Darth Maul Trade Paperback Review
The Marvel Darth Maul Trade Paperback takes place before The Phantom Menace. At the time of this review, it is the first entry in the canon timeline. In this review, I will give a summary and my overall thoughts for each chapter in the comic.
PART I
Summary: Darth Maul, Sith apprentice to the dark lord, Darth Sidious, is ready and willing to take on the Jedi. After he hunts and slaughters a few Rathtars to appease his blood-lust, he returns to Coruscant. Before Maul returns to his master, he stalks a few Jedi, but defeats the temptation to strike.
Darth Sidious warns Maul to control his rage, to be patient, and wait for the master plan to be fulfilled. After that, Maul’s rage may be unleashed on their foe.
Trade federation is establishing a secret mining facility in the Kellux System. Maul is ordered to go and assist the troubled federation allies being harassed by pirates. Once there, Maul is wiping out the pirates and is mistaken for a Jedi. It’s revealed that a Jedi padawan was captured and to be sold into slavery. Maul then slaughters the pirates and the federation allies. He will find this padawan and destroy him before the Jedi can save him.
Overall Thoughts: A good start to the Darth Maul comic. I like the tie in to The Force Awakens with the Rathtar creatures. It’s nice seeing new things in the canon stretch throughout the timeline. Maul is written well. He’s arrogant, prideful, and impatient. Emperor Palpatine seems happy with, yet somewhat annoyed by his apprentice. He makes it clear that if Maul disobeys him… there will be consequences.
PART II
SUMMARY: Maul heads to the best place to find information, where everyone there has something to hide, Nar Shaddaa. He gets into a scuffle after attempting to find out more info on Xev Xrexus, the name that was dropped on the federation ship pertaining to the Jedi padawan. He can’t use his Lightsaber, word would spread and his identify would surely be revealed. Luckily for Maul, some hired hands show up; Aurra Sing, Cad Bane, and Vorhdeulo.
With a little help from one of Car Bane’s associates, a protocol droid is tortured and interrogated, spilling its knowledge on Xev Xrexus. Maul and his hired bunch, Head to the auction, where the poor Jedi padawan is up for sale.
Once they get to the location, they are greeted and informed of the specimen up for auction, Maul sneaks off and finds the Jedi.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: This was an awesome issue! I wasn’t expecting the surprise characters like Aurra Sing! We’ve only seen a glimpse of her in The Phantom Menace. Cad Bane cameo is probably cool for those that like the Clone Wars series.
I was impressed with some of the lore that mentioned. In Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine says, “Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy.” I’ve always been intrigued by that line, imagining what that might have been like. In this issue, we get some beautiful artwork, showing a slaughter of ancient Sith by cross-Saber wielding Jedi! One of them even has a silhouette resembling Yoda…. mind was blown. (How about we turn that into a film?!)
I really enjoyed this issue. I’ve never really been a big Maul fan… the comic isn’t changing that, only making my case for disliking him even stronger. He’s too prideful, and that pride led to his downfall. Excited to move on to the next issue!
PART III
SUMMARY: The bidding is about to begin! But beforehand, Maul has snuck around security to get a sneak peak of the Jedi padawan. Lucky for her, she’s well protected by a forcefield. Xev Xrexus catches Maul, threatens to have him incinerated, but let’s him go.
The auction begins, and the bid climbs higher and higher. Maul and his hired crew find out who the winner is… and takes care of them… in a bad way.
However, Xev Xrexus had a plan, deactivating the ship that the padawan is on so that it crashes on the nearby planet. Her new scheme, to have folks buy-in to hunt for the padawan.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: The series continues to keep me interested and entertained. Xev Xrexus is a total tool bag, she’s pretty evil. Maul realizes he needs to calm down a bit, and does so. I like that because it shows they the character has a brain.
The ending was a nice surprise, I honestly didn’t expect it to end the way it did. Ready to see how Maul gets out of this problem now, surely he’ll have to wipe out everyone… right? But that can’t be, because Cad Bane and Aurra Sing are with him. Alright, moving on to the forth part in the story!
PART IV
SUMMARY: Maul and company crash land on the Moon of Drazkel. The buy-in for the hunt of the padawan and her abductors takes place! Maul has his hired hands search for ships, to tamper with some and steal one. Maul and the padawan will go out on their own, to lure the hunters away so he can destroy them.
Maul and the padawan trade words. He knows she’s powerful, he actually lets her out of her bindings and gives back her lightsaber. She helps fend off the hunters.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: Loved the issue! There is once but that was actually gruesome and disturbing! Poor little Tek-Tek, didn’t do so well after the crash. I like how Maul gives the lightsaber to the padawan, he basically does it to see how well she uses it and to study her style. He keeps it pretty cool in this issue until the end… making this issue the best cliffhanger in the run.
The art was beautiful, the lighting on the planet was purplish pink, it made the two sabers stand out, a nice artistic touch. Can’t wait to finish up this series!
PART V
SUMMARY: Aurra Sing and Cad Bane work to get a ship, taking out a few of the hunters along the way. Darth Maul and the padawan duel!
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this issue. I was glad to see Maul come to his senses somewhat. He realized his arrogance and anger led to him defying his master and his wishes to remain in the shadows. I wasn’t too surprised that he had a rough time taking on the Jedi padawan… I mean, the next padawan he faces cuts him in half! (Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace)
Do I recommend you pick up the Darth Maul trade paperback? Yes, I had a good time with this series, didn’t have any eye rolling, nonsense moments.
RATING: I give this comic series an A