One legacy of the dot-com boom/bust was the proliferation of Flash animations. Projects that once required conventional tools and had a substantial learning curve are now within the reach of Web developers, old-school cartoonists, and just about anyone with a creative spark. These days, mainstream media copy the Flash look, from TV commercials to print ads to feature films (think Richard Linklater's Waking Life).

Flash Frames is an image-packed tribute to some of the pioneers of this emerging art form, with the focus on animations that are self-contained artistic expressions (music videos, cartoons) as opposed to Flash interfaces or games. It's more of an exhibit than a how-to. There is, however, some practical advice for would-be Flashers. Veteran rocker and techno-innovator Todd Rundgren warns against an overuse of bitmap-heavy images, which might require the audio to be compressed to the point of sacrificing sound quality. Hillman Curtis advises Flashers not to fight the limitations of the medium. "As Hemingway once said, 'Write the story, take out all of the good lines, and see if it still works.'"

In his introduction, Spider-Man creator Stan Lee gives all innovative Flashers an encouraging pat on the back. As he sees it, "Flash has been a boon to the animation community." Seventy-nine years old and still actively creating, Lee is one of the many artists whose inventive work is on display here. The diverse styles range from the stunning psychedelia of Untitled_07's video for Aerial's "Inertia" to the coloring book look of Steve Marcus's "Jails, Hospitals & Hip-Hop." Other music videos include Alexander Galle's evocatively layered piece for The Cure's "Out of this World" and Pixelwurld's retro-styled animation for "Never the Same" by Supreme Beings of Leisure.

The book also highlights lots of cartoon/comic book-style animations, like Scream Therapy's "Zip Code," where the viewer gets to pick which dastardly trick a dog will use to sneak up on (and chomp) the mail carrier, all done with the look and cleverness of vintage Warner Brothers. Flash Frames will both amuse and inspire any reader. --Angelynn Grant

Book Description
Flash animation is the heartbeat of a new generation of pop culture enthusiasts. Whether creating their own independent animated clips or working with some of the biggest names in the music world-such as Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Todd Rundgren, Dr. Dre, and Phish-these Flash artists maximize this software's high resolution, intense saturation of color, and quick speed to create some of the hottest content on the web. Flash Frames: A New Pop Culture celebrates the work of 40 of the most innovative media artists currently using this program-showcasing the work of everyone from veteran celebrity animators like Russ Heath to such cutting-edge cult heroes as Joe Cartoon. Readers will discover the apocalyptic landscape of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"; the high-spirited adventures of Marina Zurkow's mutant-cute superheroine Braingirl; and dozens of other dazzling, full-color examples covering an array of subjects and styles. This unique showcase also includes a captivating Introduction by celebrated Marvel Comics writer Stan Lee.

About the Author
Laurie Dolphin is an award-winning author and designer. Her recent books include Evidence: The Art of Candy Jernigan, which received a certificate of excellence in the 2000 Print Regional Design Annual. She lives in New York City and Los Angeles. Stuart S. Shapiro is president of Digital Download and a creative pioneer in cutting-edge entertainment. His production credits include the USA Network award-winning series Night Flight and the live webcast of Woodstock '99. He is currently producing a series of music and comedy specials. He lives in Los Angeles.

FROM THE PUBLISHER