Stan Goldberg
Encyclopedia
Stan Goldberg is an American
comic book
artist
best known for his work as a flagship artist of Archie Comics
and as a Marvel Comics
' 1960s colorist, who helped design the original color schemes of Spider-Man
, the Fantastic Four
and other major characters.
, working under Jon D'Agostino
. Two years later, Goldberg became the coloring-department manager. In that capacity, he said, he "colored not just interiors, but also every cover the rest of the decade" for Timely's successor, Atlas Comics
. Additionally, Goldberg drew stories for Atlas' horror
comics (including "The Cave of Death" in Marvel Tales
#109, Oct. 1952) and other titles.
As he recalled in the mid-2000s of the Atlas staff:
's School of Visual Arts
to study TV storyboard
ing. As Atlas segued into Marvel, Goldberg began freelance-coloring the company's comic books through the mid-1960s, working with such artists as Steve Ditko
and Jack Kirby
to create the color designs for such characters as Spider-Man
, the Fantastic Four
, the Hulk
and others during what historians call the Silver Age of comic books
. Other Marvel colorists of that era — all of whom, like Goldberg, worked uncredited at that time — included George Roussos
, Marie Severin
, and, on his own work only, writer-artist Jim Steranko
.
Goldberg recalled in the mid-2000s that "Stan Lee
, Marvel's editor in chief] was writing Fantastic Four
, The Amazing Spider-Man
and all those books. I was doing the initial coloring on all those books; I was creating the color schemes on all those characters."
As a penciler and inker
, Goldberg found his niche drawing in the house style established by Dan DeCarlo
for the various Marvel humor titles starring teens and career girls. After starting with Kathy the Teenage Tornado, Goldberg moved on to the long-running, slapstick
y Millie the Model
. Goldberg would also draw drew her in a more serious style during Millie's 1963-67 iteration as a romantic-adventure
star, and likewise exhibited less cartoony style on the teen romantic comedy
series Patsy Walker
. He would eventually co-plot these humor stories with writer-editor Lee.
Some Marvel humor stories with art credited to Sol Brodsky
may have been Goldberg's work. As comics historian Mark Evanier
notes:
teen titles Date with Debbie, Swing with Scooter and Binky. Shortly afterward he began a decades-long association with Archie Comics, joining Dan DeCarlo
, Henry Scarpelli
and other artists in drawing the house-style misadventures of Archie
, Betty
, Veronica
, Jughead
, Reggie
and the rest of the Riverdale High teens. Goldberg's work has appeared across the line, including in the flagship series, Archie — for which Goldberg has been the primary artist from at least the mid-1990s through mid-2006 — as well as in issues of Archie and Me, Betty, Betty and Me, Everything's Archie, Life with Archie, Archie's Pals 'n' Gals, Archie at Riverdale High, Laugh, Pep Comics
, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, the 1986 educational one-shot Archie's Ham Radio
Adventure, and the 1990 TV movie tie-in To Riverdale and Back Again.
In 1994, Goldberg was chosen to pencil Archie Comics' portion of the unique intercompany crossover
Archie Meets the Punisher, a one-shot in which the gritty, homicidal Marvel vigilante finds himself pursuing an Archie Andrews look-alike into bucolic Riverdale. From 1975 until 1980, Goldberg drew the Archie Sunday newspaper comic strip
. He also penciled a six-page Betty story "I'll Take Manhattan", published Aug. 17, 2003, in The New York Times
Fashion of the Times magazine supplement.
His later comics work includes issues of DC's funny-animal superhero
series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
in the early 1980s, and the Jewish-themed children's comic book Mendy and the Golem
.
art including a billboard for No Cal Soda.
Inkpot Award
in 1994. The previous year at that fan convention
, he was the subject of panel "Spotlight on Stan Goldberg", conducted July 17, 2003.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
best known for his work as a flagship artist of Archie Comics
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
and as a Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' 1960s colorist, who helped design the original color schemes of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
and other major characters.
Career
Stan Goldberg began work in the comics field in 1949 as a staff colorist for Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely ComicsTimely Comics
Timely Comics, an imprint of Timely Publications, was the earliest comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman, and the entity that would evolve by the 1960s to become Marvel Comics....
, working under Jon D'Agostino
Jon D'Agostino
John P. D'Agostino Sr., generally credited as Jon D'Agostino was an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his Archie Comics work...
