The Escape Artist (novel)
Brad Meltzer | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1970 United States |
| Occupation(s) | Author, television producer, comic book writer |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Known for | Novels, non-fiction works, television productions, comic book writing |
Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970) is an American author renowned for his novels, non-fiction works, television productions, and comic book writing. His portfolio includes political and legal thrillers as well as conspiracy fiction, alongside contributions to superhero comics for both DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Additionally, he creates concise biographies aimed at younger audiences.
Early life
In 1993, Meltzer resided in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood with Judd Winick, a fellow comic book creator. During this time, he worked in sales at Games magazine while developing his debut novel. He subsequently obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School, where he was selected to contribute to the Columbia Law Review.
Career
Meltzer’s literary works have achieved bestseller status across diverse categories including fiction, non-fiction (such as History Decoded), self-help (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), children’s literature (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln), and comic books (notably Justice League of America, which earned him an Eisner Award).
He gained widespread recognition by assisting in the recovery of the missing 9/11 flag that firefighters raised at Ground Zero. Utilizing his television series, Brad Meltzer's Lost History, he engaged viewers in the search for the flag, which was found four days later and is now exhibited at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
Meltzer is distinguished for his thorough research process. He counts former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush among his supporters; both have contributed to his projects. Remarkably, Bush entrusted him with a confidential Oval Office letter intended for Clinton. In 2018, Meltzer was honored with an invitation to read to Bush during his final days.
In 2006, Meltzer participated in a collaborative initiative involving the CIA, FBI, psychologists, and Department of Homeland Security intelligence officials to explore potential terrorist threats facing the United States.
As a motivational speaker, Meltzer’s TEDx Talk titled "How to Write Your Own Obituary" has garnered over 50,000 views; subsequently, TED invited him to present "Write Your Story, Change History," which had surpassed 230,000 views by February 2025.
He played a role in preserving Superman’s birthplace in Cleveland by co-founding the Siegel & Shuster Society and organizing a fundraising auction that raised more than $100,000.
Meltzer actively supports literacy initiatives in Florida through collaborations with groups such as the Florida Family Literacy Initiative and the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County.
In 2015, he was among four authors selected to perform at Barbara Bush’s 90th birthday celebration.
Beyond his literary contributions, Meltzer leveraged his social media presence to locate a kidney donor for his former high school history teacher.
His public engagements include throwing out first pitches during Star Wars Night at a 2015 Marlins/Mets game—where he also participated in a lightsaber duel with mascot Billy the Marlin—and an appearance at Yankee Stadium in February 2019.
In May 2024, Meltzer was the commencement speaker at the University of Michigan before an audience of 70,000 attendees, which included his son who was graduating.
Novels
After facing 24 rejections for his debut novel, Fraternity, he successfully sold his second book, The Tenth Justice, during his time in law school. In 1994, he co-authored the original oath for AmeriCorps, which was recited by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. By 1996, Meltzer had launched one of the pioneering author websites to promote The Tenth Justice. Every one of Meltzer's thriller novels has secured a place on The New York Times bestseller list, while The Hollywood Reporter recognized him as one of "Hollywood's Most Powerful Authors".
His "Culper Ring" series, featuring titles like The President's Shadow, explores a fictional covert spy network established by George Washington that remains operational in modern times. The 2013 release, The Fifth Assassin, revolves around a murderer reenacting historic presidential assassinations. His 2018 thriller, The Escape Artist, entered the market at number one on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller chart.
Non-fiction
Meltzer published his first nonfiction work, Heroes For My Son, in May 2010, a project nearly ten years in the making since his son's birth. This book shares narratives about 52 influential individuals such as Jim Henson and Rosa Parks, intended as a personal gift to his son. It debuted at the second spot on The New York Times Best Seller list. Its counterpart, Heroes for My Daughter, also achieved bestseller status.
In January 2014, together with artist Chris Eliopoulos, Meltzer introduced the children's biography series Ordinary People Change the World, launching with bestsellers I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln. This series presents prominent American figures in an accessible format tailored for young audiences and expanded to include titles like I Am Albert Einstein, I Am Rosa Parks, and I Am Gandhi. In 2018, PBS adapted this collection into the animated television series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.
Meltzer co-wrote The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington with Josh Mensch in January 2019. They followed up with The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President—and Why It Failed in May 2020, which examines the thwarted Baltimore Plot against Lincoln. Later works include The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill (2023) and the forthcoming The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy—and Why It Failed (2025).
Comics
Taking over from Kevin Smith on DC Comics' Green Arrow, Meltzer crafted a six-issue story arc spanning issues #16–21 from October 2002 to April 2003.
In 2004, he authored the miniseries Identity Crisis, recognized as one of DC’s most debated and commercially successful storylines of the decade. Frequently cited among DC’s top comics and pivotal moments, it received praise from outlets like The New York Times and director Joss Whedon. Despite an average rating of 7.3/10 on Comic Book Roundup, it drew criticism for its portrayal of sexual violence as a narrative element, retcons affecting established characters, and its influence on later comics.
