Star Wars: Shadow of Maul (2026) #2 is the second issue of Marvel Comics’ five-issue canon miniseries, released today, April 8, 2026.
It’s a pulp-style prequel to the new Disney+ animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord (which premiered its first episodes on April 6, 2026). The comic is set shortly after the formation of the Galactic Empire (around or after 19 BBY), on the neon-lit, crime-ridden Mid Rim planet Janix—a lawless hub beyond full Imperial control.
Plot Tease (No Major Spoilers)
The tagline says it all: «The underworld explodes with scum and villainy as Maul looms in the shadows!»
Ruthless mercenaries are trying to offload Imperial treasure, while the ambitious crime lord Nico Deemis will do anything to seize it. Captain Brander Lawson (of Janix’s Tactical Defense Force) and his droid partner Two-Boots (2B0T) are caught in the middle, trying to stop the shady exchange.
From issue #1 context and the opening crawl in #2: Lawson is dealing with corruption in his own ranks (including a mole tied to Deemis), while Maul—operating from the Cina system—begins planning his infiltration of Janix’s criminal underworld. Expect gritty street-level action, double-crosses, and the growing shadow of the «Shadow Lord.»
The series focuses more on building up antagonists like Lawson and the Janix crime scene than centering Maul in every panel (he makes impactful appearances but isn’t the constant focus).
