ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi nˈaɪn, wˌɛn "aɪ θˈɪŋk aɪ dʒˈʌst tˈɜːnd sˈɛvəntˌiːn ɔːɹ aɪ wʌz stˈɪl sˈɪkstiːn æt ðə tˈaɪm, aɪ dˈoʊnt ɹᵻmˈɛmbɚ," ɡˈoʊldbɜːɡ bɪɡˈæn wˈɜːk ɪnðə kˈɑːmɪks fˈiːld æz ɐ stˈæf kˈʌlɚɹˌɪst fɔːɹ mˈɑːɹvəlz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi z pɹˈɛdᵻsˌɛsɚ, tˈaɪmli kˈɑːmɪks, wˈɜːkɪŋ ˌʌndɚ dʒˈɑːn dˌæɡəstˈiːnoʊ.
In 1949, when "I think I just turned 17 or I was still 16 at the time, I don't remember," Goldberg began work in the comics field as a staff colorist for Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, working under Jon D'Agostino.