Meltzer contributed to pages 11–12 and 19 of Superman/Batman #26 (June 2006), which served as a tribute to Sam Loeb.
Beginning in July 2006, he penned a 13-issue run for the relaunched monthly series Justice League of America. Alongside artist Gene Ha, Meltzer earned the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue with issue #11.
In 2008, Meltzer was announced as one of the writers for Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic series at Dark Horse Comics. Whedon appeared in the promotional trailer for Meltzer’s novel The Book of Lies, which intertwines biblical themes with comic book mythology. Meltzer wrote issues #32–35 of Buffy in 2010.
In January 2014, collaborating with artist Bryan Hitch, Meltzer retold Batman’s inaugural appearance in Detective Comics (vol. 2) #27. He also co-created the "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" segment featured in Action Comics #1000 (June 2018) alongside artist John Cassaday.
On October 12, 2023, during New York Comic Con, Meltzer and several partners announced the establishment of Ghost Machine, a collaborative media enterprise dedicated to publishing creator-owned comics via Image Comics. Founding members include Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Francis Manapul, and Peter J. Tomasi—all producing exclusive content for this venture. Meltzer’s debut project with Ghost Machine is titled First Ghost, a supernatural narrative set within the White House.
Television
Brad Meltzer was a co-creator of the TV series Jack & Bobby, which was broadcast for a single season on the the WB network during 2004–2005.
From December 2010 until January 2012, he served as the host of the History Channel program Brad Meltzer's Decoded.
On October 31, 2014, Meltzer launched Brad Meltzer's Lost History on the H2 channel, part of History. This series investigates both resolved and unresolved mysteries concerning lost historical artifacts, such as the Ground Zero flag from the September 11 attacks and the Wright Brothers' patent for their flying machine. The program encourages audience participation by inviting viewers to provide information that might help recover these items. In September 2016, he also hosted America's 9/11 Flag: Rose from the Ashes, a documentary that chronicles how Lost History tracked down and verified the authenticity of the missing 9/11 flag.
Personal life
Meltzer lives in Florida with his wife, who is an attorney, and together they have two sons and one daughter.
Novels
| # | Title | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tenth Justice | 1997 | 978-0-688-15089-1 |
| 2 | Dead Even | 1998 | 978-0-688-15090-7 |
| 3 | The First Counsel | 2001 | 978-0-446-52728-6 |
| 4 | The Millionaires | 2002 | 978-0-446-52729-3 |
| 5 | The Zero Game | 2004 | 978-0-446-53098-9 |
| 6 | The Book of Fate | 2006 | 978-0-446-53099-6 |
| 7 | The Book of Lies | 2008 | 978-0-446-57788-5 |
| 8 | The Inner Circle | 2011 | 978-0-446-57371-9 |
| 9 | The Fifth Assassin | 2013 | 978-0-446-55397-1 |
| 10 | The President's Shadow | 2015 | 978-0-446-55393-3 |
| 11 | The House of Secrets | 2016 | 978-1-4555-5949-7 |
| 12 | The Escape Artist | 2018 | 978-1-4555-7122-2 |
| 13 | The Lightning Rod | 2022 | 978-0-06-289240-9 |
DC Comics
- Green Arrow vol. 3 #16–21 (illustrated by Phil Hester, published between 2002 and 2003) compiled in Green Arrow: The Archer's Quest (hardcover, 176 pages, released in 2003; trade paperback, available since 2004)
- Identity Crisis issues #1–7 (with artist Rags Morales, from 2004 to 2005) collected as Identity Crisis (hardcover edition with 288 pages, published in 2005; trade paperback in 2006; also available as an Absolute Edition in 2011)
- Superman/Batman #26 (collaborated with Ian Churchill and Carlos Pacheco, released in 2006) included in the collection Superman/Batman Volume 2 (trade paperback, containing 336 pages, published in 2014)
- Justice League of America volume two (with artists including Ed Benes, Shane Davis (#8), Gene Ha (#11), and Eric Wight (#12), spanning from 2006 to 2007) gathered into:
- The Tornado's Path (collects issues #1–7, hardcover with 224 pages, released in 2007; trade paperback in 2008)
- The Lightning Saga (includes issue #0 and #8–12, hardcover edition with 224 pages, published in 2008; trade paperback available since 2009)
- Justice League of America by Brad Meltzer (compilation of issues #0–12, hardcover with a total of 470 pages, issued in 2020)
- DC Universe: Last Will and Testament one-shot (art by Adam Kubert, released in 2008) featured within the Final Crisis Omnibus (hardcover with a total of 1,512 pages, published in 2018)
- Batman-related works:
- Detective Comics volume two #27: "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" (co-feature drawn by Bryan Hitch, published in 2014) included in Batman: Detective Comics — Gothopia (hardcover with approximately 208 pages, released in late 2014; trade paperback edition issued in early 2015)
- DC100 Page Comic Giant: Our Fighting Forces: "Medal of Honor" story co-written alongside Salvatore Giunta, illustrated by Jim Lee, featured as a co-feature within a one-shot edition from the year 2020)
