THE HISTORY OF ZEN
In 1987, writer Stephen L. Stern and artist Dan Cote self-published the comic-book ZEN INTERGALACTIC NINJA. Over the years, Stern and Cote have worked with many of the most esteemed comic-book creators, including Jae Lee, Mike Mignola, Sam Kieth, Frank Brunner, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito to create a textured mythology and a lucrative franchise. During the 1990s, Zen was featured in a line of Just Toys action figures, Game Boy and NES games from Konami and numerous other licensed products, including vinyl model kits, posters and phone cards.
In 2008, the Zen franchise begins anew. With over 3 million comics and graphic novels already sold, Zen returns with a series of trade paperbacks from publishing powerhouse DEVIL’S DUE, reprinting classic Zen stories that will appeal to both new and longtime fans. A true multigenerational property who is equally at home in the pages of Archie Comics and Heavy Metal (in which he’s both appeared) Zen is poised to return to the world of pop culture with a vengeance—providing unprecedented licensing opportunities to those who act now!
For the uninitiated, Zen was created in a lab by genetic engineers trying to develop a superior race of beings. When the experiment failed, the tiny blue baby was supposed to be destroyed. A compassionate lab assistant, however, placed him into a pod and jettisoned him into space, hoping he’d find sanctuary. The pod crash-landed on the mystic planet Om, where the child was discovered by its hooded Masters. These savants trained the young boy in the arts of self-defense and meditation until he bested even his strongest and wisest mentors. On that day, the Masters took him to a secret place where a fantastic Hypership was hidden. Giving him the name ZEN, the Masters sent him forth into the universe. As he wandered from planet to planet, the intergalactic warrior soon gained a reputation as a ruthless bounty hunter and soldier of fortune.
