So who is Richard H Arnold?

[Mallory]

^ I know the feeling. Six years and thousands of threads later and I still learn things all the time in this forum.

 

[cooleddie74]

I'd heard and seen the name for many years before reading this thread...but to be honest I didn't quite know who the man was or realize his relationship with Roddenberry until now.

Thanks for clearing up a minor mystery!

 

[NCC621]

I've seen him talk at conventions. He certainly thinks highly of himself.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Arnold's name seems to come up a lot in discussions about Star Trek comics and novels during the '80s and '90s. Don't know how much of it is true, but there were reports that Arnold placed severe (and frequently thought arbitrary) limitations on what writers could and could not do, such as no new original characters.

DC Comics in particular seemed to have had a hard time with Arnold...

 

[Therin of Andor]

Don't know how much of it is true, but there were reports that Arnold placed severe (and frequently thought arbitrary) limitations on what writers could and could not do, such as no new original characters.

Of course the tie-ins could have original characters! But, between 1989 and 1991, they were asked in a Star Trek Office memo not to share them between each other, as several novelists had been doing, nor were original characters to continue in other stories. Nor could they use characters and events from Filmation's TAS.

As I said earlier, Richard was employed as ST Archivist (after ST IV and up till Roddenberry's death in 1991, or a few weeks after), and it was part of his job to read and comment, on behalf of Gene R, all proposals and final manuscripts for Pocket Books, DC Comics and FASA RPG, the then-current licencees of ST tie-in material.

Before Richard, that job was done by Susan Sackett.

The tie-ins were also vetted by Paula Block, of then-Paramount (now CBS) Consumer Products. Today, Paula and her team do the job. the memo has not been applied since GR's death. The first return of a TAS reference, for example, was in Jeri Taylor's novelization of "TNG: Unification" (ie. Phylosians).

 

[C.E. Evans]

Don't know how much of it is true, but there were reports that Arnold placed severe (and frequently thought arbitrary) limitations on what writers could and could not do, such as no new original characters.

Of course the tie-ins could have original characters! But, between 1989 and 1991, they were asked in a Star Trek Office memo not to share them between each other, as several novelists had been doing, nor were original characters to continue in other stories. Nor could they use characters and events from Filmation's TAS.

There were a number of original characters from DC's initial run of Star Trek (1984-1988) that were unceremoniously dropped from the series without warning--as if some cease-and-desist order had been passed. Don't know if that was Arnold's doing or not, but the decision apparently wasn't DC's.

DC later tried to introduce a new ongoing love interest for Kirk during its second run (1989-1995), but as before, the character simply disappeared one day in the same kind of abrupt "cease-and-desist"-like manner (the character later returned in a special issue presumably after Arnold was let go, but that may be just coincidence).

I think DC was told for most of their time with the license to concentrate solely on the "main seven" and to avoid stories that spotlighted on any of the original supporting characters DC created during their run as some of them featured prominently in several story arcs...

 

[Therin of Andor]

There were a number of original characters from DC's initial run of Star Trek (1984-1988) that were unceremoniously dropped from the series without warning--as if some cease-and-desist order had been passed. Don't know if that was Arnold's doing or not, but the decision apparently wasn't DC's.

All tie-in ST licenses were declared null and void in the hiatus between TNG Seasons One and Two. DC and Pocket renegotiated under a new agreement (ie. no crossovers, no sharing) and FASA did not renew.

DC later tried to introduce a new ongoing love interest for Kirk during its second run (1989-1995), but as before, the character simply disappeared one day in the same kind of abrupt "cease-and-desist"-like manner.

None of this is a mystery if you read the editors' ongoing comments in the lettercols. The dropping of Arex and M'Ress (of TAS), Bruce, Konom, Sherwood, Bearclaw and Bernie was explained by Robert Greenberger in TOS Series II, issue #1. Original characters were fine, just not continuing original characters.

M'Ress had to be redrawn as M'yra for Series II, as an antelope-horned woman. Arex was reconceived as bipedal blue security guard, Ensign Fouton. They, and RJ Blaise, Kirk's protocol officer/love interest, had to leave the ship after completion of their first story arcs.

