ORIGINS:Zen is a freelance mercenary. Contracted by El Nobus, High Sovereign Overlord of Veda-IV, to retrieve the fabled Jewel of Forgetfulness. Zen ventured to the third planet from the fifth star-sun in the eighteenth quadrant of the XLZ4 sector of the Zardeff Galaxy. There, Zen encountered the keeper of the Jewel, the legendary Queen Azuta – who wore the gleaming diadem on her forehead. From the outset, Zen had known that the only way to possess the Jewel was to wrest it from Azuta's lifeless body. Motivated by the promise of untold riches but uneasy about taking an innocent life, Zen nonetheless did the deed, narrowly escaping with his own life from Azuta's enraged followers.
Once safely aboard his Hypership, Zen experienced the emotion of remorse for the first time in his more than 300 years of existence. His attention focused on the Jewel. Perhaps, he thought, it could help him forget... And in a gesture that would change his life forever, he touched the Jewel to his forehead. He blanked out. |
ALL STORIES WRITTEN BY STEVE STERN
FIRST EDITIONS:
ZENS 1,2,3,4,5 &6; Black and White. Co-creators, Steve Stern & Dan Cotes' debut of Zen Intergalactic Ninja. Indy published by the creators.
1-JEWEL OF FORGETFULNESS - art; DAN COTE 1987 (3,500 printed)
2-DOWN TO EARTH - art; DAN COTE 1988
3-UP AND AWAY - art; DAN COTE 1988
4-SHIP OF FOOLS - art; DAN COTE 1988
5-THE FINAL BATTLE - art; DAN COTE 1989
6-AN ALIEN IN NEW YORK - art; DAN COTE 1989
2-DOWN TO EARTH - art; DAN COTE 1988
3-UP AND AWAY - art; DAN COTE 1988
4-SHIP OF FOOLS - art; DAN COTE 1988
5-THE FINAL BATTLE - art; DAN COTE 1989
6-AN ALIEN IN NEW YORK - art; DAN COTE 1989
SECOND EDITIONS:
ZENS 1, 2 & 3.
After selling out of the first printings, we took the opportunity to revisit and remaster the original story line into a more condensed version. Still black and white. Still self published.
After selling out of the first printings, we took the opportunity to revisit and remaster the original story line into a more condensed version. Still black and white. Still self published.
1-JEWEL OF FORGETFULNESS - art: DAN COTE 1989
2-DOWN TO EARTH 1989 - art: PAUL PELLETIER - letters: ALEX KEMP
3-UP AND AWAY 1990 - art: ED GRAT
2-DOWN TO EARTH 1989 - art: PAUL PELLETIER - letters: ALEX KEMP
3-UP AND AWAY 1990 - art: ED GRAT
THIRD EDITIONS:
ZENS 1. 2. 3. 4 & 5 - volume 2
A new art team develops as demand exceeds Dans ability to produce.
A new art team develops as demand exceeds Dans ability to produce.
1-vol-3 JEWEL OF FORGETULNESS - art: ROSS ANDRU & MIKE EPOSITO - cover: DAN COTE 1991
2-vol-3 DOWN TO EARTH - art: ROSS ANDRU & MIKE ESPOSITO - 1991
3-vol-3 UP AND AWAY - art: ROSS ANDRU & MIKE ESPOSITO - cover: JIM FLETCHER - 1991
4-vol-3 not shown. don't worry I'll find it... but - art: JIM FLETCHER-JIM FERN & WILL CYPSER cover: JIM FLETCHER \ DAN COTE 1992
5-vol-3 art: JIM FLETCHER, JIM FERN & WILL CYPSER - cover: MIKE MIGNOLA / DAN COTE 1992
2-vol-3 DOWN TO EARTH - art: ROSS ANDRU & MIKE ESPOSITO - 1991
3-vol-3 UP AND AWAY - art: ROSS ANDRU & MIKE ESPOSITO - cover: JIM FLETCHER - 1991
4-vol-3 not shown. don't worry I'll find it... but - art: JIM FLETCHER-JIM FERN & WILL CYPSER cover: JIM FLETCHER \ DAN COTE 1992
5-vol-3 art: JIM FLETCHER, JIM FERN & WILL CYPSER - cover: MIKE MIGNOLA / DAN COTE 1992
ONE SHOT SPECIALS:
ZEN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL 1 - 1992
Designed to be uber collectible: Embossed and foiled cover in two colors. One blue, One red.
Only 2500 printed.
Designed to be uber collectible: Embossed and foiled cover in two colors. One blue, One red.
Only 2500 printed.
Sweet cover by NELSON / COTE. Some foiled, some not - art: JIM FERN & WILL CYPSER.
EARTH DAY ONE AND ONLY - 1993
One shot story that introduces the vicious planet destroyer; QWAKE.
One shot story that introduces the vicious planet destroyer; QWAKE.
art: DAN COTE - cover: SAM KIETH / DAN COTE
Some books had foil logo treatments. Some really special ones came poly bagged with a chromium card. There were at least two variations on the color themes with the Chromium cards.
Some books had foil logo treatments. Some really special ones came poly bagged with a chromium card. There were at least two variations on the color themes with the Chromium cards.