QUOTE B.C. Bound OF THE MONTH

The animation and visual effects world is preparing to get its tech on as SIGGRAPH 2014 convenes in lovely Vancouver from Aug. 8-10. We’re trying something different this year with our coverage — boiling it down to the most essential info animators and effects folks need to make the most of this awesome show. We also, of course, look at the show’s long-running Computer Animation Festival and can assure you that the winning films — and pretty much anything else in the festival — are well worth checking out.

We take a look this issue at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which has turned out to be one of the most enduring franchises of the last 30 years. I remember when it was a gritty, black-and-white comic book that inspired fans to shell out big bucks for the rare early issues. But TMNT really came into its own with animation, where it was able to reach a broad, enthusiastic and young audience. Now, the Turtles are back in a big-budget feature film with all the latest and greatest tech brought to bear on bringing Donatello, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo to the big screen. Staying true to the blend of action and comedy that made the Turtles great required ILM to step up its game, as you’ll see in our cover story on page 10. We also have a look back with Turtles cocreator Kevin Eastman, a longtime friend of Animation Magazine we’re glad to welcome back to our pages.

The history of animation is something that takes surprising turns, as renowned USC animation expert Tom Sito discovered in his research into the mysterious Boris V. Morkovin. Sito uncovers a hidden gem of a story about “Dr. M.,” who pioneered teaching animation at the university level, became friends with Walt Disney himself and even lectured animators at the then-young studio on their craft.

The TV animation front is a mix of the old and the new this month. We chat with Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch about the show’s long-awaited second season, preview a new take on an old favorite in Dora and Friends: Into the City, and then go into new territory with a look at BoJack Horseman, the first original animated series from Netflix.

Lastly, we’ve got the scoop on the visual effects behind the most-recent Marvel Studios extravaganza, Guardians of the Galaxy. I’ve long had a soft spot for Rocket Raccoon, one of the weirder characters to ever come out of Marvel Comics. We also dig into some interesting new tech and then swing by Gotham City as Batman introduces the Suicide Squad in Batman: Assault on Arkham.

All in all, not a bad way to play out the summer. Stay cool!