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The Art Of Reboot by Jim Su
01/05/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Arcana Studios/Mainframe. 104 page illustrated hardback. Price: $23.95 (US), $ 28.99 (CAN). ISBN: 978-0-9763095-7-4. Buy The Art Of Reboot in the USA - or Buy The Art Of Reboot in the UK  check out website: www.arcanacomics.com
When I first heard there was a book devoted to showing the art behind the very first ever computer-animated TV series 'Reboot'1994-2001, it was added to my must have a look at list and a very obliging publisher happy to let me review it. Some days are just full of sunshine, especially when it arrived. If you remembered or loved this series, your eyes should brighten as well.
The first three seasons of 'Reboot' followed the lives of Bob the Guardian, Dot Matrix and her young brother, Enzo, and...er...dog, Frisket, as they oppose Megabyte and Hexidecimal who are determined to conquer the computer Mainframe. This series was CGI inside a computer which allowed a lot of liberty as to what could be done and didn't have to go for 'photo-realism' with the characters. In an odd way, though, this didn't make any difference. Quality animation, voices and scripts ensured you cared for the characters in these adventures making it a must-see when it was out. Things changed with season 4 when Enzo had grown up to become Matrix and another later companion Andrata also reached puberty and both seeking what happened to Bob. If anything, this made the series much darker and menacing.
This book, 'The Art Of Reboot', shows everything in pictures from the designs by 2000A.D. artist Brendan McCarthy to the CGI final design with a lot of footnotes as to the decisions that were made in bringing them all to life. If anything, none of this has lost any of its magic and I find it hard to believe its over a decade since I last saw these characters.
Apart from character and vehicle designs, there is also a section showing figure merchandise that was and wasn't released as well as some proposed comicbook work. If anything is missing, then it's a shame that there is no episode guide to go along with the art as this would make it the complete and only book on the subject.
A side note here, 'Reboot' was released on DVD but poorly advertised in the UK and what is remaining of American stock vastly over-priced. It could really do with another release so it could catch a new bunch of fans. Animation is ageless as this book shows.
Soon as you open these pages and spot pretty Dot the first thing you're going to cry is, 'Reboot!' Great stuff. Don't miss it.
GF Willmetts
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