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.
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.