The following is an interview with Rosanna Brockley, the Senior Designer/Design Manager for becker&mayer! Books, which will soon be releasing the highly anticpated Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years. Scheduled for a December 4, 2012, release date, the stunning volume will feature field sketches, illustrations, and reproductions of historic pieces of art from across the Galaxy, along with over fifty excerpts from key Federation documents and correspondence, Starfleet records, and intergalactic intelligence. In this interview, Fanboy Comics Managing Editor Barbra Dillon chats with Brockley about the impressive amount of material included within the book, the talented creative team behind its design and compilation, and the special features that will be sure to impress all Star Trek fans.
This interview was conducted on October 8, 2012.
Barbra Dillon, Fanboy Comics Managing Editor: Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years is a stunning, illustrated collection that celebrates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the United Federation of Planets. Covering such a rich history of decisive battles, various alien species, and major technological advances within the Star Trek universe, what do you feel that fans will find most intriguing about the volume?
Rosanna Brockley: The sheer breadth of the timeline covered in this book is probably the most intriguing aspect. There have been bits of the history told in different places, but this is the first full history collected in one place.
BD: As a designer of the book, how did this project begin and have you always been a Star Trek fan?
RB: CBS came to becker&mayer! Books with this idea. They thought that it was really ambitious and uber-nerdy. So, it was very exciting for everyone to see it come together.
My dad is a fan, and I grew up seeing all the different series. I especially like TOS, but I’ve also developed an appreciation for Klingons in this last year.
BD: In addition to your designs, the book was written by David A. Goodman (Star Trek: Enterprise, Futurama, Family Guy) and features illustrations by Joe Corroney, Mark McHaley, Cat Staggs, and Jeff Carlisle. Can you tell us about the process of working with the creative team and the contributions of these individuals?
RB: David worked very closely with John Van Citters from CBS. CBS was extremely involved in shaping the content. They were also very involved in determining what should be shown. Continuity within the canon was always kept in mind during the development of the story and the art.
It’s really great to work with artists who are fans. They bring so much expertise. I’m also fans of these artists and had wanted to work with them prior to this project. Mark McHaley illustrated all the dramatic chapter openers and quite a few of the interior illustrations as well. Cat Staggs did many of the portraits in the book, including an awesome portrait of Khan. Joe Corroney illustrated some of the technical illustrations like the Klingon uniform and weapons, and the Romulan warbird. He also illustrated one of my favorite pieces in the book, the Romulan propaganda poster. I had worked with Jeff Carlisle on a couple of Star Wars projects before this. He illustrated some of the removable documents. His enthusiasm for the Enterprise blueprint was over the top.
BD: Do you feel that the content within Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years will appeal to both the avid Star Trek fan, as well as fans relatively new to the various iterations of the series?
RB: Definitely. Avid fans will clearly like this, but I think even casual fans will enjoy this book, as characters they know like Kirk, Spock, and Jonathan Archer are part of the history.
BD: Having recently appeared at San Diego Comic-Con, were you able to speak with fans about the book? If so, were there any elements of the content about which they were most excited?
RB: Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to speak with fans as much about this book. (Our booth was in the Lucas Pavilion.) Dana Youlin, an editor of the book, attended the Star Trek Convention this August where David Goodman and John Van Citters of CBS did a very well-attended panel about the book.
BD: While fans will be amazed by the 176 pages of content, they will also be excited to see the packaging of the volume, as well! What can you tell us about how the book will be displayed?
RB: In addition to the 176 pages, there are also removable documents, including a handwritten note from Jim Kirk, the first known diagram of a trill symbiont, and early sketches from Zefram Cochrane of his warp drive engine. But, perhaps the most exciting aspect of the display is the pedestal that holds the book. When you press the ‘Initiate’ button, the pedestal lights up and the introduction by Hikaru Sulu begins. It was pretty exciting to have George Takei lend his voice to this project.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Star Trek Federation: The First 150 Years and how can they purchase their very own copy?
RB: You can pre-order the book on Amazon.com. Fans should also check out the trailer on Amazon.com. I am, of course, getting this for my Dad for Christmas.
