Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer
Born April 1, 1970
Occupation Novelist, screenwriter, comic book writer
Nationality American
Alma mater University of Michigan, Columbia Law School
Period 1997 to the present
Genre political thriller, superhero fantasy, non-fiction
Notable works The Tenth Justice
Jack & Bobby
Identity Crisis
Notable awards 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)[1]
Spouse Cori Flam (1995-present; 2 children)
Website
www.bradmeltzer.com

Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970) is an American political thriller novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator and comic book author.

Early life

Brad Meltzer was born on April 1, 1970. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and then moved to South Florida, where he graduated from North Miami Beach Senior High School in 1988. He then obtained a degree from the University of Michigan, the first in his immediate family to attend a four-year college. In 1993, Meltzer lived in Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts with roommate, fellow comic book writer/artist Judd Winick, working in sales at Games magazine by day while working on his first novel by night.[2] Afterwards Meltzer graduated from Columbia Law School, and was selected to the Columbia Law Review.[3]

Career

His first novel Fraternity garnered 24 rejection letters, but he then sold his second novel, The Tenth Justice, while in law school.[4] In 1994, he co-wrote the original swearing-in oath that is taken by AmeriCorps members, and has been delivered by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. In 1996, Meltzer created one of the earliest author websites for his first published novel, The Tenth Justice.[5] In addition to his novels, he was the co-creator of the television series Jack & Bobby, which ran for one season (2004–2005) on the WB television network.

He created a six-issue story arc for DC Comics' Green Arrow #16 - #21 (October 2002 - April 2003). In 2004 he wrote the miniseries Identity Crisis,[6] which became one of the most controversial storylines of the decade.[7] While the miniseries holds an average score of 7.3 out of 10 at the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, (the lowest issue score going to issue 7, with 5.3, and the highest going to issue 1, with 8.7),[8][9] it was criticized for its use of sexual violence as a plot device, for retconing events in DC continuity that critics and readers felt harmed the characterization of long-standing DC heroes,[10][11] and for influencing similar subsequent comics.[12]

Meltzer was one of many writers and artists who contributed to Superman/Batman #26 (June 2006), a tribute book dedicated to Sam Loeb, the son of writer Jeph Loeb, who died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 17. Meltzer scripted pages 11–12 and 19 of the comic book.[13]

Meltzer took over the writing duties for a 13-issue stint on the new monthly Justice League of America series, which started with issue #0 on July 19, 2006, and issue #1 following a month later.[14] Meltzer and artist Gene Ha received the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) for their work on issue 11 of the series. The award was presented by Samuel L. Jackson and Gabriel Macht.[1]

In September 2006, Meltzer participated in a work group along with the CIA, FBI, various psychologists, and Department of Homeland Security intelligence staff to brainstorm new ways that terrorists might attack the U.S.[4][15]

In 2008, it was announced that Meltzer would write an arc of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book for Dark Horse Comics. Whedon would later star as himself, alongside Brian K. Vaughan and Damon Lindelof in the trailer for Meltzer's 2008 release of The Book of Lies. Whedon, Vaughan and Lindelof - who portray themselves - act as conspiracy theorists who believe in a so-called "Book of Lies", which in Meltzer's novel connects the original murder story (Cain and Abel) to the murder of Jerry Siegel's father, shortly before the conception of the iconic Superman character. In 2010, Meltzer wrote #32 - #35 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.[13]

In May 2010, Meltzer released his first nonfiction book, Heroes For My Son, a book he had worked on for almost a decade, since the night his first son was born.[16]

The book is part of a two-book deal with Meltzer's publisher, and stated in a May 2010 interview that he was working on Heroes for My Daughter.[17] The book is a collection of stories from the lives of 52 people such as Jim Henson, Rosa Parks and Mr. Rogers, and was written with the intention of being presented one day to his then-eight-year-old son. It debuted at #2 on The New York Times Best Seller list.[18]

Meltzer hosts the History series, Brad Meltzer's Decoded, which premiered December 2, 2010.

While Meltzer was conducting research for his novel The Inner Circle, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush gave him a copy of the secret letter that he had left in the Oval Office desk for Bill Clinton.[19]

Meltzer has worked with numerous organizations throughout Florida to promote literacy within the State. Meltzer has worked in the past with Florida Family Literacy Initiative, and is due to participate in the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County's 23rd Annual Love of Literacy Luncheon in March 2014.[20][21] Meltzer and artist Bryan Hitch collaborated on a retelling of Batman's first appearance for Detective Comics vol. 2 #27 in January 2014.[22]

Meltzer's newest show on History's H2 network is Brad Meltzer's Lost History, which premiered October 31, 2014. Each episode of Lost History presents both solved and unsolved cases and success stories where Americans have helped find missing historic objects such as the Ground Zero flag from 9/11 and the original Wright Brothers flying machine patent. Viewers are encouraged to submit tips to an online site, in an effort to provide key information leading to the return of these treasures.

