{{Short description|American comics artist (born 1955)}} {{About|the American comics artist|the English orientalist|Thomas Yeates (orientalist)|the British trade unionist|Tom Yates}} {{Infobox comics creator | image = 4.20.08ThomasYeatesByLuigiNovi.JPG | caption = Thomas Yeates at the<br>2008 New York Comic Con | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|1|19}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | area = Artist | alias = | signature = | notable works = ''Conan''<br>''Prince Valiant''<br>''Tarzan''<br>''Zorro'' | awards = Inkpot Award, 2012 | website = http://www.thomasyeates.com/ }} '''Thomas Yeates''' (born January 19, 1955)<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=John Jackson|authorlink=John Jackson Miller|url=http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|title=Comics Industry Birthdays|work=Comics Buyer's Guide|date=June 10, 2005|location=Iola, Wisconsin|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218031356/http://cbgxtra.com/knowledge-base/for-your-reference/comics-industry-birthdays|archivedate=February 18, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> is an American comic strip and comic book artist best known for illustrating the comic strips ''Prince Valiant'' and ''Zorro'' and for working on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

==Early life== Thomas Yeates was born in Sacramento, California and began drawing at a young age.<ref>{{cite journal|last= Cooke|first= Jon B.|title= Thomas Yeates and the Art of Adventure|journal= Comic Book Creator|issue= 39|pages= 46|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= August 2025|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> He attended Utah State University for two years.<ref>Cooke, p. 54–55</ref>

==Career== Yeates was part of the first graduating class from The Kubert School.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.kubertschool.edu/alumni/alumni-spotlight/Thomas_Yeates.html|title= Talent From The Kubert School: Thomas Yeates|date= n.d.|publisher= The Kubert School|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141228044651/http://www.kubertschool.edu/alumni/alumni-spotlight/Thomas_Yeates.html|archivedate=December 28, 2014 |url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lambiek.net/artists/y/yeates_thomas.htm|year= 2014|publisher= Lambiek Comiclopedia|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140328162330/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/y/yeates_thomas.htm|archivedate= March 28, 2014|url-status= live|title= Thomas Yeates}}</ref> His first published comics work was "Preacher" a five-page backup feature in ''Sgt. Rock'' #312 (Jan. 1978).<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb|type=credit|search= Yeates}}</ref> He provided spot illustrations for a Batman prose story in ''Detective Comics'' #500 (March 1981) written by Walter B. Gibson, longtime writer of ''The Shadow''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1= Matthew K.|editor-last=Dolan|editor-first=Hannah|chapter= 1980s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 193|quote = Writer of pulp icon the Shadow, Walter Gibson, spun a prose story of the Dark Knight, illustrated by Tom Yeates.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last= Greenberger|first= Robert|authorlink= Robert Greenberger|title= Memories of ''Detective Comics'' #500|journal= Back Issue!|issue= 69|pages= 54–57|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= December 2013|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> Yeates and Jack C. Harris briefly revived Claw the Unconquered as a backup feature in ''The Warlord'' #48–49.<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 195</ref> "Dragonsword" was a backup feature by Paul Levitz and Yeates which appeared in ''The Warlord'' #51–54 (Nov. 1981&ndash;Feb. 1982).<ref>{{cite journal|last= Catron|first= Michael|authorlink = Michael Catron|title= Dragon Sword|journal= Amazing Heroes|issue= 2|page= 18|publisher= Fantagraphics|date= July 1981|location= Stamford, Connecticut<!--location in 1981-->|quote= Dragon Sword, a new sword-and sorcery series created and scripted by Paul Levitz and pencilled and inked by Tom Yeates will debut as the back feature in ''Warlord'' #51, on sale in August [1981].}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fanzing.com/mag/fanzminus1/iview.shtml|title= Tom Yeates Interview|first= D. J.|last= LoTempio|year= 2002|publisher= Fanzing|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120419033654/http://www.fanzing.com/mag/fanzminus1/iview.shtml|archivedate= April 19, 2012|url-status= live}}</ref> In 1982, Yeates and writer Martin Pasko revived Swamp Thing in a new series titled ''Saga of the Swamp Thing''.<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 197: "Swamp Thing returned to the pages of a new ongoing series, written by Martin Pasko and drawn by artist Tom Yeates."</ref> ''Timespirits'' was created by Stephen Perry and Yeates for the Epic Comics line.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cbr.com/everybodys-somebodys-baby-day-thirteen/|title= Everybody's Somebody's Baby – Day Thirteen|first= Brian|last= Cronin|date= June 9, 2008|website= Comic Book Resources|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140820230453/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/06/09/everybodys-somebodys-baby-day-thirteen/|archive-date= August 20, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref> In 1987, he drew a comics adaptation of ''Captain EO'' for Eclipse Comics, with stereoscopy effects by Ray Zone.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=February 15, 1987|title=Newsline|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics|number=111}}</ref> In 1989, ''Amazing Heroes'' named the comic the third best 3D comic of all time, praising Yeates' artwork.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=February 1, 1989|title=X of a Kind - The Best of 3-D|last=Valentino|first=Jim|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics|number=158}}</ref> Neil Gaiman asked him to draw ''The Sandman'' but Yeates declined the offer.<ref>Cooke, p. 64</ref>

Yeates drew the ''Universe X: Beasts'' and ''Universe X: Cap'' one-shots for Marvel in 2001.<ref name="GCD" /><ref>{{cite book|last= Booker|first= M. Keith|chapter= ''Earth X''|title= Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels|publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group|year= 2010|location= Santa Barbara, California|page= 157|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=YbkJ0QJrEZ8C&q=Universe+X+Thomas+Yeates&pg=PA157|isbn= 978-0313357466}}</ref> On April 1, 2012, Yeates began drawing the ''Prince Valiant'' comic strip, replacing Gary Gianni.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/towns/2999231-181/tom-yeates-princely-appointment|title= Tom Yeates' princely appointment|first= Stephen D.|last= Gross|date= October 31, 2014|location= Santa Rosa, California|newspaper= The Press Democrat|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141204044130/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/towns/2999231-181/tom-yeates-princely-appointment|archivedate= December 4, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref>

