Andy Oliver
@andywpoliver
Broken Frontier @brokenfrontier.bsky.social Editor-in-Chief, small press champion, Small Press Day co-organiser, multiple comics awards judge and recreational nihilist He/Him. "Action it off, Andy!" (Art by Francesca Cassavetti).
Was reminded of this issue of THE DEFENDERS from the early 2000s today that used the pull quote "the worst comic ever produced" from a Comics International review of the time. Sublime! That's the way to deal with a bad review! (For the record it was a very fun run that I personally enjoyed a lot.)
Interested to revisit the ELVIRA'S HOUSE OF MYSTERY series when it's collected this year but going to wait to see if it really is a complete collection first given some of the latter framing sequence scenes involve a number of DCU mystery book characters.
Very much enjoyed the Gabriel Hardman issue of THE TWILIGHT ZONE from @idwpublishing.com. This is proving to be a great series.
Started watching Come Back Mrs. Noah tonight. This is allegedly "the worst British sitcom ever". I think that's grossly unfair. It's nowhere near that good.
So... your theme for round 1 of tonight's Gosh and BF Drink and Draw online is simply "Small Press". Check out @pigeonface.bsky.social's brill Small Press Day poster below! You have 30 minutes and then post your pics here with the hashtag #GoshBFDD .
Never mind. We did win the World Cup in 1982 though thanks to Roy Race in the ROY OF THE ROVERS SUMMER SPECIAL so we'll always have that.* (*Not a hoax. Not an imaginary story. But unfortunately it did all turn out to be a dream. Just like it's been ever since.)
THE IMPOSSIBLE MAN SUMMER VACATION SPECTACULAR #2 (1991) - In the format of Marvel's Annuals at the time. Reads like a collection of back-up strips as IM comes to Earth looking for his missing son. Repetitive but harmless. Nice Michael Golden cover even with the unsightly legend "Kowabunga dudes!".
Anyway… between @arcfestivallondon.bsky.social starting on Saturday and ending on Sunday I got this number of BF e-mails. So bear with me…
End of the weekend at @arcfestivallondon.bsky.social and our #BF6toWatch table. Know what? There is nothing - and I mean NOTHING - in my 50-odd years of comics life that has brought me more joy than mentoring all these amazing artists over the last 12 years.
That time in 2024 when someone complained because I had selfishly not replied to a review request over Christmas and asked me to interrupt the holidays to “action it off”. This did not prove to be an effective strategy for them in securing the coverage desired. Oddly enough…
Got to hang out with the super talented @zebko.bsky.social today at @arcfestivallondon.bsky.social. #BF6toWatch
If you’re looking for me at @arcfestivallondon.bsky.social I’ll be wearing this and accessorising with these.
A little reminder I’m a guest at @captioncomicfest.bsky.social on August 8th talking small press stuff on two different panels.
Fun at the @goshcomics.bsky.social and @brokenfrontier.bsky.social drink and draw for @arcfestivallondon.bsky.social tonight. #goshbfdd
Nine years ago today. With @edieop.bsky.social at @smallpressday.bsky.social in @goshcomics.bsky.social.
Today I learnt that in 1992 Marvel published a trade paperback collection of ROCKY & BULLWINKLE comics under the title of 'Marvel Moosterworks' and whoever was responsible for this moment of genius shall be inducted into the @brokenfrontier.bsky.social Hall of Fame forthwith.
I'm quite obsessed now with this obscure early '70s Marvel reprint title LI'L KIDS but the rare copies I can find on eBay are totally prohibitively priced for really low grade copies. Shame!
It’s the online Gosh/Broken Frontier Drink and Draw here on Bluesky Thurs evening. Details here www.brokenfrontier.com/come-join-th... In the meantime someone has kindly left some drawing implements on the train seat next to me so I can practise before then. #GoshBFDD
Just look at how strong the @brokenfrontier.bsky.social front page is right now. Everything we work to promote is there - socially relevant comics, experimental comics, community shout-outs and so much more. Please spread the word! www.brokenfrontier.com
Went to the Camberwell College of Arts postgrad show tonight. Bought student comics and took some cards for those who weren’t selling stuff. Lovely to see some #BF6toWatch fam and meet some lovely creative people who knew who I was even if I couldn’t reciprocate on that front!
This issue ends on a very ominous note in the JSA story. The lead-in to the very first JLA comic I managed to find in a British newsagent.
PLANET OF THE APES VERSUS FANTASTIC FOUR - anyone else read this? I thought it was a lot of fun with some lovely moments for the enthusiasts.
11 years since the first Gosh/Broken Frontier Drink and Draw. #GoshBFDD From that evening - @mundymorn.bsky.social drew me. I drew Danny Noble back (badly).
Some ghostly art by EdieOP that still makes me smile whenever I stumble upon it. (From the last @brokenfrontier.bsky.social Small Press Yearbook).
Curious about what Marvel can and can't reprint due to likeness issues. MARVEL TEAM-UP #74 featuring the SNL cast was left out of a Masterworks yet the Letterman issue of AVENGERS and the notorious Uri Geller issue of DAREDEVIL have both been reprinted. (Problematic MTU cover obvs.)
DC FINEST: PEACEMAKER (1966-1993) - Unreadable. The Charlton 60s stuff is an interesting curiosity. But from there it's prime 80s grim and gritty with some very problematic depictions of mental illness. And then about halfway in we get a few pages here and there from issues that featured Peacemaker.
Don’t usually expect people to give up seats on public transport for me but today this guy with a stick trying to maintain his balance (and clearly failing!) with nothing to hold on to on a packed tube train in this kind of heat would have been grateful…