Personal life

Meltzer lives in Florida with his wife, an attorney.[4] He has two sons and a daughter.[17]

Bibliography

Novels

 #  Title Publication Date ISBN
1 The Tenth Justice 1997 978-0688150891
2 Dead Even 1998 978-0688150907
3 The First Counsel 2001 978-0446527286
4 The Millionaires 2002 978-0446527293
5 The Zero Game 2005 978-0446530989
6 The Book of Fate 2006 978-0446530996
7 The Book of Lies 2008 044657788X
8 The Inner Circle 2011 0446577898
9 The Fifth Assassin 2013 978-0446553971
10 The President's Shadow 2015 978-0446553933

Children's Books

 #  Title Publication Date ISBN
1 I Am Abraham Lincoln 2014 978-0803740839
2 I Am Amelia Earhart 2014 978-0803740822
3 I Am Rosa Parks 2014 978-0803740853
4 I Am Albert Einstein 2014 978-0803740846
5 I Am Jackie Robinson 2015 978-0803740860

Non-fiction

 #  Title Publication Date ISBN
1 Heroes for My Son 2010 0061905283
2 Heroes for My Daughter 2012 978-0061905261
3 History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time with Keith Ferrell 2013 978-0761177456

Comic Books

 #  Title Illustrator Collected Material Publication Date ISBN
1 Green Arrow: The Archer's Quest Phil Hester and Ande Parks Green Arrow vol. 3 #16-21 2002 0061905283
2 Identity Crisis Rags Morales and Michael Bair Identity Crisis #1-7 2005 978-1401206888
3 Justice League of America Vol. 1: The Tornado's Path Ed Benes Justice League of America vol. 2 #1-7 2007 978-1401213497
4 Justice League of America Vol. 2: The Lightning Saga with Geoff Johns Ed Benes Justice League of America vol. 2 #0, 8-12 2008 978-1401216528
5 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Vol. 4 with Joss Whedon Georges Jeanty Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #31-40 2013 978-1616551278

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Official Eisner Awards wrap-up". Comic Book Resources. July 31, 2008. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ Winick, Judd (2000). Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned. Henry Holt and Company. p. 17. ISBN 0-8050-6403-6.
  3. ↑ "Alumni". Columbia Law School. 2012. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Brad Meltzer: Everything You Always Wanted to Know". BradMeltzer.com. 2012. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, J. Courtney (January 23, 2009). "See the Web Site, Buy the Book". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014.
  6. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "2000s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Identity Crisis gave DC's heroes and villains a darker tone and was not afraid to deal with contentious and startling topics.
  7. ↑ Serafino, Jason (June 11, 2012). "The 10 Most Controversial Comic Book Stories of All Time". Complex. Archived from the original on August 19, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Identity Crisis Reviews". Comic Book Roundup. 2014. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2014.
  9. ↑ Hudson, Laura (December 17, 2009). "15 Worst Comics of the Decade". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ Darius, Julian. "In Defense of Sue Dibny's Rape". Sequart. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2011.
  11. ↑ Burgas, Greg (June 1, 2006). "Breaking down "Event" comics, Part One: Identity Crisis #1-7; or, why you should always stop one issue short of your goal!". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014.
  12. ↑ Wilson, Matt D. (June 12, 2013). "Is DC Comics Backing Away From Identity Crisis?". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Brad Meltzer at the Grand Comics Database
  14. ↑ Cowsill "2000s" in Dolan, p. 326: "After the success of Identity Crisis, best-selling novelist Brad Meltzer was given the job of relaunching the Justice League of America in the title's second series. With Ed Benes providing the pencils, Meltzer stripped the Justice League back to basics."
  15. ↑ Mintz, John (June 18, 2004). "Homeland Security Employs Imagination". The Washington Post. p. A27. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014.
  16. ↑ Boucher, Geoff (June 5, 2010). "Brad Meltzer makes hard choices in Heroes for My Son". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "In Heroes From The Past, Lessons For A Son". NPR. May 11, 2010. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Best Sellers Hardcover Advice & Misc.". The New York Times. May 30, 2010. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  19. ↑ Stephanopoulos, George (January 11, 2011). "Exclusive – Bush’s Oval Office Letter to Clinton: 'There Will Be Difficult Times…I Am Rooting Hard For You'". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Former Governor Jeb Bush Celebrates a Decade of Reading and Family Literacy Success Stories". Celebration of Reading 2010. Florida Family Literacy Initiative. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Literacy Legacy Winter Newsletter". Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  22. ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (January 6, 2014). "Brad Meltzer Honors, Modernizes Batman's First Appearance in Detective Comics #27". Newsarama. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Perhaps the most daunting task was given to Brad Meltzer and Bryan Hitch, who have created what DC is calling a 'modern-day retelling' of the first Batman story – the one in the original Detective Comics #27.

External links

Preceded by
Kevin Smith		 Green Arrow writer
2002—2003 		Succeeded by
Judd Winick
Preceded by
Bob Harras		 Justice League of America writer
2006—2007 		Succeeded by
Dwayne McDuffie
Preceded by
Joss Whedon		 Buffy Season 8 writer
2010 		Succeeded by
Joss Whedon