Margaret Clark was one of those instrumental in keeping Star Trek fiction alive after the TV series went off the air, and it’s been reported that the former Marvel and DC Comics editor passed away at 69 years old.
Star Trek fiction has gone through a lot of iterations but over the last several decades, it’s been published by Simon & Schuster with editor Margaret Clark working hard directing the line. She was most famously involved in Star Trek: The Next Generation relaunch books after the Nemesis film, helping create a vast continuity for Star Trek that lasted beyond the on-screen series.
In 2008, Clark became the principal responsible for the entire Star Trek line, though she was let go in restructuring a year later amid layoffs at Simon & Schuster. She was picked up again later as a freelance editor.
Prior to her work on Star Trek, Clark worked in comics, first starting at Marvel Comics, where she was a supervising editor for project editors, being able to help deliver one of Marvel’s most interesting artistic accomplishments in a book with famed French artist Moebius.
She moved over to DC Comics, where she worked on one of the best Star Trek comics runs in the original series in Trek history, which is where she started delving into Star Trek as a line.
Several Star Trek authors commented on her death over the last few days to pay respects. Michael Okuda, famous for creating The Next Generation Technical Manual, said, “Remembering Margaret Clark, executive editor for Pocket Books’ Star Trek program. Margaret was the guiding force on countless Star Trek books, including several editions of the Star Trek Encyclopedia and Chronology. Margaret Clark was 69.”
Long-time Star Trek writer Dayton Ward first broke the news via his blog, saying, “To say she was ‘just’ my editor would sell short her countless contributions not only on behalf of me and Kevin but also many others who’ve added stories to Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek publishing program over the many years she worked for them. She was a collaborator, a mentor, a sounding board, a boot in the ass when I needed it, a fiercely protective mother hen, and a tremendous friend. I simply cannot imagine having gotten this far or accomplishing as much as I have without her.”
Star Trek novelist John Jackson Miller echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Margaret preferred the phone, and it was after our umpteenth five-minute call lasted an hour that I asked one of my colleagues if that was normal. ‘That means she likes you,’ he replied. I’m sorry I won’t get another such call, or get the chance to meet her — but I’m honored that she chose to include me in her body of work that has entertained countless readers. My condolences to her friends, family, and colleagues.”
James Swallow stated on X, “My colleague & editor Margaret Clark passed away this weekend; over the last 17 years, she & I worked together on 9 of my 12 #StarTrek tie-in works, right up to my forthcoming #StrangeNewWorlds novel Toward The Night. Margaret was unique, dedicated & great to work with.”
The circumstances leading to her death are not disclosed anywhere online as of this writing, though it seems the news came as a surprise to many as she was continuing her Star Trek work even on forthcoming novels. Her work on Star Trek was very important to many and Fandom Pulse offers prayers and condolences to her family.
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