I think DC was told for most of their time with the license to concentrate solely on the "main seven"

As specified by the Star Trek Office, yes. TNG was "the big eight", ie. the credited stars. Pocket Books had to do the same. No secret.

 

[C.E. Evans]

renegotiated[/I] under a new agreement (ie. no crossovers, no sharing) and FASA did not renew.

None of this is a mystery if you read the editors' ongoing comments in the lettercols.

Sue me, they weren't included in the collections I had.

The dropping of Arex and M'Ress (of TAS), Bruce, Konom, Sherwood, Bearclaw and Bernie was explained by Robert Greenberger in TOS Series II, issue #1.

Same response as above.

Original characters were fine, just not continuing original characters.

That's what I was talking about, not just one-story only characters.

M'Ress had to be redrawn as M'yra for Series II, as an antelope-horned woman. Arex was reconceived as bipedal blue security guard, Ensign Fouton. They, and RJ Blaise, Kirk's protocol officer/love interest, had to leave the ship after completion of their first story arcs.

As specified by the Star Trek Office, yes. TNG was "the big eight", ie. the credited stars. Pocket Books had to do the same. No secret.

Not common knowledge either...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Was it Arnold's interference that so badly butchered The Cry of the Onlies and pretty much cut out every reference to "Miri" (apart from character names such as Miri and Jahn) that the novel had?

As I remember it, Miri's planet was given a name (without the author's input), all references to the planet being a duplicate of Earth were ordered deleted, along with the explanation as to how such a planet could exist in the first place.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Not common knowledge either...

I've posted this information here numerous times.

http://www.geocities.com/therinofandor/TAS/TAS2.html

Scroll down to M'RESS, Shiboline entry and comparison pics, where it says:

M'Ress was again redrawn (original art previewed in "Amazing Heroes" magazine #170, Aug 1989, page 99), replaced by Lieutenant M'yra, a reddish hominid woman with antelope horns and a devil's tail, in the post-"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" comics, DC Series II (b/w and colour illustrations...)

 

[C.E. Evans]

Not common knowledge either...

I've posted this information here numerous times.

http://www.geocities.com/therinofandor/TAS/TAS2.html

Scroll down to M'RESS, Shiboline entry and comparison pics, where it says:

M'Ress was again redrawn (original art previewed in "Amazing Heroes" magazine #170, Aug 1989, page 99), replaced by Lieutenant M'yra, a reddish hominid woman with antelope horns and a devil's tail, in the post-"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" comics, DC Series II (b/w and colour illustrations...)

No, not about M'Ress or any of the TAS characters, but about agreements between Paramount (or the Star Trek office) and DC Comics over the use of original ongoing characters they created like Bryce, Konom, Sherwood, Bearclaw, Bernie, Blaise, etc.,. Unless you were there when all that went down or had the original issues with the letter columns, it just seemed as if the characters disappeared without warning. Not everybody knew what happened.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Unless you were there when all that went down or had the original issues with the letter columns, it just seemed as if the characters disappeared without warning. Not everybody knew what happened.

Which is why I talk about it online often, I guess. The situation pops up for discussion over in TrekLit often, and Robert Greenberger and Margaret Clark, both former DC editors, have been known to turn up there. Richard Arnold has come to Australian conventions annually since the mid 80s, and we got regular updates from his side of the story - and the DC side of things could be found in the lettercols and magazines of the day, such as "Amazing Heroes", etc. Richard also wrote every month for the old "Star Trek Communicator", magazine of the US Official ST Fan Club.

BTW, the forthcoming DVD-ROM set of all Gold Key, Marvel, DC, Malibu, Marvel/Paramount and WildStorm Star Trek comics will supposedly include scans of all the old lettercols. You'll see my name in there often.

I'd also recommend tracking down the omnibus of Peter David comics articles, called "But I Digress..." He gets stuck into Richard Arnold in numerous selections.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Unless you were there when all that went down or had the original issues with the letter columns, it just seemed as if the characters disappeared without warning. Not everybody knew what happened.

Which is why I talk about it online often, I guess. The situation pops up for discussion over in TrekLit often, and Robert Greenberger and Margaret Clark, both former DC editors, have been known to turn up there. Richard Arnold has come to Australian conventions annually since the mid 80s, and we got regular updates from his side of the story - and the DC side of things could be found in the lettercols and magazines of the day, such as "Amazing Heroes", etc. Richard also wrote every month for the old "Star Trek Communicator", magazine of the US Official ST Fan Club.

