that was done really well: the story, characters, worldbuilding, and artwork across the board are excellent. I should have loved this comic, it DESERVED to be one of the best comics in the canon. But the narration took too much away from it. Yes, its great that this works overall if you skip those boxes, but I can't just ignore that the comic has them- after all, I have to consciously avoid them while reading, and that is distracting too.
Overall, what I was hoping to be an amazing addition to the new canon ended up being just an average disposable comic book story. Its all the more disappointing that the elements were there for it to BE amazing.
If you don't mind narration (as many people don't seem to), then you'll probably adore this comic, but the narration almost ruined my experience with it. Much like Darth Maul himself during the time period of the Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Darth Maul is tragically wasted potential.
November 1, 2017
As with almost all Star Wars graphic novels, Darth Maul is entirely unnecessary and inconsequential. But it's not as obnoxious as most of Marvel's new-canon books have been, and the art is appealing.
The story takes place sometime before The Phantom Menace, and the problem is that it doesn't convey anything new about Maul, Palpatine, or the Sith in general. What you learn from this story is that Maul is an angry young fellow who longs to kill as many Jedi as possible. That's not very new. One doesn't expect a Maul story to be dialogue-heavy, and that's true here. Much of the writing is Maul's internal thoughts, and here are a few representative samples:
The story is rather lightweight, and is not as intense or graphically violent as one would expect from a story about Maul--which is partly relieving, and partly odd and out of place. There isn't a lot of connection to Maul as he appears in the Rebels series, other than a brief visit to the underground Sith temple on Malachor. Its appearance in this graphic novel adds little to the fantastic ambience created in the TV episode.
Against all odds, Darth Maul has become one of the more interesting characters from the prequel era, but there is always one main problem with any story about him: He obviously died at the end of The Phantom Menace in a really stupid way! I can't believe he was the galaxy's greatest killer when he was cut down like that, and I certainly can't believe he survived being cut in half and thrown down a deep chasm. Sometimes Lucas's missteps can't be corrected, no matter how sincerely everyone else desires to do so.
The story takes place sometime before The Phantom Menace, and the problem is that it doesn't convey anything new about Maul, Palpatine, or the Sith in general. What you learn from this story is that Maul is an angry young fellow who longs to kill as many Jedi as possible. That's not very new. One doesn't expect a Maul story to be dialogue-heavy, and that's true here. Much of the writing is Maul's internal thoughts, and here are a few representative samples:
"Fear."Well, you get the idea. It's a lot of that sort of thing."Anger."
"Hate."
"My desire to test myself against the Jedi only deepens."
"For so long, I have watched the Jedi from the shadows."
"Anxiousness . . . anger . . . hatred . . . flowing through me."
"But my rage . . . my hatred . . . has only intensified."
The story is rather lightweight, and is not as intense or graphically violent as one would expect from a story about Maul--which is partly relieving, and partly odd and out of place. There isn't a lot of connection to Maul as he appears in the Rebels series, other than a brief visit to the underground Sith temple on Malachor. Its appearance in this graphic novel adds little to the fantastic ambience created in the TV episode.
Against all odds, Darth Maul has become one of the more interesting characters from the prequel era, but there is always one main problem with any story about him: He obviously died at the end of The Phantom Menace in a really stupid way! I can't believe he was the galaxy's greatest killer when he was cut down like that, and I certainly can't believe he survived being cut in half and thrown down a deep chasm. Sometimes Lucas's missteps can't be corrected, no matter how sincerely everyone else desires to do so.
May 13, 2018
This was the epitome of OK-ness.
**Calm down, Maul, I have some nice things to say, too!**
If you wanted to read this to learn something new about Episode I's bifurcated baddie, keep looking. Maul is a rage-fuelled revenge machine, and he chafes under Darth Sidious' tutelage when all he really, really, REALLY wants to do is kill some Jedi.
How do we know this? Because he himself (through some clunky first-person monologuing) tells us so, again and again- it's like the editorial staff couldn't trust that the reader had actually read the previous issue.
On the plus side, it was nice to see old Clone Wars favourites Cad Bane and Aurra Sing again, though sadly they didn't get too much of interest to do.
On the whole, check it out if you want to see the horny-headed one kicking some butt, just don't expect much else.
