Maxwell Grant was a

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

used by the authors of ''

The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by American magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by Gibs ...

pulp magazine Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 until around 1955. The term "pulp" derives from the Pulp (paper), wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed, due to their ...

stories from the 1930s to 1960s.

Street & Smith Street & Smith or Street & Smith Publications, Inc., was a New York City publisher specializing in inexpensive paperbacks and magazines referred to as dime novels and pulp magazine, pulp fiction. They also published comic books and sporting year ...

, the publishers of ''The Shadow'', hired author Walter B. Gibson to create and write the series based on popular interest in the character who was first used as a radio narrator. However, Gibson was asked to use a pen name. The pen name was used primarily so numerous authors could write the stories without confusing readers. Another factor was how Gibson, also a nonfiction writer, wanted to use a pen name for his fiction. He adopted the pen name Maxwell Grant, taking the name from two

stage magic A stage illusion is a large-scale magic trick. As the name implies, stage illusions are distinct from other types of magic in that they are performed a considerable distance away from the audience, usually on a stage, in order to maintain the illu ...

dealers he knew: Maxwell Holden and U.F. Grant. Gibson wrote the vast majority of ''Shadow'' stories, usually two short novels per month for ''The Shadow'' magazine. Four authors besides Gibson have used the Maxwell Grant pen name: Theodore Tinsley, who wrote 27 Shadow stories between 1936 and 1943; Lester Dent, who wrote one story, ''The Golden Vulture'', in 1938; Bruce Elliott, who wrote 15 Shadow stories between 1946 and 1948; and Dennis Lynds, who wrote nine Shadow

paperback A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, also known as wrappers, and often held together with adhesive, glue rather than stitch (textile arts), stitches or Staple (fastener), staples. In contrast, ...

novels between 1964 and 1967. The comic book series ''The Shadow: Year One'', published by

Dynamite Entertainment Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded in 2004 by Nick Barrucci in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, known for publishing comic book adaptations of licensed feature film properties, such as ''Army of Darkness'', '' Terminator ...

, features a character by the name of "Maxwell Grant". The character is a journalist, who uncovers the identity of the Shadow. However, rather than exposing him, Grant offers to chronicle his adventures.

References

{{Authority control Grant, Maxwell Collective pseudonyms Pulp fiction writers 1931 introductions