Jim Mullaney

American writer

James Mullaney is an American writer. Mullaney was ghostwriter and later credited writer of 28 novels in The Destroyer paperback novel series. He is currently the author of The Red Menace novel series as well as the Crag Banyon Mysteries series.

James Mullaney is a Shamus Award nominated author of over 50 books, as well as comics, short stories and novellas. His work has been published by New American Library, Gold Eagle/Harlequin, Marvel Comics, Tor and Moonstone Books. He was co writer with Jim Uhls (Fight Club) the screenplay to the shelved Destroyer film adaptation for Sony, to be directed by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3). He was born in Massachusetts, the last of six children.

The first Destroyer novel to which Mullaney contributed was #88: The Ultimate Death; he then went on to become the sole writer of the series for issues #111 131. When the series moved from Gold Eagle to Tor Books, he and series co creator Warren Murphy shared coauthor credit on The Destroyer, beginning May 2007. Mullaney stayed with the series until it ended its run at Tor in August 2008. Sony Pictures has announced that Mullaney has been hired, along with Jim Uhls, to co write the script for a new Destroyer movie, which is currently in development.

Mullaney has two series of his own. The Red Menace is an adventure series centering on Patrick "Podge" Becket, a retired communist fighter and secret agent from the 1950s who returns to crime fighting in the 1970s, aided by his friend and partner Dr. Thaddeus Wainwright. The first novel, Red and Buried, was released on September 15, 2011 to mostly positive reviews. The paperback of Red and Buried was issued in paperback by Moonstone Books in 2013. Eight years later, Bold Venture Press released the first three works in paperback. The next three paperbacks were released in 2022. The seventh issue, Ruses Are Red, was released simultaneously in 2023 as both paperback and eBook editions. Mullaney's second series surrounds the comic adventures of private investigator Crag Banyon; the first book, One Horse Open Slay was published on December 13, 2011 to positive reviews. The second Crag Banyon Mystery, Devil May Care, was released May 2012. A third Crag Banyon Mystery, Royal Flush, was 2012, followed by Sea No Evil and Bum Luck in 2013. They are all available in paperback. A sixth Banyon, Flying Blind was published in June, 2014. Devil May Care was a 2013 Shamus Award finalist in the Best Indie P. I. Novel category. Mullaney has also worked on Iron Fist for Marvel Comics.