**Calm down, Maul, I have some nice things to say, too!**
If you wanted to read this to learn something new about Episode I's bifurcated baddie, keep looking. Maul is a rage-fuelled revenge machine, and he chafes under Darth Sidious' tutelage when all he really, really, REALLY wants to do is kill some Jedi.
How do we know this? Because he himself (through some clunky first-person monologuing) tells us so, again and again- it's like the editorial staff couldn't trust that the reader had actually read the previous issue.
On the plus side, it was nice to see old Clone Wars favourites Cad Bane and Aurra Sing again, though sadly they didn't get too much of interest to do.
On the whole, check it out if you want to see the horny-headed one kicking some butt, just don't expect much else.
April 5, 2018
This story takes place before The Phantom Menace, and sees Maul impatient to start killing Jedi. So he goes against the Emperor's orders and makes some messes as tracks down a kidnapped Padawan that he can kill. It's not the strongest story, but it does have some good action in it, even if it barely makes use of Aurra Sing (although it makes slightly better use of Cad Bane). Maul puts off the barely-restrained animus that characterizes him throughout this story, although he makes some strange decisions. Ultimately everything works out in the end through a somewhat trope-ish maneuver that Star Wars has used way too often, but it was a decent story in the interim. The art is well done and the characters are portrayed well, both visually and plot-wise. At least those that have a purpose for being present.
May 31, 2023
Set in 36BBY
"My life ends only when my rage has been vented... When my need for vengeance is satisfied. It will be a long life. And oh so cold."
This one's a nice story with great artwork! Dark and hateful, Maul goes on missions here and there for his master, the Emperor, until he learns about a captured Padawan from some crime boss, and all that hate he's got inside him for the Jedi, makes him do things his master forbids him to, just to get to that Padawan and finally kill a Jedi.
"The Sith work in the shadows. My existence must remain secret. But there is rapture in the revelation."
"I am denied. All those years of training, all the punishment I have borne.. I was taught to hate... and yet my loathing cannot be vented."
"My life ends only when my rage has been vented... When my need for vengeance is satisfied. It will be a long life. And oh so cold."
This one's a nice story with great artwork! Dark and hateful, Maul goes on missions here and there for his master, the Emperor, until he learns about a captured Padawan from some crime boss, and all that hate he's got inside him for the Jedi, makes him do things his master forbids him to, just to get to that Padawan and finally kill a Jedi.
"The Sith work in the shadows. My existence must remain secret. But there is rapture in the revelation."
"I am denied. All those years of training, all the punishment I have borne.. I was taught to hate... and yet my loathing cannot be vented."
December 25, 2017
I also read this as single issues.
This miniseries started out pretty slow, but it worked it's way up to a really good ending. Maul is one of my favorite Sith characters, so I may be a little biased. I really like how this shows the anger than Maul is fueled by, and how he... is influenced by it, I guess you could say.
Over all, I think this really proves to me that the new canon comics are better and more interesting to me than most of the new canon book.
This miniseries started out pretty slow, but it worked it's way up to a really good ending. Maul is one of my favorite Sith characters, so I may be a little biased. I really like how this shows the anger than Maul is fueled by, and how he... is influenced by it, I guess you could say.
Over all, I think this really proves to me that the new canon comics are better and more interesting to me than most of the new canon book.
December 4, 2017
I've always wanted to know more about the quiet and deadly looking Sith from Episode 1 and this new cannon graphic novel provides some nice background into the character without reverting to the all-too-easy troupe of being an 'origin story'.
In Star Wars: Darth Maul, the familiar Sith master-apprentice tension common in the Darth Vader / Palpatine dynamic is again factored into Maul's story, with Palpatine a dangerous and intense presence which casts a shadow over Maul's every action.
As far as the story goes, there's not a lot of depth. Maul wants to kill a Jedi despite Palpatine urging him to bide his time. Eventually he finds a Padawan being held for auction by a shady underworld type and quickly assembles a band of bounty hunters to accompany him to the venue where the auction is being staged.
There's not much more to it - which is a shame. The art is great though and there are a couple of nice moments between Maul and the Padawan. One thing that really sticks out as a negative is the fact that Maul is two dimensional; there's not a lot of character development and I got tired of reading of how angry he was all the time.
My rating: 3/5 stars, I'm happy I read it but its a book you can skip and not feel like you're missing out on anything.
