Animato!

Animato! was an influential magazine devoted to animation. The publication is often recognized by animation enthusiasts as a successor to Michael Barrier's trailblazing Funnyworld and David Mruz's Mindrot/Animania.

The magazine first saw publication in the summer of 1983, founded and initially edited by Michael A. Ventrella in Boston. Animato!'s inaugural issue featured the film Rock & Rule on its cover. Under the editorship of Harry McCracken, the magazine expanded to a full-size format and introduced a color cover.

Throughout its tenure, Animato! covered a wide array of animation-related topics. This encompassed coverage of animation studios such as Disney, Pixar, and Hanna-Barbera, notable figures in the animation industry like John Lasseter and John Kricfalusi, as well as specific animated works, ranging from Looney Tunes and DuckTales to Tiny Toons.

Ownership of Animato! changed hands when Ventrella sold the rights to G. Michael Dobbs and Patrick Duquette. The duo began distributing the magazine through newsstands, with the first issue under their stewardship published in 1992. The magazine continued its run until the Spring of 1999, when its 40th issue marked the end of its publication journey.{{Categories}}