New STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL - BLACK, WHITE & RED Comic Will Explore Maul's Secret Missions For Palpatine
Thanks to Marvel Comics, we are getting a new Star Wars story that will continue to explore Darth Maul’s past journey. It’s been 25 years since Maul made his Star Wars debut on The Phantom Menace and fans have enjoyed watching the character explored in various stories ever since.
The new comic book coming is titled Star Wars: Darth Maul – Black, White & Red and it will be a four-issue miniseries, with each installment written and drawn by a different creative team. The stories will explore the secret missions that Palpatine sent Maul on.
Issue #1 was written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Stefano Raffaele. That story finds “Darth Maul dispatched by Palpatine to investigate a prison ship that goes offline. The vessel, however, is transporting a group known as the Final Occultation, and horrors await.”
Percy recently talked to Star Wars about the comic and his approach to handling Maul, saying: “I've been a lifelong, obsessive fan of the Star Wars galaxy — it's such a foundational part of my imagination — and it's a thrill to be able to contribute to it now. My mind is busy with nightmares, so it's especially a treat to step into the mind of Darth Maul, one of the great villains of this galaxy far, far away.”
He added: “The silent assassin has a busy inner world. He is loyal to Palpatine, but that does not make him a puppet or a tool. He is willing to make his own decisions — ones that could shake the very fabric of the galaxy — as is the case in this chiller and thriller of a story, ‘The Final Occultation.’”
When talking about the Final Occultation, he said: “Palpatine believes in order, control — whereas the Final Occultation believes in chaos. They both channel the dark side, but with different intents. When you meet this cult, you'll know that most could not withstand their violence and dark intents...but Maul might have a chance.”
He went on to talk about the comic as a whole, saying: “This is pure joy. And it's such a rush to see Stefano's art as he brings to life Maul and this nightmarish journey. I've always loved blending genres, and horror and science fiction make for great bedfellows. The dark, cold void of space invites awe and terror. We're leaning into that.”
As for why he thinks Maul continues to be one of Star Wars' most popular villains, he said: “His iconic look is part of it. He's one of the coolest looking characters of all time. From the spiked head to the red skin to the double-bladed saber — he's seared into our minds as the definition of badass. His single-minded drive and vicious capability is another; he's an unstoppable force that Palpatine depends on as a walking weapon of mass destruction.”
Will you be checking this comic series out?
