Mike Friedrich

Mike Friedrich was in the first wave of comics fans who became professional writers and artists starting in the mid-1960’s. Mike’s first script was sold to DC Comics in 1967 and his first publication was in January 1968, SPECTRE #3, drawn by none other than Neal Adams. Adams drew a number of Mike’s scripts at DC, most notably “Silent Night of the Batman,” a Batman Christmas story still in print in one form or another. Mike also asked for Neal to conceive the visualization of Mike’s creation, “Meryln,” now a regular on the “Arrow” tv show, created in JLA #94. Other artists that Mike worked with at DC include Gil Kane, Alex Toth, John Severin and Al Williamson. Regular series that Mike wrote were JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA and solo stories of Robin the Boy Wonder. While Mike wrote mostly superhero and costumed character stories for DC, he also wrote mystery stories (most notably for WITCHING HOUR), stories about war and even a handful of romance shorts.

In 1972 Mike moved over to Marvel Comics, becoming the regular writer on IRON MAN for four years. In that span, Mike co-created “Moondragon” in IRON MAN #54 and an issue later wrote the first appearance of the Jim Starlin-created characters Thanos, Drax, and Starfox. Other series that Mike wrote at Marvel include ANT-MAN (featuring the first professional work of P. Craig Russell), KA-ZAR and MORBIUS. Artists that Mike worked with at Marvel include Bill Everett, John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Jim Starlin, George Tuska and Gil Kane.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon credits the inspiration for a key figure in his novel THE ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY to two issues of STRANGE TALES/THE GOLEM #176-177, written by Mike.

In 1974 Mike launched the first independent mainstream comics company, Star*Reach Productions, with the first issue of STAR*REACH featuring Jim Starlin and Howard Chaykin, along with perhaps the first professional story by Walt Simonson. Over a five-year period, Mike published 30 ground-breaking comics, featuring such talent as Frank Brunner, Dick Giordano, Dave Sim, Steve Leialoha, Ken Steacy, Gene Day and Lee Marrs, with covers by Neal Adams, Barry Windsor-Smith and Jeff Jones.

In 1980 Mike moved behind the scenes, becoming the first Marvel Comics sales manager for the comics store market, then in 1982 establishing an agency, again called Star*Reach, to represent comics artists such as Tim Sale, Norm Breyfogle, Brent Anderson, Paul Chadwick, Howard Cruse and Roy Thomas among many others.

Along with partner Joe Field and others, Mike co-founded and ran the WonderCon comics convention in Oakland, CA for 15 years before selling it to Comic-Con International, who operate it today in southern California.

In 2002, Mike retired from the comics field to pursue other careers. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2026 and is currently a retired ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church, having served congregations in Berkeley, Oakland and Alameda, California. He lives in Berkeley with his partner Lee Marrs and two cats.