. Two years later, Goldberg became the coloring-department manager. In that capacity, he said, he "colored not just interiors, but also every cover the rest of the decade" for Timely's successor, Atlas Comics
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
. Additionally, Goldberg drew stories for Atlas' horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
comics (including "The Cave of Death" in Marvel Tales
Marvel Tales
Marvel Tales is the title of three American comic-book series published by Marvel Comics, the first of them from the company's 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics...
#109, Oct. 1952) and other titles.
As he recalled in the mid-2000s of the Atlas staff:
The Silver Age
Goldberg went freelance in 1958, and also enrolled in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
to study TV storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
ing. As Atlas segued into Marvel, Goldberg began freelance-coloring the company's comic books through the mid-1960s, working with such artists as Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
and Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
to create the color designs for such characters as Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
and others during what historians call the Silver Age of comic books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
. Other Marvel colorists of that era — all of whom, like Goldberg, worked uncredited at that time — included George Roussos
George Roussos
George Roussos , also known under the pseudonym George Bell, was an American comic book artist best known as one of Jack Kirby's Silver Age inkers, including on landmark early issues of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four.-Early life and career:George Roussos was born in Washington, D.C., the son of...
, Marie Severin
Marie Severin
Marie Severin is an American comic book artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics....
, and, on his own work only, writer-artist Jim Steranko
Jim Steranko
James F. Steranko is an American graphic artist, comic book writer-artist-historian, magician, publisher and film production illustrator....
.
Goldberg recalled in the mid-2000s that "Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
, Marvel's editor in chief] was writing Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
, The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
and all those books. I was doing the initial coloring on all those books; I was creating the color schemes on all those characters."
As a penciler and inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
, Goldberg found his niche drawing in the house style established by Dan DeCarlo
Dan DeCarlo
Daniel S. DeCarlo was an American cartoonist best known as the artist who developed the look of Archie Comics in the late 1950s and early 1960s, modernizing the characters to their contemporary appearance and establishing the publisher's house style...
for the various Marvel humor titles starring teens and career girls. After starting with Kathy the Teenage Tornado, Goldberg moved on to the long-running, slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
y Millie the Model
Millie the Model
Millie the Model was Marvel Comics' longest-running humor title, first published by the company's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and continuing through its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics, to 1970s Marvel.-Publication history:...
. Goldberg would also draw drew her in a more serious style during Millie's 1963-67 iteration as a romantic-adventure
Romance comics
Romance comics is a comics genre depicting romantic love and its attendant complications such as jealousy, marriage, divorce, betrayal, and heartache. The term is generally associated with an American comic books genre published through the first three decades of the Cold War...
star, and likewise exhibited less cartoony style on the teen romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
series Patsy Walker
Hellcat (comics)
Hellcat is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. She premiered as the star of a teen romantic-comedy series and was later integrated into Marvel superhero franchises such as the Avengers and the Defenders....
. He would eventually co-plot these humor stories with writer-editor Lee.
Sol Brodsky
Sol Brodsky was an American comic book artist who, as Marvel Comics' Silver Age production manager, was one of the key architects of the small company's expansion to a major pop culture conglomerate. He later rose to vice president, operations and vice president, special projects...
may have been Goldberg's work. As comics historian Mark Evanier
Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier is an American comic book and television writer, particularly known for his humor work. He is also known for his columns and blogs, and for his work as a historian and biographer of the comics industry, in particular his award-winning Jack Kirby biography, Kirby: King of...
notes:
Archie Comics
Goldberg stopped freelancing for Marvel in 1969, and for three years drew the DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
teen titles Date with Debbie, Swing with Scooter and Binky. Shortly afterward he began a decades-long association with Archie Comics, joining Dan DeCarlo
Dan DeCarlo
Daniel S. DeCarlo was an American cartoonist best known as the artist who developed the look of Archie Comics in the late 1950s and early 1960s, modernizing the characters to their contemporary appearance and establishing the publisher's house style...
, Henry Scarpelli
Henry Scarpelli
Henry Scarpelli was an American comic book artist who has worked in comics. His work in comics has won him recognition from the industry, including the Shazam Award for Best Inker in 1970, for his work on Date With Debbi, Leave It to Binky, and other DC comics...
and other artists in drawing the house-style misadventures of Archie
Archie Andrews (comics)
Archie Andrews, created in 1941 by Vic Bloom and Bob Montana, is a fictional character in an American comic book series published by Archie Comics, as well as the long-running Archie Andrews radio series, a syndicated comic strip, The Archie Show, and Archie's Weird Mysteries.-Character and...
