Shadow of Maul #4 is the fourth issue of the miniseries that ties in with the now-concluded animated Season 1 of the Maul – Shadow Lord series.
If you have missed any of the previous issue reviews, catch up:
The Lawson and Rheena Team
Lawson’s shady past made him friends with Rheena, a former bounty hunter who now runs a casino on Janix. She is probably one of the few trustworthy and reliable people on the system. We saw her help Lawson and company when the Empire arrived on Janix, but their shared past is still unknown for the most part.
Issue #4 reveals a bit more of the origins of their odd relationship and why she is the one person Lawson asks for help when things are at their worst point. A police officer and a casino owner are a strange but perfect combination.
Each one has access to privileged information, important contacts, and a network that is exclusive to their respective “side of the law”. If they need a lead on something fishy, all they need to do is call the other to get the whole picture.
I’d dare say that Rheena’s friendship is what has allowed Lawson to be a disobedient officer who, despite his lack of respect for internal rules, is clearly a very effective element. I’m bummed that we won’t get to learn more about this formidable team.
Playing all sides
If Maul learned something about Palpatine, it’s that deceiving and manipulating all the parties involved in a conflict is an extremely effective tactic if pulled off. Thankfully for Maul, the gang rivalries on Janix aren’t remotely close to the conflict between the Republic and the CIS.
Janix is home to minor criminals who are too busy trying to undermine each other to even contemplate the idea of someone else being involved.
Naturally, when people of all sides start disappearing, they simply blame the other side. This is exactly what happened here.
Vario and Deemis attempted to rig an illegal race. At this point, Janix is free of Imperial interference, so it’s the perfect place for an event of this type. Criminals, politicians, and the wealthy people of the galaxy arrive for a unique (and bloody) spectacle.
Maul takes advantage of his anonymity and misleads both sides into “tricking” each other, only for him to steal the high price in front of their noses. The most amusing thing is imagining Deemis throwing a Tantrum after losing an absurd amount of credits.
Easter eggs
A popular sport
Despite podracing being mentioned in multiple novels, books, and even series, there are very few instances where it’s the central theme. This is one of those exceptions where a race plays a big part in the plot.
I’ve seen those before!
I love that despite the fact that there are dozens of species in Star Wars, this image includes many from the original trilogy. Some of the species seen here are Duros, Ithorian, Nikto, Devaronian, Quarren, Bith, and Sullustan.
Final Thoughts
While this series has been fun, I’m starting to think that the title is misleading. Maul hasn’t done anything meaningful or that has a direct impact on the story. All he’s done is appear in the last pages of each issue, doing something badass or, as some people call it, “farming aura”.
This didn’t bother me in the first issues because they introduced Janix, Lawson, and how it is to live in this chaotic city. Now we’re more than halfway through the series, and this pattern continues.
If the title mentioned Janix or Lawson, then I wouldn’t be mad about it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the additional context that it provides to Maul – Shadow Lord but it’s annoying that the title character just makes some cameos.
Star Wars: Shadow of Maul (2026) #4
| PUBLISHER: | Marvel |
| RELEASED: | June 10, 2026 |
| ISSUE: | #4 of 5 |
| PAGES: | 32 |
| WRITER: | Benjamin Percy |
| PENCILER: | Madibek Musabekov |
| INKER: | Madibek Musabekov |
| COLORIST: | Luis Guerrero |
| LETTERER: | VC’s Joe Caramagna |
| COVER: | Derrick Chew |
Strengths
Podracing!
Provides background for Rheena and Lawson
Weaknesses
Inconsequential
Maul is a secondary character at best
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Plot summary (spoilers)
A podrace called The Star Gauntlet is organized on Janix. This place is perfect due to its lack of Imperial presence. It’s illegal, but Janix’s Tactical Defense Force allows it because of how much money goes straight into the city.
Mid-race, Lawson realizes that the behaviour of a contestant named Tor Braxis is a little too odd. Lawson contacts his old partner Rheena, the owner of the local casino, to discuss Braxis’s conduct. After looking at the odds and a recent bet by Vario, they are sure that something’s off.
Lawson’s instinct pays off. Braxis was planning to steal the casino’s vault in the middle of the chaotic race. But by the time he reaches Braxis, he’s already dead, and a small fortune of credits is missing.