BTW, the forthcoming DVD-ROM set of all Gold Key, Marvel, DC, Malibu, Marvel/Paramount and WildStorm Star Trek comics will supposedly include scans of all the old lettercols. You'll see my name in there often.

I'd also recommend tracking down the omnibus of Peter David comics articles, called "But I Digress..." He gets stuck into Richard Arnold in numerous selections.

Interesting stuff. Thanks.

 

[Solariabsg25]

Good stuff Therin, being heavily into the FASA STRPG, I know some of the backstory to that. I think the way FASA described it was after TNG was released, they wanted to charge more for the copyright, but placed a lot of restrictions on what could be included that wasn't onscreen. And an RPG needs a lot of back-story never seen on-screen, so they would have been creatively stifled, along with having to abandon many items still in development (the large-scale strategic game and Star Fleet Marines supplement to name just two).

 

[captcalhoun]

Arnold's cropped up in Comic Book Resources' "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed" column twice in the last month. on the first occassion PAD actually dropped in and filled in what happened between him and Arnold. including Arnold declaring the Gold Key comics were what DC should aspire to, which led to PAD laughing in his face. PAD also told how he had a script rejected, resubmitted under the name Robert Bruce Banner and had it approved.

Arnold's mandates also included "Kirk is no longer interested in romantic relationships with women" and one story having "too much violence" despite only featuring a fist-fight...

 

[Captain Robert April]

...including Arnold declaring the Gold Key comics were what DC should aspire to, which led to PAD laughing in his face.

I think I would've gone further than laughing in his face. A few pointed inquiries regarding his sanity would've been in order, I think (on the order of, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKIN' MIND!?!")

 

[Shatmandu]

Arnold's cropped up in Comic Book Resources' "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed" column twice in the last month. on the first occassion PAD actually dropped in and filled in what happened between him and Arnold. including Arnold declaring the Gold Key comics were what DC should aspire to, which led to PAD laughing in his face. PAD also told how he had a script rejected, resubmitted under the name Robert Bruce Banner and had it approved.

Arnold's mandates also included "Kirk is no longer interested in romantic relationships with women" and one story having "too much violence" despite only featuring a fist-fight...

Getting only one side of the story is never a good thing.

If PAD had his way, seems like every-other line would be a cutesy in-joke. It's those "Hey, LOOK AT ME! I'm writing!" bits in his work that make it unreadable, for me.

Joe, caused a B.I.D. column once

 

[Therin of Andor]

Good stuff Therin, being heavily into the FASA STRPG, I know some of the backstory to that. I think the way FASA described it was after TNG was released, they wanted to charge more for the copyright, but placed a lot of restrictions on what could be included that wasn't onscreen.

Yep, the licensing contracts went up for grabs after Season One of TNG. But FASA already blotted its TNG copybook with the Star Trek Office. FASA put out a "TNG Season One Sourcebook", after much negotiation with Richard about the "new" material that needed to be there to enable a RPG to work, but supposedly they never submitted a revised final draft of their TNG "Officers' Manual" before it went to press. IIRC.

 

[jayrath]

Arnold is easy to villify, and I guess I have my problems with him, too. But no one can argue that he did not have an encyclopedic knowledge of TOS. For many years, it was his paid job to make sure that the original series conception did not spin out of control in novels and such, via "Mary Sue" characters, etc. So of course he developed some very visible detractors, particularly among the novelists.

For my money, for better or worse, he maintained the franchise's solidity during the in-between years, pre TNG. He played a vital role in scripting Phase II, which became the first film.

Ultimate fan boy? Sure. But I think TOS fans can cut him plenty of slack for wanting only to safeguard the original settings, characters, and their relationships. That's what Roddenberry paid him to do. He is okay in my book. He deserved far better than Paramount's treatment of him.

 

[Therin of Andor]

He played a vital role in scripting Phase II, which became the first film.

I've met Richard Arnold many times since 1984, when he was a volunteer guide at Paramount, and he's never mentioned having "a role" in the scripting of "Phase II". He would have been very young in the 70s. Are you sure you have the right anecdote here?