THE BIG RETURN
Darth Maul was a star of the famed Clone Wars animated series, and he has since made numerous cartoon appearances that are seemingly Star Wars canon. He made a surprise cameo in the Solo movie, complete with metal legs and voiced by Clone Wars actor Sam Witwer. Since then, fans have wondered when Maul will return to live-action. Wait. Didn't Maul die in Star Wars Rebels? If he can survive being cut in half, he can survive anything.
Considering the popularity of The Mandalorian and its place in the Star Wars timeline, there is a high probability that Maul will appear in the series sooner or later. Since Ahsoka has been confirmed for the Disney+ series, it would be logical to assume that her Clone Wars rival would challenge her in live-action. When that happens, it will create an absolute feeding frenzy for his key issues.
On that note, here are some Darth Maul issues to keep your eyes on in the meantime.
STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE #1/2
Dark Horse released the special #1/2 issue as a tie-in to its Phantom Menace limited series. Although Darth Maul wouldn’t appear in the actual story, there is a sketch of him in the bonus section. That makes SWTPM #1/2 the first official appearance of the coolest looking of all the sith lords.
There were two covers released for this issue - the standard and the Wizard magazine foil variant edition. While the standard edition has been the better seller, the Wizard edition commands the higher values. It also has greater investment potential.
The standard cover sold five times last year and just once in 2020. The most recent sale saw a 9.8 bring $50 this past May. On the other hand, the one graded copy of the Wizard edition that has sold since 2002 earned $88 on May 28.
STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE #1
Back when Dark Horse Comics owned the publishing rights to Star Wars, this limited series was released as a cross-promotion for the 1999 film. Hardcore SW fans excited for the first new movie after 16 years bought up these copies. However, casual comic fans didn’t pay it much attention. With the possibility of Darth Maul appearing in The Mandalorian, this issue is worth a second look.
This comic marks Darth Maul’s first appearance in a storyline, and you can have one for next to no risk. The last graded 9.8 to sell was the photo cover variant, and that was last December when one brought just $49. Last year, only two 9.8 standard covers traded hands for an average of $30.
STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL #1 (2000)
Typically, collectors swarm first appearances like sharks smelling blood in the water. In this case, the much bigger seller is Darth Maul’s first self-titled series from 2000.
The photo cover, which featured Ray Park in full costume and makeup, has only sold once this year, but it went for $80 at a 9.8. The real money, however, lies in the Dynamic Forces editions. These have not traded hands in two years, but they commanded high prices. In 2015, the red foil cover brought $150 while the holofoil edition had a price tag of $127 in 2018. Factor in inflation and these could push the $200 mark at least.
THE MIDAS TOUCH
Star Wars fans have been clamoring for more Darth Maul since he was chopped in half at the conclusion of Phantom Menace. All the animated appearances have only whet that appetite. Anything associated with The Mandalorian is red hot at the moment, and adding Darth Maul to that cast would send it into the stratosphere.