- Contributed to Action Comics #1000: "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" (co-feature artwork by John Cassaday, published in 2018)
Additional Publishers
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight issues #32–35: "Twilight" (collaborated with Georges Jeanty, published by Dark Horse, 2010), later compiled in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4 (hardcover, 320 pages, 2013)
- Aw Yeah Comics! #2: "The Best Fight Ever!" (co-authored with his son Theo, artwork by Franco Aureliani, co-feature, Aw Yeah, 2013), included in the collection Aw Yeah Comics! And... Action! (trade paperback, 152 pages, Dark Horse, 2014)
- Love is Love (single-page narrative with Chris Eliopoulos, anthology graphic novel, IDW Publishing, 2016)
- Marvel Comics #1000: "We're Calling Him Ben" (art by Julian Totino Tedesco, anthology edition, Marvel, 2019), featured in Marvel Comics 1000 (hardcover, 144 pages, 2020)
Non-fiction
| No. | Title | Co-author | Year of Publication | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heroes for My Son | 2010 | 978-0-06-190528-5 | |
| 2 | Heroes for My Daughter | 2012 | 978-0-06-190526-1 | |
| 3 | History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time | Keith Ferrell | 2013 | 978-0-7611-7745-6 |
| 4 | The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington | Josh Mensch | 2019 | 978-1-250-13033-4 |
| 5 | The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President--and Why It Failed | Josh Mensch | 2020 | 978-1-250-31747-6 |
| 6 | The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill | Josh Mensch | 2023 | 978-1-250-77726-3 |
| 7 | The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy―and Why It Failed | Josh Mensch | 2025 | 978-1-250-79057-6 |
| 8 | Make Magic: The Book of Inspiration You Didn't Know You Needed | 2025 | 978-0-063-44071-5 |
Children's Literature
| Artwork by Chris Eliopoulos |
Awards
| No. | Title | Year Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Am Abraham Lincoln | 2014 | 978-0-8037-4083-9 |
| 2 | I Am Amelia Earhart | 2014 | 978-0-8037-4082-2 |
| 3 | I Am Rosa Parks | 2014 | 978-0-8037-4085-3 |
| 4 | I Am Albert Einstein | 2014 | 978-0-8037-4084-6 |
| 5 | I Am Jackie Robinson | 2015 | 978-0-8037-4086-0 |
| 6 | I Am Lucille Ball | 2015 | 978-0-525-42855-8 |
| 7 | "I Am Helen Keller" | "style=text-align:center;"2015"" | "978--0--525--42851--0"" |
| Title | Award & Year | Category | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Book of Fate | 2006 Florida Book Awards | Genre Fiction | Template:Sho | |
| Identity Crisis | 2007 Great Graphic Novels for Teens | Template:Won | ||
| Justice League of America #11: Walls | 2008 Eisner Awards | Single Issue/One-Shot | Template:Won | |
| Heroes for My Son | 2010 Florida Book Awards | Children's Literature | Template:Sho | |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | 2011 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book | Template:Nominated | ||
| The Fifth Assassin | 2013 Florida Book Awards | Popular Fiction | Template:Longlisted | |
| 2014 Audie Awards | Thriller or Suspense | Template:Nominated | ||
| History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time (with Keith Ferrell) | 2014 Killer Nashville Awards | Silver Falchion Award - Mainstream Crime Reference | Template:Won | |
| The President's Shadow | 2016 Audie Awards | Thriller or Suspense | Template:Nominated | |
| I Am Jane Goodall (with Chris Eliopoulos) | 2016 Nerdy Book Award (Nerdies) | Early Readers and Chapter Books | Template:Won | |
| 2018 Washington Library Association OTTER Award | Template:Nominated | |||
| The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington (with Josh Mensch) | 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards | History & Biography | Template:Nominated | |
| 2020 Audie Awards | History or Biography | Template:Nominated | ||
| The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President - and Why it Failed (with Josh Mensch) | 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards | History & Biography | Template:Nominated | |
| 2021 Audie Awards | History or Biography | Template:Nominated | ||
| I Am Oprah Winfrey (with Chris Eliopoulos) | 2022 Eisner Awards | Publication for Early Readers | Template:Nominated | |
| The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill (with Josh Mensch) | 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards | History & Biography | Template:Nominated | |
| 2009 International Thriller Writers Awards | Silver Bullet Award | Template:Won |
External links
- Brad Meltzer
- 1970 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American male writers
- 21st-century American male writers
- 20th-century American novelists
- 21st-century American novelists
- American comics writers
- American male novelists
- Columbia Law School alumni
- DC Comics people
- Jewish American novelists
- Marvel Comics writers
- Novelists from Florida
- Novelists from New York City
- People from Beacon Hill, Boston
- University of Michigan alumni
- Writers from Brooklyn
- Grand Central Publishing books