Writer Tom Veitch sadly ed away in February, and fans are now taking a look back at the prolific comic book writer, novelist, and poet's best work in the comic industry. Some of Veitch's most beloved projects include some of the best Star Wars comics from what is now considered Legends. His work on Dark Empire and other stories for Dark Horse Comics in the 1990s has been very influential, with some elements even seeming to inspire aspects of recent movies.
Veitch's best comic books also include outstanding runs for Marvel and DC Comics, including creator-owned work that remains as thought-provoking today as it did when first released. He got his start in underground comics, with some of his best work remaining relatively obscure. Perhaps now as fans reconsider his bibliography, all of his works will get a new appreciation and consideration.
Slow Death Funnies
Tom Veitch got his start in comics in the underground comic book scene in the 1970s. His first work was possibly for Slow Death Funnies #4, published in 1972. The comic is among his best in revealing early elements of what made his later stories so iconic.
Veitch shows a real ion for science-fiction concepts and ideas, a feature of his work throughout, and a concern with the impacts of man on the world around him. These stories in Slow Death Funnies all revolved around major issues of the day and even the present, like the environment.
Superman: At Earth's End
Veitch wrote Superman: At World's End, one of the best Superman comic books of the '90s, including one of the wildest takes on the Man of Steel. This 1995 Elseworlds story features an older Superman fighting mutated monsters in the future with a gigantic gun.
It's very '90s as far as comic books go, but also very Veitch, with lots of big battles and an inventive landscape that recalls some of the terrifying but intriguing worlds of his other works in the '80s and '90s.
The Freedon Nadd Uprising
The Freedon Nadd Uprising is among the many Star Wars comics Tom Veitch wrote for Dark Horse Comics in the '90s. This limited series is among the best, helping build out the larger world of the Old Republic era through the character of Freedon Nadd.
Freedon Nadd, one of the best original characters from Star Wars comic books, is a Jedi who explores the Dark Side of the Force. His hubris and the consequences of his actions led to many epic events in this era of a galaxy far, far away.
Dark Lords Of The Sith
The Dark Lords of the Sith, another fantastic mini-series by Veitch in the '90s, continues to explore the concept of a Jedi falling to the Dark Side, a theme that would become a hallmark of Veitch's work in the Star Wars universe and help shape the many stories that would follow.
The mini-series follows Old Republic Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider, two of the most powerful Jedi in Star Wars, after Ulic's master Arca is killed. Ulic struggles to resist the Dark Side, a battle that would lead to massive consequences.
Empire's End
Empire's End is the final chapter of the Dark Empire trilogy from Dark Horse Comics and perhaps the least well-regarded of the set, but the comic has had a clear impact and influence on later Star Wars stories, in particular The Rise of Skywalker.
The series continues the ambitions of the cloned Emperor Palpatine to reassert control of the galaxy. His actions and ambitions in the story echo in some way what would eventually show up on the screen, showing the legacy of Veitch's compelling ideas from the comics.
Dark Empire II
Dark Empire II is the second in the trilogy written by Tom Veitch and drawn by his frequent collaborator Cam Kennedy. It's also one of his best, for establishing many elements of Star Wars lore that was brand new for fans in the '90s and continues to be explored today.
In this story, Luke Skywalker is exploring the past of the Jedi, much as he is in the era of The Mandalorian, and putting together a new Jedi Order. Leia is pregnant with her first child, but this will become Anakin Solo and not Ben, as he is in canon.
Animal Man
Tom Veitch had the unfortunate task of following writer Grant Morrison's legendary run on the first volume of Animal Man in the '90s, but he brought his own stamp to it, making his run one of the best for exploring the more mystical elements of the character.
The concept of Animal Man evolved dramatically over the course of Veitch's time working on it, and he focused more on the character's spirituality and connection to animals that are closer to the general perception of the character in his later iterations.
Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon
Tales Of The Jedi was in many ways Tom Veitch's greatest contribution to Star Wars lore, and that was perhaps best exemplified in the first arc in the series, Ulic Qel-Droma and the Beast Wars of Onderon. This story arc defined what would become known as the Old Republic era.
This period of galactic history, set thousands of years before the original trilogy, has become enormously popular with fans. It's been the focus of many comics and video games and is also the subject of numerous rumors for potential live-action movies or streaming series.
Dark Empire
Dark Empire is among the best Star Wars comic book arcs ever. This is one of the earliest stories in what would become Legends and established many elements of the then-unexplored era after the original trilogy. This epic story brings back the Emperor in the form of a clone and challenges Luke Skywalker in great and terrible ways.
This incredible story also brings back Boba Fett, continuing a theme started in Star Wars #81 in the '80s and has since been realized in live-action. The story is cosmic in scale and evocative of some of Veitch's best works in comic books.
The Light And Darkness War
The Light And Darkness War is a creator-owned project Veitch wrote for the Epic Comics imprint of Marvel in 1988. In many ways it's his best work, telling an original story with an epic scope that would clearly forecast his success in writing for Star Wars.
In this mini-series, veterans of wars throughout history are reincarnated in another world to fight an eternal battle against Lord Na. The story explores issues of trauma and substance abuse, which were then very unusual in comic books, and shows Veitch's skill in melding incredible action and vistas with deeply personal stories.
