Star Wars: Shadow of Maul (2026) #3
Hidden Figures
After discovering a mole amongst his team, Brander Lawson continued to investigate criminal activity on Janix alongside his partner Two-Boots.
The duo foiled a lucrative exchange of Imperial credits when they pitted local crime lords Nico Deemis and Looti Vario against one another.
While Lawson was intercepting this payload, Maul was making his arrival on Janix. For now, however, the Shadow Lord is choosing to remain hidden….
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Madibek Musabekov
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Luis Guerrero
Cover artist: Derrick Chew
Editor: Mark Pannicia
Publication date: May 13 2026
“Janix is a city with two faces. There’s the neon-lit mask, and there’s the darkness hidden behind it,” is the thought balloon that accompanies the first frame of the comic, a skyline view of Janix. And as the eye travels down the page, the story dives deeper—into the city and into the background of Captain Brander Lawson of the local Tactical Defense Force.
As Lawson purchases from a Rodian food vendor in Mayak Market, the thought bubbles continue to shed light on our hero, or is it anti-hero? He admits to “shouting matches” that ruined his marriage as well as “ugly things I did in my previous life.” The onion of his background is being peeled, but the recipe for this series has numerous other ingredients to pay attention to, including overripe and corrupt members of his force.
Lawson, using his wits and street smarts, survives this latest attempt on his life by the former member of his latest three-man squad, who is struck by a speeder while fleeing and dies.
This sets into motion another seemingly crooked member of the force showing up at Lawson’s door. And here’s where the teaser comes in for Lawson’s part of this issue—he is rescued while also being put on notice by an important player on Janix. The captain is no closer to finding out why he is a target or how deep the corruption goes within his precinct. He’s dealing with hidden figures in the forefront while Maul and his collaborators work in the shadows.
The former Sith apprentice is in the scrapyards of Janix with his pair of Dathomirian brothers for all of 10 frames—but that’s all it takes for his menacing, calculated brutality to shine. They have kidnapped a former patrol officer who now works in records.
The primary information Maul wants is schematics and access codes for Deemis’ bank, along with police patrol schedules. He’ll get that information, or the officer will perish. It’s a gorgeous, fiery frame that concludes this book, with Maul touting his power and cunning as he moves another pawn in his master plan.
To be continued…