Getting to Know the Creators: Brad Meltzer

[iSteve]

Brad Meltzer

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/bioimages/meltzer.jpg

Biographical Profile from Wikipedia article on Brad Meltzer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Meltzer):

Brad Meltzer (b. 1970) is an American author of several New York Times best-selling books including The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, and The Zero Game. He released his sixth novel titled The Book of Fate in September 2006. Meltzer is also a comic book writer, penning a six issue story arc for DC Comics' Green Arrow #16 - #21 (October 2002 - April 2003), and the controversial 2004 miniseries Identity Crisis. He took over the writing duties for a 12-issue stint on the new monthly Justice League of America series, which started with issue #0 on July 19th, with issue #1 following one month later. After he is finished with his brief run he will once again return to writing a novel with another possible comeback to comics when he has time.

Meltzer grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and then moved to South Florida, where he graduated from North Miami Beach Senior High School in 1988, after which he graduated from the University of Michigan. 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. Afterwards Meltzer attended Columbia Law School, from which he graduated. In addition to his novels, he was the co-creator of the cancelled television series Jack & Bobby, which ran for one season (2004-2005). He married his high school sweetheart, Cori Flam, also an attorney. They recently moved back to South Florida and have one son and one daughter.

Meltzer is also slated to write an arc of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic book for Dark Horse comics.

In September 2006, Meltzer, along with with the CIA, FBI, and various psychologists, met with the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm new ways that terrorists might attack the U.S.

1) Brad Meltzer Website (http://www.bradmeltzer.com/index.php)

2) Wordballoon - Brad Meltzer Gets Booked (http://wordballoon.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=126687)

3) Fanboy Radio #151 - Brad Meltzer LIVE Q&A

4) Newsarama - BRAD MELTZER's JUSTICE LEAGUE READER Q&A ANSWERS - Part One (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/JusticeLeague/bradanswers.html)

5) Newsarama - BRAD MELTZER's JUSTICE LEAGUE READER Q&A ANSWERS - Part Two (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/JusticeLeague/bradanswers_2.html)

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2006/SHOWBIZ/books/09/05/meltzer.fate.jla/novel.cover.story.jpg

[fred]

how'd they get him away from red tornado long enough for a solo shot?

[piscespaul]

I am huge fan of his books and comics. He also is one nicest guys out there. The only other media related person besides the iFanboy crew to respond to an email I sent. Truly a class act.

[acomicbookgirl]

I read The Book of Fate in one night.. I love his novels and his stories.. He's part of my must writers to read... :)

[iSteve]

I read The Book of Fate in one night.. I love his novels and his stories.. He's part of my must writers to read... :)

I've got Book of Fate on my stack of books to read. Looking forward to it.

[acomicbookgirl]

Dead Even is also good too..

[alexg]

I've been curious about Book of Fate. Sounds like a fun read.

Maybe when school is finished...

[acomicbookgirl]

I highly recommend it.. I loved it along with Dead Even..

[mikegraham6]

what are they about? are they murder mysteries?

[acomicbookgirl]

Dead even is about husband and wife who just happen to be lawyers have to face each other in court(i don't know if i explained that right).. The Book of Fate? Government kind of thing somewhat..

[mikegraham6]

Dead even is about husband and wife who just happen to be lawyers have to face each other in court(i don't know if i explained that right).. The Book of Fate? Government kind of thing somewhat..

Book of Fate seems to be more up my alley, I love political intrigue, maybe i'll look into it and add it to my evergrowing stack:D

[acomicbookgirl]

I got to make my stack smaller somehow... Its really good. I can't wait for his next book..

[conorkilpatrick]

I've read all of his novels sans the most recent one which I will buy when it comes out in paperback.

He writes a good legal thriller. They are definitely page turners. Lots of comic book references too - I believe it is in The Tenth Justice where all of the Supreme Court justices are named after The Watchmen.

[keithm]

I've not read any of his novels, so I cannot speak on that. I really liked Identity Crisis. It was a great mystery and had very cool ramifiactions throughout much of the DCU.

That said, I really haven't liked his JLA run. The plot seems muddled and...just kinda unimportant. The JLA should feel huge, and his run so far has definately not been huge. Also, his dialogue is horrendous. "Face meet mace" Are you effing kidding me!?!?! A NY Times bestselling author actually arote that? Gah!


And with the ifanboy message board as my witness, if another character reffers to Red Tornado as "Reddy" i will drop this book so fast...


So has Meltzer done any comic work other than IC and JLA? It seems odd that he has such a huge rep based on such a limited body of work.

[conorkilpatrick]

And with the ifanboy message board as my witness, if another character reffers to Red Tornado as "Reddy" i will drop this book so fast...

That's not Meltzer's fault. "Reddy" has been around for like 20+ years.

So has Meltzer done any comic work other than IC and JLA? It seems odd that he has such a huge rep based on such a limited body of work.

He also did a really good Green Arrow arc (after Kevin Smith). But really his rep comes from being a best-selling novelist and Identity Crisis.

[keithm]

That's not Meltzer's fault. "Reddy" has been around for like 20+ years.





