Help Thomas Veitch’s widow

My name is Angelica, and I am the daughter of Thomas Veitch. He was loved and admired by many in the Star Wars and comics world. Unfortunately he was taken by Covid before he could finish all his arrangements. His widow Martha needs help to keep their house and bills taken care of, and she is in need of home medical care as well. I am very worried about how she will manage alone and without his income until I can find a place she can afford near me. My mother and I would be so grateful. Many have reached out to ask how they can help and I hadn’t realized how many wonderful people cared about my father until now. Unfortunately the wealth generated by popular writing and entertainment does not always trickle down to the writers, artists and creators.

 

 

Tom Veitch

1941-2022

In 1969, Tom began collaborating with artist Greg Irons on many underground comix, including “The Legions Of Charlies”,  “Deviant Slice” “Slow Death”  and “Skull Comix”.  He also wrote scripts for comix illustrated by Richard Corben, Jack Jaxon and brother Rick Veitch. In 1973 he won the Big Table Award for Poetry. 

 

Returning to Vermont in 1985 he worked for Hemmings Motor News.  In 1988 he began collaborating with Scottish cartoonist Cam Kennedy on the Marvel/Epic Comics series “The Light and Darkness War” under editor Archie Goodwin.  Tom sent the series to film director George Lucas who chose Tom and Cam to create all new Star Wars comics for Marvel. After difficulties with Marvel in 1991, Dark Horse picked up the Star Wars license and released Tom and Cam’s  “Dark Empire”, followed by “Dark Empire 2” and “Empire’s End” in 1995.  Kenner released four toy action figures based on the series in 1998 and elements of the story were later incorporated into Star Wars films.  Wikipedia credits the series with “sustaining the profitability of Star Wars in the 1990’s.”

 

Through the 1990’s and 2000’s Tom was an active writer of mainstream comics, including “The Nazz” with artist Bryan Talbot, “Clash” with artist Adam Kubert, and “My Name Is Chaos” with artist John Ridgway, and “Animal Man”, for DC Comics. Also for DC Comics he wrote Animal Man No. 33–50 with art by Steve Dillon, Tom Mandrake, Dick Giordano, David G.Klein, Mark Badger, Brett Ewins, Jim McCarthy and Steve Pugh