Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Some of the original sci-fi artworks of acclaimed technical illustrator and cutaway artist John R. Mullaney achieved impressive results at Propstore’s Los Angeles Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, held September 4–5, 2025.

Across two days of live bidding, all seven of Mullaney’s pieces attracted strong collector interest, with four highlights selling under the hammer:

·      USCSS Nostromo (Alien) – $12,600  (Artwork originally commissioned for Alien: The Weyland Yutani Report (2014))

·      Serenity (Firefly/Serenity) – $11,235 (Artwork originally commissioned for QmX’s Serenity Architectural Cutaways Set (2011))

·      The Betty (Alien: Resurrection) – $6,300 (Artwork originally commissioned for Alien: The Weyland Yutani Report (2014))

·      APC elevation artwork (Aliens) – $3,150 (Artwork originally commissioned for Alien the RPG (2019))

Each lot was a unique, hand-illustrated, and painted original, commissioned and licensed by major film studios including 20th Century Studios and Universal for publication in their official titles for the respective iconic franchises. Due to studio-licensing restrictions, these works cannot be reproduced for sale as prints, underscoring their rarity and collectability.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with the results, and deeply grateful for the enthusiasm and support I’ve received from collectors and fans of these iconic IPs. To see my work showcased alongside props and costumes from cinema history has been a real honour & privilege, and I’d like to thank everyone who contributed — whether by bidding, sharing, or simply celebrating the art with me. Most of all I’d like to thank all the amazing team at Propstore for all their expertise and support and for giving my work such a prestigious platform,” said Mullaney.

The wider Propstore auction was also a resounding success, with the headline lot — Darth Vader’s original hero duelling lightsaber — selling for $3.6 million.

Mullaney’s pieces, which have been described as “intricately researched, screen-accurate tributes to some of sci-fi cinema’s most iconic hardware” continue to gain recognition among both dedicated collectors and fans of cinematic design, including Alien Romulus director Fede Alvarez.

Further original artworks by Mullaney will be going under the hammer at Propstore’s forthcoming London auction.

For more information on John R. Mullaney’s available works and future exhibitions, please visit:
http://www.johnRmullaney.com