Yeates collaborated with Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier on the ''Groo vs. Conan'' crossover for Dark Horse Comics in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://herocomplex.latimes.com/comics/wondercon-sergio-aragones-mark-evanier-talk-new-groo/|title= WonderCon: Sergio Aragonés, Mark Evanier talk new Groo|first= Blake|last= Hennon|date= April 18, 2014|newspaper= Los Angeles Times|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141218101428/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/comics/wondercon-sergio-aragones-mark-evanier-talk-new-groo/|archivedate= December 18, 2014|url-status= live|quote= In the series, Aragonés draws Groo, and Tom Yeates draws Conan.}}</ref>

==Awards== Yeates received an Inkpot Award in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot|title= Inkpot Awards|year= 2014|publisher= San Diego Comic-Con International|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141010085142/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/inkpot|archivedate= October 10, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref>

==Bibliography== ===Comico=== * ''Jonny Quest'' #4 (1986)

===Dark Horse Comics=== * ''Conan'' #1, 3–7, 9–11, 13–14 (2004–2005) * ''Dark Horse Presents'' #143 (1999) * ''Dark Horse Presents'' vol. 2 #8–10 (2012) * ''Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan: The Lost Adventure'' #1 (1995) * ''Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Return of Tarzan'' #1–3 (1997) * ''Groo vs. Conan'' #1–4 (2014) * ''Monkeyman and O'Brien July's Greatest Comics'' #1 (1996) * ''Tarzan'' #1–6, 17–20 (1996–1998)

===DC Comics=== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''Arak, Son of Thunder'' #27–30 (1983–1984) * ''Detective Comics'' #500 (Batman) (1981) * ''Elvira's House of Mystery'' #7 (1986) * ''Ghosts'' #67,89 (1978-1980) * ''House of Mystery'' #294, 301, 315 (1981–1983) * ''Jonah Hex'' #53–55 (1981) * ''Mystery in Space'' #114, 117 (1980–1981) * ''Saga of the Swamp Thing'' #1–8, 10–13 (1982–1983) * ''Sgt. Rock'' #312, 331, 340, 346 (1978–1980) * ''Superman'' #422 (1986) * ''Swamp Thing'' #64, 86–89, 112–113, ''Annual'' #3 (1987–1991) * ''Unknown Soldier'' #244–246 (1980) * ''Vertigo Visions – Tomahawk'' #1 (1998) * ''The Warlord'' #48–49 (Claw the Unconquered); #51–54 (Dragonsword) (1981–1982) * ''Weird War Tales'' #103 (1981) * ''Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe'' #26 (1987) {{div col end}}

===Eclipse Comics=== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''Airboy'' #1–2, 25 (1986–1987) * ''Alien Encounters'' #8 (1986) * ''Alien Worlds'' vol. 2 #1 (1988) * ''Aztec Ace'' #10, 14 (1985) * ''Brought to Light'' #1 (1988) * ''Captain EO'' #1 (adaptation) (1987) * ''Licence to Kill'' #1 (adaptation) (1989) * ''Luger'' #1–3 (1986–1987) * ''The New DNAgents'' #10 (1986) * ''Orbit'' #3 (1990) * ''Real War Stories'' #1 (1987) * ''Scout'' #7, 9 (1986) * ''Scout Handbook'' #1 (1987) * ''Scout: War Shaman'' #10–11 (1989) * ''Total Eclipse'' #2, 4 (1988–1989) {{div col end}}

===HM Communications, Inc.=== * ''Heavy Metal'' #v4#7, #v5#5, #v7#10 (1980–1984)

===Image Comics=== * ''Zorro: The Dailies, First Year'' #1 (2001)

===Malibu Comics=== * ''Tarzan: The Beckoning'' #1–7 (1992–1993)

===Marvel Comics=== * ''Paradise X: Ragnarok'' #1–2 (2003) * ''Timespirits'' #1–8 (1984–1986) * ''Universe X: Beasts'' #1 (2001) * ''Universe X: Cap'' #1 (2001) * ''Wild Cards'' #2 (1990)

===Pacific Comics=== * ''Alien Worlds'' #3, 5 (1983)

===Topps Comics=== * ''Dracula Versus Zorro'' #1–2 (1993)

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{commonscategory}} * {{Official website|http://www.thomasyeates.com/}} * {{comicbookdb|type=creator|id= 839}} * [https://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=460 Thomas Yeates] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics * [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/namy3.htm#N2530 Thomas Yeates] at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators

{{s-start}} {{succession box|title=''The Saga of the Swamp Thing'' artist|before= n/a|after=Bo Hampton|years=1982–1983}} {{succession box|title=''Arak, Son of Thunder'' inker|before= Ron Randall|after=Ernie Colón|years=1983–1984}} {{succession box|title=''Prince Valiant'' artist|before=Gary Gianni|after= n/a|years=2012–present}} {{end}}

{{Prince Valiant|state=collapsed}} {{Inkpot Award 2010s}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Yeates, Thomas}} Category:1955 births Category:20th-century American artists Category:21st-century American artists Category:American comics artists Category:Artists from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:DC Comics people Category:Inkpot Award winners Category:Living people Category:Marvel Comics people Category:People from Sonoma County, California Category:Prince Valiant Category:The Kubert School alumni Category:Utah State University alumni