We continue the 2020 conversation with Writer Editor Mike Gold who made his mark at DC and First Comics. The topics include...
- Overview of the 1980s era at DC Comics — what the publisher looked like in that decade. Spreaker
- How editorial and creative practices changed at DC during the ’80s (shifts in tone, editorial risk-taking, market pressures, publishing strategies). Spreaker
- Discussion of high-profile, sometimes unusual projects at DC — including the book Superman vs. Muhammad Ali — its context, its ambition, and what it represented for comics in that period. Spreaker+2Wikipedia+2
- How projects like “Superman vs. Ali” reflect the intersection of pop culture — comics, real life celebrity (boxing legend Muhammad Ali), social attitudes — and the willingness of DC to experiment creatively. Spreaker+2Wikipedia+2
- Reflections on the impact of the 1980s DC output on the broader comics industry: distribution, direct market shifts, what worked and what didn’t. Spreaker+1
- Challenges and controversies of the time: balancing mainstream superhero fare with more experimental or culturally relevant stories, and what that meant for editors, creators, and readers. Spreaker+1
- Personal anecdotes from Mike Gold about working inside the system — editorial decisions, pitch processes, the creative climate of ’80s comics, and his own contributions or experiences.
