One pen, many worlds
Comic artist Michael Golden says the corporate side is still valuable for learning the basics
Comic artist, writer and creator Michael Golden visited Texarkana’s Excalibur Comics and Games on Saturday, signing autographs, producing sketches and sharing tales of his journey in the comic book industry, which has change much since he first made his name in the ’70s. Considering his comics work as a side gig now, he has nonetheless shaped the way many characters and worlds are envisioned by the culture at large.
“I only worked in comics full time for two years,” Golden said. “I realized quickly that the pay was not great. My main bread and butter in art is the commercial art world. But I’ve had the fortune to draw for Marvel, DC and others.”
Golden, who hails from a ranch in Wyoming that spreads into Nebraska, now calls “Southwest Airlines” his home, or at least it is when things are normal. COVID19 has curtailed his normal routine, but he still makes the occasional appearance, as he did for the fans who came to see him at Excalibur. His signature art can be seen in comics and covers as varied and iconic as Star Wars, The Avengers, Micronauts,
Rom: Spaceknight, The Hulk, SheHulk, Nightwing, Iron Man, Spawn and more. His art even was featured in the ’80s Marvel war comic “The Nam.” Recent work includes “The Walking Dead,” the revived “Rom” and “Micronauts” books and more. His newest art book is “Michael Golden: Dangerous Curves.”
Golden acknowledges the comic scene has changed a lot since he started.
“Technology has brought some of the greatest changes,” he said. “It used to be, if you wanted to be in comic books, you had to go to New York City, where the publishing offices of both Marvel and DC Comics were located at the time. They were the gatekeepers. Independent books did exist even then, but the way was much harder. Now, anyone anywhere can get their start, relatively inexpensively. There’s a lot more players out there, but there is much more opportunity.”
Golden acknowledges that “The Big Two” in comics have made decisions that might not have been the best for the iconic properties they own. But part of that is times changing; as mythological figures change hands, so does the perception of them and how stories are told about them. But he also said the market does play a factor.
“Whatever you think of the product Marvel and DC are producing now, they still are places a new comics creator can learn the basics of the trade,” he said. “It is like going to work for McDonald’s or Burger King. That may not be the most creative environment and may not be where you ultimately want to go in that business. But as far as learning the basics of the craft and the business, it is good training. As for the creative decisions being made now among the big players, the market ultimately will show the way, as the customer will always let everyone know eventually. The modern comics world is a bit of a Wild West. That’s the future I see. Get out there; the opportunities are endless.”
Renee Witterstaetter works as Golden’s publicist and was assisting him at his engagement at Excaliber. Originally from Texarkana herself, she graduated from Texarkana College and eventually East Texas State University (now Texas A&M — Texarkana) with a degree in journalism.
“Comics are a unique American artform,” she said. “Overseas, talent has gravitated to the medium. The kinds of stories comics excel at are stories of humans, wanting to be better. It will be interesting to see how the medium, the art form and people in general evolve from here.”