Jack Edward Oliver - 19th June 1942 to 26th May 2006

It has recently been announced that Buster artist Jack Edward Oliver has died.

He originally achieved fame in late 1970 with a long running strip in the UK music paper Disc (and Music Echo), later Record Mirror. The strip had many fans including John Lennon and Yoko Ono. One character proved particularly enduring, a dinosaur called Fresco-Le-Raye who appeared in the music paper. Up to his death, J Edward Oliver continued to create Fresco strips.

In 1977, the Record Mirror strip was deemed not contemporary enough and was ended. Oliver went to work for IPC Magazines Ltd, creating comic strips including Master Mind (1980-1983), Cliff Hanger (1983-1987) and Vid Kid, as well as drawing The Champ in Whizzer and Chips from 1979 to 1981. Many of his strips included puzzles and games. In 1984, Oliver also wrote the words for a musical called Swan Esther which was performed at London's Young Vic and on BBC radio.

When Buster ceased publication at the beginning of 2000, Oliver was the last artist left, and drew the only non-reprint material in the comic's final issue ("How It All Ends", which looked back at how all the Buster characters ended). With Buster gone, Oliver investigated other work, including newspaper strips and first day covers for stamp collectors under the Phil Stamp name.

Among Oliver's trademarks in his strips were little signs reading "Abolish Tuesdays" and regular sightings of a tiny cube with a crank handle attached. The latter was never explained. Oliver also had something of an obsession with the British actress Madeline Smith, drawing several appearances by her into his work, which she later complained about. Oliver reacted characteristically, producing a strip about her complaint.

In 2007, JEO announced he was suffering from cancer, but continued to create some new material. In March 2007 he married his girlfriend of many years, Liz Hales. On 27 May 2007, his brother Fred published an announcement of Jack's death. Jack died peacefully on May 26th 2007.


JEO - Buster Legend - 1942 - 2007

Biography from Wikipedia, picture from JEO's Official Site

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