In Star Wars: Darth Maul, the familiar Sith master-apprentice tension common in the Darth Vader / Palpatine dynamic is again factored into Maul's story, with Palpatine a dangerous and intense presence which casts a shadow over Maul's every action.
As far as the story goes, there's not a lot of depth. Maul wants to kill a Jedi despite Palpatine urging him to bide his time. Eventually he finds a Padawan being held for auction by a shady underworld type and quickly assembles a band of bounty hunters to accompany him to the venue where the auction is being staged.
There's not much more to it - which is a shame. The art is great though and there are a couple of nice moments between Maul and the Padawan. One thing that really sticks out as a negative is the fact that Maul is two dimensional; there's not a lot of character development and I got tired of reading of how angry he was all the time.
My rating: 3/5 stars, I'm happy I read it but its a book you can skip and not feel like you're missing out on anything.
April 12, 2018
This was a fun graphic novel - the first of the new Disney canon that doesn't seem to be ashamed to incorporate fun elements from the prequels, from droidekas and Neimoidians to Aurra Sing and of course Darth Maul himself, as well as elements from The Force Awakens. Maul taking on a couple of rathtars seems entirely in character.
Of course, there are plenty of cameos from the Clone Wars CG TV show too - Cad Bane plays a significant part in the story, and there are a couple of glimpses of Hondo Ohnaka. Amusingly, given Maul's later role in the Shadow Collective, we also see representatives of the Pyke Syndicate and Falleen from Black Sun.
The plot is simple - but that is pretty much what you'd expect from a Darth Maul plot. He's not a character given to complex emotions. We do get introspection, but it is pretty much all about anger, hate and revenge - and do we really want anything else from pre-Phantom Menace Maul?
There is a Jedi padawan, and a whole bunch of gangsters, and it all comes together in an entertaining package.
The artwork is good, and really capture the essence of Star Wars - I could hear Ben Burtt's sound effects and the characters' voices clearly in my head.
I hope there are more Star Wars graphic novels this good.
Of course, there are plenty of cameos from the Clone Wars CG TV show too - Cad Bane plays a significant part in the story, and there are a couple of glimpses of Hondo Ohnaka. Amusingly, given Maul's later role in the Shadow Collective, we also see representatives of the Pyke Syndicate and Falleen from Black Sun.
The plot is simple - but that is pretty much what you'd expect from a Darth Maul plot. He's not a character given to complex emotions. We do get introspection, but it is pretty much all about anger, hate and revenge - and do we really want anything else from pre-Phantom Menace Maul?
There is a Jedi padawan, and a whole bunch of gangsters, and it all comes together in an entertaining package.
The artwork is good, and really capture the essence of Star Wars - I could hear Ben Burtt's sound effects and the characters' voices clearly in my head.
I hope there are more Star Wars graphic novels this good.
February 6, 2017
A good start and this seems like it's going to be a fun series. I really like the extra droid story at the end of this issue, but I hope they aren't always there because I'd rather Marvel use that space for more Maul screen time.
May 18, 2020
This review is part of my weekly column, Sunday Star Wars, at my blog, The Grimoire Reliquary.
I enjoy works set out as prequels to the prequel trilogy – Master and Apprentice is one of my most favourite reads. I didn’t always like Darth Maul, but catching up on the Clone Wars series has warmed me up to ol’ Red’n’Spiky! And if I needed another reason, just look at that cover. It would make for a great effin’ movie poster in its own right. To make things better, the internal art is no less impressive from the get-go:
What’s this graphic novel about?
Darth Maul grows restless as his master bides his time and weaves his web, awaiting for the opportunity to strike. So restless, in fact, that when Darth Sidious sends him on a task to aid the Sith’s allies in the Trade Federation, the dark apprentice jumps at the mention of a Jedi Padawan caught and held for sale to the highest bidder by a criminal, Xev Xrexus, on the planet of Nar Shaddaa. Maul’s help to the Trade Federation, for the record, is offered by way of executing dozens of aliens unhappy with the illegal operations the Federation deals in. Just in case you thought he was a good Samaritan or some such nonsense.
As you plainly see, Maul is all too happy to help his friends and allies at the Federation.