Yeah, but if the Vietnam war were still going on today, could people argue that it should continue simply because it's been going on for 30+ years? I mean, sure, the nickname "Reddy" isn't quite as bad as Vietnam, but still, I think that irregardless of whether or not Meltzer invented it I can still be pissed about him using it.

[iSteve]

DC's Spotlight on Brad Meltzer at NY Comic-Con 2006 (http://www.dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2006-03-31_Spotlight_on_Brad_Meltzer-NYComic-Con_2006.mp3)

[jgg0610]

I've only read one of his novels, First Counsel. It was definitely good. It was a real quick read in that I didn't want to put it down. I also enjoyed Identity Crisis but his arc on Green Arrow didn't really do anything for me. After the run by Kevin Smith, it just paled in comparison.

[acomicbookgirl]

I started on First Counsel.. Now I just have to find the book.. Its somewhere around here..

[labor_days]

I don't understand the popularity of "irregardless" these days. Wasn't plain old "regardless" good enough for you people? Pshh.

[jgg0610]

I don't understand the popularity of "irregardless" these days. Wasn't plain old "regardless" good enough for you people? Pshh.
What's so bad is that if you look it up in the dictionary, it's not even a word. Having typed that, I have no idea what your comment references.

[labor_days]

I was poking fun at people using "irregardless" as though it were a real word. When "regardless" is a perfectly fine word to use.

[jgg0610]

Ah. I looked back through the thread and didn't see anything.

[iSteve]

Wordballoon - Brad Meltzer and THE BOOK OF FATE (http://media.libsyn.com/media/wordballoon/WBbradmeltzerbookoffate.mp3)

[labor_days]

Ah. I looked back through the thread and didn't see anything.

...I think that irregardless of whether or not Meltzer...I don't understand the popularity of "irregardless" these days. Wasn't plain old "regardless" good enough for you people? Pshh.

*Fixed*


(was being a smartass)

[fred]

yes much like the often heard of late 'unconsiderate' - they made a whole class of words that start with 'in' to avoid this

inconsiderate, insensitive, inattentive, etc

[jgg0610]

Thanks for clearing up my confusion guys.

[fred]

I wasn't trying to jump in on the first thing - it just reminded me of my annoyance with the second

[labor_days]

"Unconsiderate". People just hate language.

[jgg0610]

Why do you think the British call us "two people separated by a common language."?

One of my pet peeves is the syntax "I've got to go get my (insert any non-sensical word here) on".

It's just bad.

[iSteve]

Newsarama article - BRAD MELTZER ON PIMPIN' COMICS IN HIS NOVELS (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=110409)

[conorkilpatrick]

I started Book of Fate yesterday and, as expected, it's a page-turner.

[alexg]

I started Book of Fate yesterday and, as expected, it's a page-turner.

Tighter plotting than his JLA work I take it?
Notice any similarties in sytle between the two (despite obvious differences in the media)

[iSteve]

I started Book of Fate yesterday and, as expected, it's a page-turner.

I started it the day before. Very good so far.

[conorkilpatrick]

Tighter plotting than his JLA work I take it?
Notice any similarties in sytle between the two (despite obvious differences in the media)

I've read all of his other books too and they move at a break-neck pace which makes JLA all the more perplexing.

Stylisitically, Identity Crisis is probably the closest to his novels.

[comhcinc]

I started Book of Fate yesterday and, as expected, it's a page-turner.

huh i was sent that book in iraq with a note that said "i thought you might like this" from a very good friend. i read the front inside cover and thought she was on drugs, cause i don't go in for this whole "code in history" thing and everyone knows it. so i just threw it in my stuff and never thought another thing about it. it wasn't to this moment now that i realize why she sent it.

[iSteve]

huh i was sent that book in iraq with a note that said "i thought you might like this" from a very good friend. i read the front inside cover and thought she was on drugs, cause i don't go in for this whole "code in history" thing and everyone knows it. so i just threw it in my stuff and never thought another thing about it. it wasn't to this moment now that i realize why she sent it.

Do you still have it? It's worth pulling out.

[comhcinc]

yeah it's been sitting right beside me in a pile of books i was going to trade in
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/195/423410300730849/1600/z/429966/Image006-798277.jpg

but really it's not my thing. anyone want it?

[comhcinc]

nobody has jumped on that offer yet? feree book people.

[six-gun]

nobody has jumped on that offer yet? feree book people.

Yes, If you still want to give it to me after my Hawkish statements on the Tiajuana Tapwater thread ::o

[comhcinc]

sure just send me your address

[alexg]

Interesting Brad Meltzer interview on Worldballon. Seems like a really decent guy.

Unintentionally funny quote from Meltzer tho, given the discussion here--"There isn't a lot of fighting in JLA #1, there isn't anybody doing anything..."

[cam-]

I started Book of Fate yesterday and, as expected, it's a page-turner.

If only it was about Dr. Fate...and, I don't know, some book.

[iSteve]

Wordballoon podcast - Brad Meltzer Lightning Strikes (http://media.libsyn.com/media/wordballoon/WBbradmeltzerjlabof2.mp3)