Template:Realworld Ben Robinson (born 14 June 1969; age 54) is the British writer and editor of several Star Trek-related reference works and projects.
Robinson is the grandson of Bernard Robinson, most notably known as the production designer of most Hammer horror films made from 1957 until 1968. [1] [2] A 1991 University of York graduate holding a Masters degree in English and Related Literature, Robinson was a Star Trek: The Original Series fan from an early age.
During the 1990s, Robinson's first two years of working for GE Fabbri saw him serve as one of the initiators, editors, and writers of the Star Trek Fact Files partwork magazine. He worked alongside Marcus Riley, Penny L. Juday, Larry Nemecek, Guy Vardaman, Tim Gaskill, and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens on this project. Following the success of the Fact Files, he was reassigned to edit its US derivative called Star Trek: The Magazine in 1998.
Robinson was the first publication editor to fully realize that live-action produced computer generated imagery was singularly well-suited for illustrative purposes in licensed Star Trek print publications. In 1998, this CG imagery premiered in issue 69 of The Fact Files and was seen in all subsequent issues. [3]
When Haynes Publishing sought advice on creating the USS Enterprise Owners' Workshop Manual, Robinson was one of those approached through CBS Consumer Products, ultimately leading to him writing the manual in its entirety, apart from one chapter. Robinson approached Marcus Riley to assist him with the project and also had the assistance of Michael Okuda as a technical consultant and editor. Robinson subsequently served in a similar capacity for Haynes' follow-up publication, the Klingon Bird of Prey Owners' Workshop Manual, where he had the assistance of Rick Sternbach.
Robinson is formally employed by partwork publisher Eaglemoss Collections, following its merger with GE Fabbri in 2011. He is currently the project manager of the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection partwork magazine.