His first appearance on the very particular hive of scum and villainy that is Nar Shaddaa is stylish:
The Sith definitely have a stylistic edge over the Jedi. Might that have something to do with how Palpatine got one over that little green muppet?
Of course, criminals don’t like the kind of questions Maul asks, and before long, he’s fighting a good half dozen of them. Enter a few familiar faces from Season 2 of the Clone Wars!
I never was a fan of Cad Bane but plenty of folks out there are. Don’t get me wrong, I can see the appeal – he’s very much the kind of character that draws inspiration from the Western aspects of the Star Wars Saga – the kind of mercantile villain riding from one town to the next, caring precious little about the moral hue of his actions, long as his pockets line up. Something always bugged me where he was concerned. Aurra Sing is more my speed – she’s observant and has fine intuition.
There’s a tragedy to Maul, too. Stolen from his birth mother by Palpatine, fed the worst of his poison, taught only to hate and to destroy — there’s plenty appealing to the Zabrak warrior. As the result of the training he has received, his philosophy is very different to that of Sidious:
These panels, digging into Maul’s way of thinking and revealing aspects to him hitherto unseen are likely my most favourite element of this entire graphic novel. The parallels he draws to his Master, the differences he sees, make him an awful lot more interesting a character:
Eldra Kaitis, the Jedi Padawan captured, makes for an excellent foil to Maul. He wants her to fear him, yet she does not; he seeks vengeance for past wrongs but she has little interest in them; The conversations they have in issue four are only equaled by their excellent duel in the final issue in this volume. From her first appearance to her last moments, she encapsulates some of my favourite elements about the Jedi Order.
Every page of the duel between Maul and Eldra showcases the finest in the art of Luke Ross. Listen to Duel of the Fates while you read Issue #5, I promise, you will not regret it.
I cannot heap enough praise on that last issue, in fact. It does so many things right – as does the entire volume. The consistent art, the excellent characterization, even the bounty hunters’ side adventure; these make for an excellent, self-contained story that I won’t soon forget.
And here’s one of my favourite quotes, on a panel that isn’t much to look at (one of those panels that set up location, I don’t mean that it’s drawn badly or anything of that sort):
Like the very best Star Wars comics in the neo-Marvel era, this easily fits to the Clone Wars animated format – it reads much like It’s solid work, and one of my favourite graphic novels in the Star Wars universe. I’m happy to give it a score of five out of five stars on Goodreads!
Join me again next week for another dose of Sunday Star Wars!
I enjoy works set out as prequels to the prequel trilogy – Master and Apprentice is one of my most favourite reads. I didn’t always like Darth Maul, but catching up on the Clone Wars series has warmed me up to ol’ Red’n’Spiky! And if I needed another reason, just look at that cover. It would make for a great effin’ movie poster in its own right. To make things better, the internal art is no less impressive from the get-go:
What’s this graphic novel about?
Darth Maul grows restless as his master bides his time and weaves his web, awaiting for the opportunity to strike. So restless, in fact, that when Darth Sidious sends him on a task to aid the Sith’s allies in the Trade Federation, the dark apprentice jumps at the mention of a Jedi Padawan caught and held for sale to the highest bidder by a criminal, Xev Xrexus, on the planet of Nar Shaddaa. Maul’s help to the Trade Federation, for the record, is offered by way of executing dozens of aliens unhappy with the illegal operations the Federation deals in. Just in case you thought he was a good Samaritan or some such nonsense.
As you plainly see, Maul is all too happy to help his friends and allies at the Federation.
His first appearance on the very particular hive of scum and villainy that is Nar Shaddaa is stylish:
The Sith definitely have a stylistic edge over the Jedi. Might that have something to do with how Palpatine got one over that little green muppet?
Of course, criminals don’t like the kind of questions Maul asks, and before long, he’s fighting a good half dozen of them. Enter a few familiar faces from Season 2 of the Clone Wars!
I never was a fan of Cad Bane but plenty of folks out there are. Don’t get me wrong, I can see the appeal – he’s very much the kind of character that draws inspiration from the Western aspects of the Star Wars Saga – the kind of mercantile villain riding from one town to the next, caring precious little about the moral hue of his actions, long as his pockets line up. Something always bugged me where he was concerned. Aurra Sing is more my speed – she’s observant and has fine intuition.
