Big Comic Writer Tom Veitch, 80, Tragically Passes Away
Tom Veitch was an accomplished poetry writer and comic book writer responsible for bringing audiences the Dark Horse Comics Tales of the Jedi Star Wars series and introducing The Old Republic and has passed away at the age of 80 from COVID.
The news was announced on Facebook by Rick Veitch. Tom Veitch was a contributor to the Underground Comix movement in the 70s, and collaborated with Greg Irons on many publications, including Skull Comix. His work on DC Comics series The Nazz with Bryan Talbot, and Marvel’s The Light and Darkness War limited comic series supported by Cam Kennedy saw Tom Veitch really come into his own.
Veitch was also the recipient of the Big Table Award for Poetry in 1973, a notable accomplishment, and he wrote and oversaw the publication of his own poetry journal called the Tom Veitch Magazine. His work on the George Lucas approved Star Wars Tales of the Jedi canonical comic series, along with Dark Empire saw the introduction of what fans know as the Old Republic era of Star Wars, which includes the Bioware Knights of the Old Republic titles set in the same era.
The obituary as posted by his brother Rick Veitch states:
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. A life long spiritual seeker, Tom founded and moderated the popular internet message board, “Lightmind Forum” devoted to discussing various metaphysical schools of thought. He published a spiritual memoire, The Visions of Elias (A True Story of Life In The Spirit) in 2016 through his own Sky River Press. Tom owned and operated Old Bennington Books, a bookstore in downtown Bennington, VT for many years.
Tom Veitch is survived by his wife Martha Veitch of Arlington, daughter Angelica Veitch Stasolla of Brunswick ME. two grandsons Tommy Walls and Jacob Walls of Brunswick ME, sister Wendy Lillie of Rockingham Vt, and brothers Robert D. Veitch of Minneapolis, MN Rick Veitch of West Townshend VT, Michael Veitch of Woodstock NY and Peter Veitch of Chester VT.
The comic industry and Star Wars lost a true visionary in Tom Veitch, and he will surely be missed.
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