, Betty
Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper is a fictional character of Archie Comics, the blonde-haired daughter of Hal and Alice Cooper. Betty likes sports, and is also a cheerleader. Betty was created in December 1941. Her older brother Chic Cooper and older sister Polly Cooper have both moved out of Riverdale, their hometown...
, Veronica
Veronica Lodge
Veronica Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics books series.-Fictional history and character:She is called both by her name Veronica and her nickname Ronnie...
, Jughead
Jughead Jones
Jughead Jones is a fictional character in Archie Comics who first appeared in the comic in December 1941. He is the son of Forsythe II; although in one of the early Archie newspaper comic strips, he himself is identified as Forsythe Van Jones II...
, Reggie
Reggie Mantle
Reggie Mantle is a fictional character in the Archie Comics book. His full name is given as Reginald Mantle, but he is usually called by his nickname Reggie, and sometimes refers to himself as "Mantle, The Magnificent." The character was introduced in 1942...
and the rest of the Riverdale High teens. Goldberg's work has appeared across the line, including in the flagship series, Archie — for which Goldberg has been the primary artist from at least the mid-1990s through mid-2006 — as well as in issues of Archie and Me, Betty, Betty and Me, Everything's Archie, Life with Archie, Archie's Pals 'n' Gals, Archie at Riverdale High, Laugh, Pep Comics
Pep Comics
Pep Comics is the name of an American comic book anthology series published by the Archie Comics predecessor MLJ Magazines Inc. during the 1930s and 1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books...
, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, the 1986 educational one-shot Archie's Ham Radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
Adventure, and the 1990 TV movie tie-in To Riverdale and Back Again.
In 1994, Goldberg was chosen to pencil Archie Comics' portion of the unique intercompany crossover
Intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
Archie Meets the Punisher, a one-shot in which the gritty, homicidal Marvel vigilante finds himself pursuing an Archie Andrews look-alike into bucolic Riverdale. From 1975 until 1980, Goldberg drew the Archie Sunday newspaper comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
. He also penciled a six-page Betty story "I'll Take Manhattan", published Aug. 17, 2003, in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
Fashion of the Times magazine supplement.
His later comics work includes issues of DC's funny-animal superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew
Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! is a DC Comics comic book about a team of funny animal superheroes called the Zoo Crew. The characters first appeared in a special insert in The New Teen Titans #16 , followed by a series published from 1982 to 1983. The Zoo Crew characters were created by...
in the early 1980s, and the Jewish-themed children's comic book Mendy and the Golem
Mendy and The Golem
Mendy and the Golem, originally written by Leibel Estrin and later by Matt Brandstein, is an American comic book series featuring Jewish characters.The original series followed the exploits of Mendy Klein, who found a Golem in their father's synagogue...
.
Other work
In addition to comic-book illustration and coloring, Goldberg drew gag cartoons for men's magazines and did advertisingAdvertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
art including a billboard for No Cal Soda.
Awards and honors
Goldberg won a Comic-Con InternationalComic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
Inkpot Award
Inkpot Award
The Inkpot Award, bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International, is given to some of the professionals in comic book, comic strip, animation, science fiction, and related pop-culture fields, who are guests of that organization's yearly multigenre fan convention, commonly known as...
in 1994. The previous year at that fan convention
Fan convention
A fan convention, or con , is an event in which fans of a particular film, television series, comic book, actor, or an entire genre of entertainment such as science fiction or anime and manga, gather to participate and hold programs and other events, and to meet experts, famous personalities, and...
, he was the subject of panel "Spotlight on Stan Goldberg", conducted July 17, 2003.
External links
- Evanier, MarkMark EvanierMark Stephen Evanier is an American comic book and television writer, particularly known for his humor work. He is also known for his columns and blogs, and for his work as a historian and biographer of the comics industry, in particular his award-winning Jack Kirby biography, Kirby: King of...
. "Here's a List of Panels I'm hosting at the 2003 Comic-Con International", "P.O.V. Online" (column), 2003, n.d. WebCitation archive. - Martin, Aimee Fitzpatrick. "At Home with Stan and Pauline Goldberg", The East Hampton Press & The Southampton Press, August 19, 2008. WebCitation archive.