There’s a tragedy to Maul, too. Stolen from his birth mother by Palpatine, fed the worst of his poison, taught only to hate and to destroy — there’s plenty appealing to the Zabrak warrior. As the result of the training he has received, his philosophy is very different to that of Sidious:
These panels, digging into Maul’s way of thinking and revealing aspects to him hitherto unseen are likely my most favourite element of this entire graphic novel. The parallels he draws to his Master, the differences he sees, make him an awful lot more interesting a character:
Eldra Kaitis, the Jedi Padawan captured, makes for an excellent foil to Maul. He wants her to fear him, yet she does not; he seeks vengeance for past wrongs but she has little interest in them; The conversations they have in issue four are only equaled by their excellent duel in the final issue in this volume. From her first appearance to her last moments, she encapsulates some of my favourite elements about the Jedi Order.
Every page of the duel between Maul and Eldra showcases the finest in the art of Luke Ross. Listen to Duel of the Fates while you read Issue #5, I promise, you will not regret it.
I cannot heap enough praise on that last issue, in fact. It does so many things right – as does the entire volume. The consistent art, the excellent characterization, even the bounty hunters’ side adventure; these make for an excellent, self-contained story that I won’t soon forget.
And here’s one of my favourite quotes, on a panel that isn’t much to look at (one of those panels that set up location, I don’t mean that it’s drawn badly or anything of that sort):
My Master…
If he knew about my plans…
Would likely find this amusing.
Like the very best Star Wars comics in the neo-Marvel era, this easily fits to the Clone Wars animated format – it reads much like It’s solid work, and one of my favourite graphic novels in the Star Wars universe. I’m happy to give it a score of five out of five stars on Goodreads!
Join me again next week for another dose of Sunday Star Wars!
January 21, 2021
Fear. Anger. Hate.
These mark the steps along the path to the dark side.
These are the weapons of the Sith.
And I have trained to use these weapons well.
I am Darth Maul.
This volume contains all 5 issues of the 2017 Darth Maul Comic Series. It's 3.5 stars for me, rounded up because the last two issues were more interesting.
It also contains the 10-pages comic 'Probe Droid Problem' which actually was quite sweet.
I never was a big fan of Maul but as an introduction to him this series is a nice one to squeeze in. It takes players before The Phantom Menace and young Maul wants to finally test his skill against a real Jedi. But, past, Darth Sidious mustn't know! So what do so? Sneak away and join an auction to get a Jedi Padawan to play with. Special Guest appearance: Cad Bane and his team are on board and I honestly like that space cowboy a lot! That's a plus.
These mark the steps along the path to the dark side.
These are the weapons of the Sith.
And I have trained to use these weapons well.
I am Darth Maul.
This volume contains all 5 issues of the 2017 Darth Maul Comic Series. It's 3.5 stars for me, rounded up because the last two issues were more interesting.
It also contains the 10-pages comic 'Probe Droid Problem' which actually was quite sweet.
I never was a big fan of Maul but as an introduction to him this series is a nice one to squeeze in. It takes players before The Phantom Menace and young Maul wants to finally test his skill against a real Jedi. But, past, Darth Sidious mustn't know! So what do so? Sneak away and join an auction to get a Jedi Padawan to play with. Special Guest appearance: Cad Bane and his team are on board and I honestly like that space cowboy a lot! That's a plus.
April 27, 2023
I received this book from a friend
This book tells the story of Maul’s first Jedi kill and it was exciting to say the least. Getting cameos from characters i love that also adds more depth to them not seen in Clone Wars was also such a plus. If you’re a fan of Darth Maul, this is so so heavily recommended and if you’re s Star Wars fan who’s always wanted more out of the sith side in terms of media, this is recommended reading.
This book tells the story of Maul’s first Jedi kill and it was exciting to say the least. Getting cameos from characters i love that also adds more depth to them not seen in Clone Wars was also such a plus. If you’re a fan of Darth Maul, this is so so heavily recommended and if you’re s Star Wars fan who’s always wanted more out of the sith side in terms of media, this is recommended reading.
September 1, 2022
I find somewhat irritating the patience that Sidious had in the training of all of his apprentices , including Maul. Yet, they always end up doing things their own way and Sidious congratulating them. Its a dynamic that gets a bit repetitive at times. Still the story is fun and insightful on what truly moves Maul.
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