The world of Star Wars has sadly lost a great contributor as comic book writer Tom Veitch sadly passed away this past week due to complications with COVID-19.

**update** 

His daughter Angelica has started a GoFundMe to help with care for his widow, her mother, Martha. 

“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 began his career working in underground comics movement in the early 1970s. He would collaborate with artist Greg Irons on Legion of Charlies and Deviant Slice. He would also work on underground books Skull Comix and Slow Death.

In the 1980s would go on to work with Marvel under their Epic imprint and would write The Light and Darkness War. He also wrote The Nazz for Titan Books with artist Byron Talbot. He then went on to work at DC comics for which he wrote issues 33 – 50 of Animal Man. He also wrote two elsworld stories for DC, those being Kamandi: At Earth’s End and the infamous Superman: At Earth’s End.

In the 1990s he went on to create some of his best known work, that being with stories based on Star Wars.

His first major story was the Star Wars: Dark Empire series. Originally being developed while still working with Marvel with artist Campbell “Cam” Kennedy. The two were approached by Lucasfilm to write a story due to their success on The Light and the Darkness War. But after having difficulties with Marvel the story was then picked up by Dark Horse.



The series was set shortly after Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy. The series dealt with the return of Darth Sidious after he was able to cheat death and transfer his soul into a clone body. We also saw Luke temporarily get lost in the Dark Side of the force as well as the first return of Boba Fett after we saw him fall into the Sarlacc Pitt. It also gave us the first appearance of Han and Lea’s second son, Anakin Solo. The series lasted from 1991 – 1995.

His second major series was Tales of the Jedi. This series is the first known example of the Old Republic Era and went on to inspire the popular video game series by Bioware. Even the name Knights of the Old Republic was taken from this series.



This series is set thousands of years before the events of the original trilogy and covers both the Great Sith War and the Great Hyperscape War. The series lasted from 1993 – 2001.

It is sad to see such a legendary writer go. Especially someone who’s works helped expand the world of Star Wars by helping co-create the Old Republic era. His work still inspires both Star Wars fans and writers even to this day. He will be missed, but we can take peace knowing that he is now one with the force.

Source: Gizmodo